Control of Invasive Chromolaena Odorata an Evaluation in Some Land Use Types in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa
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Control of Invasive Chromolaena odorata An evaluation in some land use types in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa Phoebe Luwum February 2002 Control of Invasive Chromolaena odorata An evaluation in some land use types in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa Thesis submitted to the International Institute for Geo-information Science and Earth Observation in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geo- information and Earth Observation, Environmental Systems Analysis and Management. Degree Assessment Board: Chairman Dr. J. de Leeuw NRS Department, ITC External examiner Dr. D. M. Pegtel Laboratory for Plant Ecology Universiteit Groningen Internal examiner Dr. Y. Hussin NRS ITC Primary supervisor Dr. I. van Duren NRS ITC Secondary supervisor Dr. H. van Gils NRS ITC INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND EARTH OBSERVATION ENSCHEDE, THE NETHERLANDS This document describes work undertaken as part of a programme of study at the International Institute for Geo-information Science and Earth Observation. All views and opinions expressed therein remain the sole responsibility of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of the institute. For mama TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................................... i List of Figures .......................................................................................................................................... iii List of Tables.............................................................................................................................................iv List of Tables.............................................................................................................................................iv Abbreviations/acronyms.............................................................................................................................v Abbreviations/acronyms.............................................................................................................................v Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................vi Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... vii 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1 1.1. Invasive species..................................................................................................................1 1.2. Chromolaena odorata (L.) R. M. King and H. Robinson ..................................................3 1.3. Control of Chromolaena odorata in KwaZulu Natal.........................................................6 1.4. Management of Chromolaena odorata in conservation areas............................................8 1.5. Management of Chromolaena odorata in production forestry area...................................9 1.6. Management of Chromolaena odorata in commercial agriculture areas.........................10 1.7. Management of Chromolaena odorata in urban and subsistence agriculture areas.........10 1.8. Partnerships ......................................................................................................................10 1.9. Problem definition............................................................................................................10 1.10. Objective ..........................................................................................................................12 1.11. Research questions ...........................................................................................................12 1.12. Research hypotheses.........................................................................................................12 2. Study area.......................................................................................................................................14 2.1. Location............................................................................................................................14 2.2. Topography ......................................................................................................................14 2.3. Climate .............................................................................................................................14 2.4. Vegetation ........................................................................................................................15 2.5. Land tenure and land use..................................................................................................15 3. Methods..........................................................................................................................................17 3.1. Data collected...................................................................................................................19 3.2. Data processing/ analysis .................................................................................................19 3.3. Assumption.......................................................................................................................20 4. Results ............................................................................................................................................21 4.1. Exploratory Analysis........................................................................................................21 4.2. Analysis of vegetation cover and Chromolaena odorata abundance...............................21 4.3. Chromolaena odorata abundance in different land use types..........................................22 i 4.4. Chromolaena odorata abundance in production forests ..................................................24 4.5. Chromolaena odorata plant morphology in planted forest compartments ......................24 4.6. Chromolaena odorata abundance in the conservation areas............................................25 4.7. Chromolaena odorata morphology in the conservation areas .........................................25 4.8. Chromolaena odorata reproduction in the conservation areas ........................................26 4.9. Chromolaena odorata abundance within Futululu State Forest NBAL...........................26 4.10. Chromolaena odorata morphology within Futululu State Forest ....................................27 4.11. Chromolaena odorata reproduction within Futululu State Forest ...................................28 4.12. Proximity to water bodies and abundance of Chromolaena odorata...............................28 5. Discussion ......................................................................................................................................31 5.1. Vegetation cover and Chromolaena odorata abundance .................................................31 5.2. Effect of land use type on Chromolaena odorata abundance ..........................................31 5.3. Effect of control strategy on Chromolaena odorata ........................................................32 5.4. Proximity to water bodies and abundance of Chromolaena odorata...............................33 5.5. NBAL and non-NBAL periphery.....................................................................................33 5.6. Conclusion........................................................................................................................33 6. Appendices ....................................................................................................................................... i Appendix 1: Releveé Sheet .............................................................................................................. i Appendix 2: Interview checklist...................................................................................................... ii Appendix 3: Classification criteria for Chromolaena odorata growth form/morphology ............. iii Appendix 4: Classification criteria for land use types.....................................................................iv Appendix 5: Error matrix for land use map......................................................................................v Appendix 6: Field data summary.....................................................................................................vi Appendix 7: Data used in the study............................................................................................... vii Appendix 8: Sample of WfW information system data................................................................ viii Appendix 9: Chemicals used in control of Chromolaena odorata................................................. ix Appendix 10: Distance maps............................................................................................................x Appendix 11. Chromolaena picture album..................................................................................... xi ii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Distribution of C. odorata............................................................................................................ 3 Figure 2: Location of study area ............................................................................................................... 14 Figure 3: Overview of