The Vegetation and Restoration Potential of the Arid Coastal Belt Between Port Nolloth and Alexander Bay, Namaqualand, South Africa
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The Vegetation and Restoration Potential of the Arid Coastal Belt Between Port Nolloth and Alexander Bay, Namaqualand, South Africa. Town Cape of University by · Philip George Desmet Thesis submitted in fulfilment for the degree Master of Science, University of Cape Town, South Africa. I ---· .J. -·- ·lfAf~,~"C!~"~~~:" 1 • i he University of Cape Town has bean g!ven, ; ;_1,.,, r:~ht t~ rnproduce this thesis ; or in 11art. Copyright Is held by Vie::::J author. ~-.x,,=~·=--=-~~ .. The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgementTown of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Cape Published by the University ofof Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University 1-1 Table of Contents SUMMARY 1-4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1-7 CHAPTER 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 1-8 CHAPTER 2 CHARACTERISATION OF THE ABIOTIC ENVIRONMENT OF THE COASTAL BELT BETWEEN PORT NOLLOTH AND ALEXANDER BAY. 2-11 1 LOCATION OF THE STUDY SITE. 2-11 2 A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE LANDSCAPE. 2-11 3 THE GEOLOGY. 2-13 3.1 Regional setting. 2-13 3.2 Basement geology: Pre-Tertiary geology. 2-16. 3.2.1 The Gariep System. 2-18 3.2.2 The Stink:fontein Formation. Town 2-19 3.2.3 The Swartbank Pluton. 2-21 Box2.l A NOTEONTHEBUCHUBERG. 2-21 3.3 Tertiary and Quaternary geology: The coastal shelf 2-22 Box 2.2 REPLACEMENT PRODUCTS: CALCRETE, SILCRETE AND DORBANK. 2-27 3.4 Tertiary to Recent deposits. Cape 2-29 3.4.1 Salinas and pan deposits 2-29 3.4.2 Sand dunes 2-29 Box 2.3 THE RED COLOUR OF SAND. of 2-32 4 THE PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL A.t'ID ECOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF DUNE SOILS. 2-40 4.1 What are dune soils? 2-40 4.2 General properties ofsand. 2-42 4. 3 The effect ofhigh calcium content in dune sands. 2-44 4. 4 The thermal properties ofsand. 2-45 4.5 Dune sand texture: environment-plant interaction. 2-46 4. 6 Sand-water regime in dunes. 2-48 5 CLIMATE OF THE WEST COAST BETWEEN PORT NOLLOTH AND ALEXANDER BAY. 2-49 5.1 Overview ofregional University climate. 2-49 5.2 Palaeoclimates of the southern namib. 2-50 5. 3 A Note on the weather stations. 2-54 5.4 Precipitation. 2-55 5.4.1 Rain. 2-55 5.4.2 Fog. 2-60 5.4.3 Dew. 2-63 5.5 Sources ofmoisture, their predictability and the evolution ofplant life forms. 2-67 5.6 Temperature. 2-67 Box 2.4 BERG WINDS. 2-69 5. 7 Wind. 2-70 REFERENCES 2-75 CHAPTER 3 PHYTOGEOGRAPHY AND ENDEMISM OF THE AREA BETWEEN PORT NOLLOTH AND ALEXANDER BAY ON THE WEST COAST OF SOUTH AFRICA. 3-82 1 INTRODUCTION. 3-82 2 PHYTGEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND TO THE VEGETATION OF THE COASTAL-BELT BETWEEN PoRTNOLLOTH AND ALEXANDER BAY. 3-82 2.1 Regional phytogeography. 3-82 2.2 Plant communities of the Namaqualand coastal plain. 3-86 2.3 The Namaqualand Sandveld: The global perspective. 3-89 3 METHODS. 3-93 4 RESULTS. 3-94 The Vegetation and Restoration Potential of the Arid Coastal Belt Between. Port Nolloth and Alexander Bay, Namaqualand, South Africa. Town Cape of • •I f '1_ :l·r .., . ~- .. 1\<........ ! ... ···~ ' University .l ·~ I J . , .. " : .. .,,. ,-.- .... ,.II ·:,~ • ~ • ',.,..., ~C .. J .." . "':_ '. ~· :,·\~t<t} Z'· by " 11fia:... ~ .-\•..: ... ~.... _ ' ~ .._ ·,, .s.~ i t~il~.t". · Philip George Desmet I~!rai"l1i1."'!l:r .. •,, . ~ .... ' ~ - -· .... :. ""'J1.P'fli·l1':3: P j • , r.'1tj_'iitfsls subID.itted in fulfilment for the degree Master of Scierice, University of Cape Town, • ...... l~ 7·0t : ..... v. South Africa . ' t.)L~ f ~t :. _ 1-1 Table of Contents SUMMARY 1-4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1-7 CHAPTER 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 1-8 .. ' ...... - _:-. \ CHAPTER 2 CHARACTERISATION OF THE ABIOTIC ENVIRONMENT OF THE COASTAL BELT BETWEEN PORT NOLLOTH AND ALEXANDER BAY. 2-11 1 LOCATION OF THE STUDY SITE. · . 2-11 2 A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE LANDSCAPE. 2-11 3 THE GEOLOGY. · 2-13 3.1 Regional setting. 2-13 3.2 Basement geology: Pre-Tertiary geology. 2-16 3.2. l The Gariep System. Town 2-18 3.2.2 The Stinkfontein Formation. 2-19 3.2.3 The Swartban.k Pluton. 2-21 Box 2.1 A NOTE ON THE BUCHUBERG. 2-21 3.3 Tertiary and Quaternary geology: The.coastal shelf. 2-22 Box 2.2 REPLACEMENT PRODUCTS: CAL.CRETE, SILCRETE AND DORBANK.Cape 2-27 3.4 Tertiary to Recent deposits. · t· 2-29 3.4.l Sal~ and pan'deposits · ;.· 2-29 3.4.2 Sand dunes ·. of 2-29 Box 2.3 THE RED COLOUR OF SAND. 2-32 4 THE PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND ECOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF DUNE SOILS. 2-40 4.1 What are dune soils? 2-40 4.2 General properties ofsand • 2-42 4. 3 The effect ofhigh calcium content in dune sands. 2-44 4.4 The thermal properties ofsand. 2-45 4.5 Dune sand texture.; environment-plant interaction. 2-46 4. 6 Sand-water regim~ in dunes. 2-48 5 CLIMATE OF THE WESTCOASTBETWEENPORTNOLLOTHUniversity AND ALEXANDER BAY. 2-49 5.1 Overview ofregional climate. 2-49 5.2 Pa/aeoclimates ofthe southern namib. 2-50 5.3 A Note on the weather stations. 2.:.54 5.4 Precipitation. 2-55 5.4.l Rain. 2-55 5.4.2 Fog. 2-60 5.4.3 Dew. 2-63 5.5 Sources ofmoisture, their predictability and the evolution ofplant lifeforms. 2-67 5. 6 Temperature. 2-67 Box 2.4 BERG WINDS. 2-69 5.7 Wind. 2-70 REFERENCES 2-75 CHAPTER 3 PHYTOGEOGRAPHY AND ENDEMISM OF THE AREA BETWEEN PORT NOLLOTH AND ALEXANDER BAY ON THE WEST COAST OF SOUTH AFRICA. 3-82 1 INTRODUCTION. 3-82 2 PHYTGEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND TO THE VEGETATION OF.THE COASTAL-BELT BETWEEN PORT NOLLOTH AND ALEXANDER BAY. 3-82 2.1 Regional phytogeography. 3-82 2.2 Plant communities ofthe Namaqua/and coastal plain. 3-86 2.3 The Namaqua/and Sandveld: The global perspective. 3-89 3 METHODS. 3-93 4 RESULTS. 3-94 . 1-3 6-202 1. INTRODUCTION. 2 WHAT IS EyOLOGICAL RESTORATION. 6-203 2.1 A definition. 6-203 2.2 Judgement ofneed. 6-204 6-205 2.3 An ecological approach. 2.4 Setting goals and evaluating success. 6-206 2.5 Limitations of ecological restoration. 6-207 3 DIAMOND MINING ON THE WEST COAST OF SOUTH AFRICA - THE CASE OF ALEXCOR LTD. 6-208 6-213 4 THE PROBLEM. 6-216 5 PRESENT APPROACHES TO AND ASSESSMENT OF RESTORATION. 6-217 6 ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION. 7 CONCLUSION: LESSONS TO BE LEARNT FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM, KNOWLEDGE 6-224 OF THE SYSTEM AND AN ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PHILOSOPHY. 6-225 REFERENCES 7-229 CHAPTER 7 GENERAL DISCUSSION. Town Cape of University 1-4 SUMMARY This thesis introduces the environment and the vegetation of the Namaqualand coastal belt between Port Nolloth and Alexander Bay. Aspects of the abiotic environment are discussed and related to patterns and processes observed in the vegetation of the study area. The restoration of the natural vegetation impacted by diamond mining activities is discussed. The study area, located within the winter rainfall area of the Namib Desert, is one of four global fog deserts. The area is characterised by a near ubiquitous covering of Recent to Tertiary amorphous dunes of marine origin. The dunes can be divided into two broad categories: Recent, mobile white dunes, and Tertiary to Late Quaternary,Town semi-mobile red dunes. The red dune soils are considered arenosols, underlain by dorbank and calcrete hardpans, whereas the white dunes generally lack this structure, unless they are superimposed on an older dune series. The dune landscape is interruptedCape by outcrops of bedrock, such as river canyons (Holgat River); inselbergs (Buchuof Twins); and koppies. Gravel plains and rocky outcrops cover much of the area on the south bank of the Orange River, as far south as Cape Voltas. The low rainfall ( <70 mm) is offset by frequent fog and dew. Summers are dominated by high energy, southerly winds and winters by gentle land-sea breezes interrupted by occasional, warm-easterly "berg" winds. University A complete bio-inventory of higher plants of the study area was undertaken. Patterns of diversity and endemism were analysed in relation to plant growth form and habitat. 300 plant species were collected in the study area representing 40 families, with 28% being endemic to the coastal region. The flora is dominated by the Asteraceae (53 species), Mesembryanthemaceae (47), Crassulaceae (28), Poaceae (17) and Aizoaceae (15). Endemic species are over-represented in the Mesembryanthemaceae (60% endemic) and Crassulaceae (44%), and under represented in the Asteraceae (8%), Poaceae (0%) and Aizoaceae (0%). Rocky outcrops have the highest species:area ratio (3.77). They are characterised by their own distinct flora as well as representing a significant proportion ( 46%) of the species from the surrounding dune landscape. Endemic species are concentrated on these, as well as on the gravel plain habitats. Dune habitats are the most widespread. However, they are characterised by a widespread, generalist flora with low species:area ratio (0.81), few endemics, and share an expected number of species with other habitat types (21 % ). An endemic species in the 1-5 southern Namib can be characterised as being a dwarf leaf succulent in the Mesembryanthemaceae which is most likely to be encountered on a rocky outcrop.