270 S. Ati· . .I. 130t. 1999.65(4) 270- 180 Vegetation analysis of Pedlar's Bush, Mpumalanga, and its conservation T.L. Morgenthal and S.S. Cilliers* Section Botany, Schoo! for Environmental Sciences and Development, Potchefstroom University for CHE, Potchefstroom. 2531 Republic of South Africa Received 16 September 1998, revised 22 Februw:v fCJ99 Little information is available on the forest vegetation of the Barberton and eastern Mpumalanga Mountains. The vegetation of Pedlar's Bush was phytosociologically described as part of a study to determine the conservation potential of this forest. Releves were compiled in forty one plots of 0.04 ha each. The data were analysed according to TWINSPAN and Braun-Blanquet classification procedures. Two communittes, four sub-communities and six vanants were described in this forest fragment. Species richness of the communities was statistically compared. Floristic and environmental relationships were also identifi ed by means of DECORANA ordination procedures MOisture, te rrain type and natural disturbances were identified as important environmental factors In the distribution of communities. Keywords: Afromontane forest, Braun-Blaunquet, Pedlar's Bush, phytosociology. *To whom correspondence should be addressed, (E-mail: [email protected]). Introduction The forest is situated ill the Makonjwa Mountains with a Rational land-use planning is necessary to conserve natural for­ general south-eastern aspect. The topography of the area is an est ecosystems (Deall et af. 1989). Seydeck (1991) proposed the undulating mountain slope of which the crest grades into a steep use of vegetation classification because it provides information middle and a moderate to gentle foot slope (transects A- B & c­ on the areal extent, utilisation potential and constraints on the D; Figures 1 and 2) . Pedlar's Bush occurs predominantly along resource base. Without sound knowledge of the different vegeta­ this steep middle and moderate to gentle foot slope (Figure 2). tion types and their floristic composition and habitat preferences, The forest has a relief of 300111, the highest point being I 529 111. effective conservation and land use planning will not be possible. On the western, southern and eastern margins of the forest, small A number of studies have been undertaken in the afromontane streams form the boundary between the forest and pine planta­ forests of the Transvaal escarpment and adjacent forest frag­ tions (Figure 1). The north-eastern margin forms the only ments such as those of Geldenhuys and Pieterse (1993) in the remaining forest-grassland ecotone (Figure I). The forest con­ Wolkberg, Geldenhuys and Murray (1993) in the Soutpansberg, sists of a number of sheltered ravines that form part of the Muller (1994) in Mariti State Forest, Deall e/ al. (1989) in the Hlatikulu river catchment area, a tributary of the Lomati River. Sabi area, von Breitenbach (1990) in the Kaapsehoop and Uit­ The underlying geology of the study area is dominated by the soek forest, Scheepers (1978) on the vegetation of the Westvalia Moodie geological group consisting of nOll-differentiated sand­ estate and van der Schijff and Schoonraad (1971) in the Mariep­ stone, shale, quartz and conglomerate (Anhausser ef al. 1981). skop. Most of these studies were descriptive floristic studies. Not The soils of the area are predominantly of the Hutton fOflll many phytosocioiogical studies have been attempted in the with a fine sandy day loam texture (clay 30- 50% B~horison) Southern Transvaal Escarpment forests and Barberton mountains (Land Type Survey Staff 1989). The mi ddle slopes of the area and their relation to surrounding forests is relatively unknown. are dominated by shallow lithosols (Mispah and Glenrosa soil The lack of phytosocioiogical studies may be ascribed to the forms) and soils of tile Hutton form. Deep soils ortlle HUlton soil small size and fragmented occurrence of these forests. Pedlar's form have developed where deep weathering of underlying shale Bush is , however, one of the largest existing forest fragments in has occurred. The lower middle slope and foots lope are charac­ the Barberton Mountains. Cooper (1985) described this forest as terised by deep (600- 1200 111) Hutton and Clovelly soil forms one of the more important examples of afromontane forests in (Land Type Survey Staff 1989). From field observations it was the Transvaal but noted that, although it is rich in wildlife, found that soils ill the streambeds \vere shallow to nonexistent. plantations have destroyed most of the forest-grassland ecotone. This project was initiated to determine the conservation poten­ The dominant soil form in the valley bottom is Oakleaf (Land tial for the registration of Pedlar's Bush as a natural heritage site Type Survey Staff 1989). which should be managed as a conservation area. A floristic According to the Koppen dassitication the region has a \varm analysis and a phytosociological study of vegetation for conser­ temperate climate with a winter dry season, the wannest month vation are priorities for proper planning and management of any with a temperature over 22°C (Schulze & IV1cGee 1978). The aver­ conservation area (Edwards 1967, Bredenkamp & Theron 1978, age rainfall for the Highlands Forestry station (1200 III above sea Bredenkamp & Bezuidenhout 1990). It is, therefore, imperative level) near the study area is 971 111111 . Average rainfall data for the that the same approach be followed in the case ofpedlar's Bush. period 1949- 1995, measured at this forestry station is presented in Figure 3. The minimum and maximum temperatures for Barbel10n Study area (800 m above sea level) are presented in Figure 4 for the period Pedlar's Bush is situated 10 km east of Barberton on the Farm 1951-1973. The highest occurrence of tog is from October to Twello 373JU, grid reference 25°47'51"S 31°08'40"E (Figure I). December and in autumn (Weather Bureau 1984). The forest consists of one fragment with a surface area of 85 ha (GIS calculated). Pedlar's Bush is part of the North Eastern Materials and Methods Mountain Sourveld (Acocks 1988). According to Low and Rekves were compiled in 41 sample pl ots The forest was initially Rebelo (1996) the study area forms part of the Afromontane surveyed by 28 sample plots evenly spaced through the USc of a grid Forest region. system. Thirteen additional s<lmple plots \\ere randomly <l 11 ocated to S. Afr. J.l3ol. 1999.65(4) 271 Grassland Plantalions Other Indigencus Forests Roads Drainage OOlc/r11o Qtt"orde Sub-eOfT\m un/ty Dryooterls /rIoequalif·Ttlco/ySla COpflmls S\.b·comrTIUroIty CultfJiO d er'ltolo-Roponeo mercmophloeoJ Sub-commUnity Figure I The: location of Pedlar's Bush. Barberton district in Mpumalanga, South Africa, as well <IS a vc:getattOll1l1ap of Pedlar's Bush, also in dicati ng the positions of the releves. obtain representative data of a ll forest types and physiographi cn l Braun.Blanquet scale (Mlll!1ler·Dollinois & Ellenberg 1974). Tht.! variations in Ihl! forest (Figure I). Piol sizes were fixed at 0.04 ha physiognomic structure was also ~s t illlat ~d by means of th~ average This plot size was also Ilsed by Caw!.! and McKenzie (1989) and canopy height and cover for the community and conforms to the (Jcldcnhuys anti tvl urr<lY (1993) for their studies of Transkei and structural classification of Edwards ( I 9X3). These data ,vere used to SUl1tpanshcrg. f()r~SIS respectively. The cover-abundance values were determine the dominant occurrenc\! of woo d ~ species in four strata_ estimated (or each sp~cjes prt;s~nt in the sample plot according tll the Environmental data included aspect. slope. topography and surface rockiness_ 1520m 7' .... _.. _..... ._. ... ........................_ .> .-- The TWINSPAN c lassiticatioll ~dgorithlll (Hill 197 9a) was lIsed to analyse the tloristic data. as lirst approximation and further refined by application llf Braull·B1aJ1qL1~t procedures by means of A~ the BBPC~sui t e (Bezuidenhout e£ at 1(96), The tinal results of the classification are listed in a phytosociological table (Table I). This \ classification method was successfully l1st!d for the sYlltaxonomic classification of afromontane forl!sts of th\! Eastern Fn::e State Drak· ensberg by Du Preez e£ III ( 1991) and Du Preez ( 1991). Species whi ch were recorded only once arc lIut included III the phylosocio­ . ~~ logical tabk. but are included in Ta ble 2. An ordination algorithm. DECORANA (H ill 1979b) was abo PlQnto!oons 21 12 112 :: 22 commun"'''''' mes applied to the data to illust rate possibh: Iloristic relationships 148Dm •• between communities and to ddect possible habitat or disturbance C gradients associated with vegetatiun gradknts (Figure 5). No formal syntaxonomic cl assitkation was done in this study. An informal c1assiJication was used with a diagnostic and dominant spe­ cies indicating the names of different l'0l1111H11lities. Taxa names con­ form to those DfArnold and De Wet (1993) except where differt!ntly specified Species richness (u-divt!rsity) for c\'t!ry reJt:ve was determined D 1280m and statistically comparcd with Tukcys t~st (Spiotvoll & Stoline f'lonT 1973) for unequal popUlations according to different growth forms Plonlanons 2 2 2 1 1.!2 11 1 communrtl&S and total spt!cics richncss for the different communities and between identified core and margin cmnmunitit!s (Fig.u re 6) using the STA­ figure 2 Topllgraph~ of P~d lar 's Bush and associated plant TISTICA program (1995). Signitkant differl!nces was tested at a p < communities a long two transects_ A-B ,md C- D_ 0.05 love!. 272 S. Ati·. 1. Bot. 1999.65(4) Table 1 Phytosociological table of the vegetation of Pedlars's Bu sh Releves ,I , , ; 1, 1• , ; 1; 1, ,I ; 1, , ; 1; 1; 1, , 1;1, , ,l, , ;J, , ;1;1;1; 1; 1;1,I; 1;1; 1, 1: 1, 1 2 Communities 1,1 1,2 2.1 2,2 1.1,1 1.1.2 2.2,1 2.2.2 SPECIES GROUP A Cola greenwayJ R , R , , , , , , 3 3 , I , R R · • • · , · · .