Abstract
Most strategies for monitoring vegetation change on reserves and game ranches are based on point methods. Area-based methods form the basis of initial floristic classifications from which vegetation maps are constructed. The question arises whether or not these area-based methods can be used for monitoring or not. This paper compares two area-based data sets from the same sites with an intervening period of five years. Data were collected on a Sour Bushveld game farm, in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The structure of the woody vegetation, particularly in two communities reflected a plant successional progression over time. All six re-surveyed sites reflected an increase in plant species richness and this increase was most substantial in one community where the total number of plant species increased from 17 in 1996 to 34 in 2001 at one sampling site and from 26 in 1996 to 45 in 2001 at the other. This study has shown that change in species composition can be detected using area-based sampling techniques but that absolute measures, such as density, should be employed rather than estimates, especially with regard to plant cover.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Woody vegetation in two communities showed successional progression over time.
Verbatim
e0“The structure of the woody vegetation, particularly in two communities reflected a plant successional progression over time.”
Claim · model-written summary
Plant species richness increased at all six resurveyed sites.
Verbatim
e0“All six re-surveyed sites reflected an increase in plant species richness”
Claim · model-written summary
At one site, total plant species rose from 17 in 1996 to 34 in 2001.
Verbatim
e0“the total number of plant species increased from 17 in 1996 to 34 in 2001 at one sampling site”
Claim · model-written summary
At another site, total plant species rose from 26 in 1996 to 45 in 2001.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“plant species increased from 17 in 1996 to 34 in 2001 at one sampling site and from 26 in 1996 to 45 in 2001 at the other”
Claim · model-written summary
Area-based sampling detected change in species composition.
Not reportedComparatorValue
Verbatim
e0“change in species composition can be detected using area-based sampling techniques”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend absolute measures such as density for vegetation monitoring.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“absolute measures, such as density, should be employed rather than estimates, especially with regard to plant cover.”