The Vegetation of Tshanini Game Reserve and a comparison with equivalent units in the Tembe Elephant Park in Maputaland, South Africa

Abstract

An analysis of the plant communities of the to be proclaimed Tshanini Game Reserve and their relation with selected similar plant communities of Tembe Elephant Park are presented. The study area lies 6 km due south of Tembe Elephant Park within the Maputaland Centre of Plant Endemism, which is part of the Maputaland-Pondoland region recognised by the IUCN as a centre of Plant Diversity. A Braun-Blanquet classification on 51 random sample plots revealed eight distinct, mainly woodland plant associations. Vegetation distribution follows the same patterns as described in Tembe Elephant Park. Plant communities and subcommunities are mapped, described and compared to similar plant communities in Tembe Elephant Park to detect differences between protected and unprotected areas. Results from the qualitative comparison showed >50 % similarity between equivalent units and results from the quantitative comparison showed >25 % to 50 % similarity between equivalent units. Mueller-Dombois and Ellenberg (1974) regard 25 % as the lower threshold value to indicate similar associations. The observed differences may relate to animal and human utilisation.