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Maloti-Drakensberg: Naturraum Und Nutzungsmuster Im Hochgebirge

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Maloti-Drakensberg: Naturraum Und Nutzungsmuster Im Hochgebirge PGM Thema Maloti-Drakensberg: MARCUS NÜSSER Naturraum und Nutzungsmuster im Hochgebirge des südlichen Afrika 5 Figuren im Text Maloti-Drakensberg: Natural Resources and Utilization Patterns in the High Mountains of Southern Africa Abstract: The mountain plateau of eastern Lesotho is bounded by the rugged barrier of the High Drakensberg, the most promi- nent part of the Great Escarpment of southern Africa. This paper focuses on the contrasting climatic conditions, vegetation types and different systems of resource utilization between the highlands of Lesotho and the adjoining lowlands of South Africa’s prov- ince KwaZulu/Natal. Whereas the high altitude grasslands of Lesotho are used as pastures managed under a common property regime, the mountain forests and grasslands of the High Drakensberg in South Africa are managed as protected areas and the adjoining lowlands are used as farmland. Recent efforts in environmental conservation concentrate on the implementation of a “Transfrontier Conservation Area”. Repeat photography of wetlands and fire succession serve to demonstrate seasonal varia- tions of resource potentials and multifunctionality of resource utilization. Human-ecological studies of land use and land cover change strongly depend on appropriate monitoring concepts. Keywords: High Drakensberg, Lesotho, southern Africa, land use patterns, resource degradation, landscape dynamics, human ecology Zusammenfassung: Das Hochplateau des östlichen Lesotho wird durch die Drakensberge begrenzt, die den höchsten Teil der Großen Randstufe des südlichen Afrika bilden. Der Beitrag behandelt die unterschiedlichen klimatischen Voraussetzungen, Ve- getationstypen und Nutzungssysteme zwischen dem Hochland von Lesotho und dem angrenzenden Tiefland der südafrikani- schen Provinz KwaZulu/Natal. Während das Höhengrasland von Lesotho als gemeinschaftliches Weidegebiet genutzt wird, un- terliegen die Bergwälder und -savannen der südafrikanischen Drakensberge einem weitgehenden Ressourcenschutz, und das angrenzende Tiefland wird als Farmland genutzt. Aktuelle Entwicklungen im Bereich des Ressourcenschutzes zielen auf die Ein- richtung eines grenzüberschreitenden Schutzgebietes ab (Transfrontier Conservation Area). Am Beispiel fotografischer Wieder- holungsaufnahmen eines Feuchtgebietes und einer Feuersukzession werden saisonale Variationen von Ressourcenpotentialen und die Multifunktionalität im Bereich der Ressourcennutzung aufgezeigt. Humanökologische Studien zu Landnutzung und Landschaftswandel erfordern den Einsatz geeigneter Monitoringkonzepte. Schlüsselwörter: Drakensberge, Lesotho, südliches Afrika, Landnutzungsmuster, Ressourcendegradation, Landschaftsdynamik, Humanökologie 1. Einleitung tho durch extensive Weidewirtschaft im Sinne eines Common Property Regime genutzt wird, ist die Land- In der internationalen Diskussion zu Landnutzungsver- nutzung auf der Ostabdachung der Drakensberge durch änderungen und Landschaftswandel (Land Use and großflächige Naturschutzgebiete im Bereich der Berg- Land Cover Change) in Gebirgsräumen finden die Hoch- wälder und -savannen sowie durch eine intensive Farm- gebirge des südlichen Afrika nur wenig Berücksichti- wirtschaft in der Fußstufe gekennzeichnet. Die damit gung. Dabei können die südafrikanischen Drakensberge verbundenen unterschiedlichen Agrarsozialstrukturen und das angrenzende Hochland des Binnenstaates Le- bilden ein charakteristisches Merkmal des heterogen sotho als ein geeignetes regionales Fallspiel für human- strukturierten Landnutzungsgefüges und sind als Hin- ökologische Analysen zur Ressourcennutzung und zu tergrund für Nutzungskonflikte in diesem Gebirgsraum Fragen der Nachhaltigkeit gelten. Die Drakensberge bil- anzusehen. den nicht nur eine markante Gebirgsbarriere mit aus- Vor dem Hintergrund weit fortgeschrittener Planun- geprägtem Klimawandel und klarer Vegetationshöhen- gen zur Einbindung des östlichen Lesotho in den be- stufung, sondern zwischen dem Hochplateau von Le- stehenden uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park auf südafri- sotho (Maloti Mountains) und dem Tiefland der südafri- kanischer Seite stellen sich Fragen nach den Entwick- kanischen Provinz KwaZulu/Natal bestehen auffällige lungsperspektiven der Landnutzung im Rahmen einer und historisch begründete Unterschiede in den Nut- grenzüberschreitenden Transfrontier Conservation Area. zungssystemen. Während das Höhengrasland in Leso- Damit sind vor allem die Perspektiven der Existenzsi- 60 Petermanns Geographische Mitteilungen, 146, 2002/4 Hochgebirge cherung durch traditionelle Nutzungsmuster und die Partizipationsmöglichkeiten der im Hochland lebenden Basotho-Bevölkerung an der zukünftigen Entwicklung angesprochen. 2. Naturräumliche Differenzierung und Ressourcenausstattung Der südafrikanische Hochgebirgsraum umfasst das pla- teauartige Hochland von Lesotho mit der Großen Rand- stufe (Great Escarpment) im Bereich der Drakensberge und das nach Osten abdachende Bergland von Kwa- Zulu/Natal. Das Plateau stellt die rezente Oberfläche von Flutbasaltdecken aus dem Jura dar. Diese weisen eine Gesamtmächtigkeit von bis zu 1400 m auf und überdecken die feinkörnigen Clarens-Sandsteine (ca. 1800–2200 m) und andere Formationen der sog. Kar- roo-Supergruppe (VILJOEN & REIMOLD 1999). Die über eine Länge von etwa 200 km von Nord nach Süd ver- laufenden Drakensberge lassen sich in einen nordost- exponierten Northern Berg und einen südostexponier- ten Southern Berg gliedern, die im nach Osten vor- springenden Sporn um Giant’s Castle (3314 m) zusam- menlaufen. Das Escarpment, dessen Kante markante Gipfel und Felsvorsprünge aufweist (Fig. 1), bildet ei- nen Teil der kontinentalen Wasserscheide zwischen At- lantik und Indischem Ozean. Mit 3482 m ist der etwa 5 km westlich der Kammlinie gelegene Thabana Ntlen- yana die höchste Erhebung des südlichen Afrika. Quer zur Gebirgsbarriere vollzieht sich auf kurze Dis- Fig. 1 Die Große Randstufe im Bereich der nördlichen Drakens- tanzen ein ausgeprägter klimatischer Wandel aufgrund berge. Die Hänge zwischen der Eastern Buttress (3011 m) und der tief eingeschnittenen Schlucht des oberen Tugela (ca. 1700 m) der Höhendifferenz und entsprechend starker Tempe- werden im untersten Bereich von Podocarpus latifolius-Wäldern ratur- und Niederschlagsgradienten (Fig. 2). Die durch- und darüber von Themeda triandra-Grasland bedeckt. schnittlichen Jahresniederschläge reichen von 1250 mm The Great Escarpment in the northern Drakensberg. The slopes in der Fußstufe um 1400 m bis zu einem Maximum von between the Eastern Buttress (3,011 m) and the deeply incised über 2000 mm in einer Höhe von 2300 m. Dagegen wer- upper Tugela gorge (c. 1,700 m) are taken up, in their lower parts, by Podocarpus latifolius forests, and above it by Themeda den an der Escarpment-Kante bei etwa 2900 m nur noch trianda grassland. 1600 mm verzeichnet, und der im Regenschatten der Gebirgsmauer liegende Ort Mokhotlong im Osten Le- sothos erhält lediglich durchschnittliche Jahresnieder- geringerer Frequenz und Intensität des Feuerregimes schläge von 575 mm (KILLICK 1963, 1978). Für das ge- werden einzelne Hänge bis etwa 2400 m von offenen samte Gebiet sind starke saisonale Unterschiede im Nie- Protea-Baumavannen eingenommen, in denen Protea derschlagsregime kennzeichnend. Etwa 80% der Jah- caffra und P. roupelliae sowie der feuerresistente Strauch resniederschläge fallen zwischen Oktober und März, wo- P. dracomontana auftreten. Daneben ist Leucosidea mit feuchte Bedingungen mit häufigen Gewittern und sericea als flussbegleitendes Gehölz bis maximal 2500 m anhaltenden Nebelperioden während der Vegetations- charakteristisch. Im Bereich der südlichen Drakensberge periode gegeben sind (KILLICK 1978). In den trockenen ist Aloe ferox lokal auf steilen nordexponierten Felshän- Wintermonaten ist auf dem Plateau mit Schneefällen zu gen vertreten (HILLIARD & BURTT 1987). Kleine Waldreste rechnen, und in einzelnen Jahren treten dort mehrmo- mit Podocarpus latifolius, Olinia emarginata, Buddleia natige Schneedecken auf. salviifolia und Bowkeria verticillata bleiben auf enge Tä- Die Vegetationsverteilung am Escarpment folgt prin- ler und südexponierte Standorte unterhalb von 2000 m zipiell einer vertikalen Klimagliederung und wird durch beschränkt und haben ihren Verbreitungsschwerpunkt Expositionsunterschiede sowie anthropogenen Einfluss in den nördlichen Drakensbergen. modifiziert. Der Wirkung von natürlich auftretenden und Die Vegetation des baumfreien Hochplateaus von gelegten Feuern kommt dabei eine große Bedeutung Lesotho oberhalb von 2850 m besteht aus Grasland, zu. Zwischen etwa 1600 und 2750 m werden die Hänge Zwerggesträuchen und offenen Schutt- und Felsgesell- weitflächig von subtropischen Gras-Bergsavannen be- schaften. Das Grasland wird von den Arten Merxmuel- deckt, in denen Themeda triandra dominiert. Bei relativ lera disticha, Festuca caprina, Pentaschistis oreodoxa © 2002 Justus Perthes Verlag Gotha GmbH 61 NÜSSER Fig. 2 29°10'E 29°20' 29°30' Karte und Satellitenbilder des Untersuchungsgebietes. Die D Grenze zwischen dem östlichen Hochland von Lesotho und der A südafrikanischen Provinz KwaZulu/Natal verläuft entlang der R Little N Drakensberge. Über den Sani-Pass (2873 m) besteht die wich- Tugela Champagne Castle tigste Verbindung zwischen dem peripheren Hochland und dem i th Tiefland in Südafrika (A; Kartengrundlage: Southern Africa, su 3377 je N 1 : 500000, 2928, Durban [1994]). Die Landsat-TM-Bilder (4, 3, 2 holo A remo = RGB) vom 31.5.1996 (B) und vom 5.3.1999 (C) zeigen deutli- Mo che regionale Unterschiede in der Vegetationsbedeckung
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