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The occurrence of C3 and C4 grasses in fynbos and allied shrublands in the South Eastern Cape, South Africa (1983)

Cowling, R. M.

Springer

Oecologia 58 (1983), S. 121-127

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ISSN: 1432-1939

Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Topics: Biology

Notes: Summary There are roughly equal numbers of C3 and C4 grass species in fynbos and allied shrublands of the warm temperate coastal regions of the south eastern Cape. Subtropical-tropical C4 species have the highest relative cover in all shrubland types, particularly in renosterveld communities on moderately fertile soils. Physiological characteristics of C3 and C4 grasses predict that C3 species will be most abundant in cool, shaded sites. This prediction, and the hypothesis that relative C3 grass cover would be highest on infertile soils, were tested by correlation and regression analyses. Results show that C3 grass cover is significantly correlated with increased post-disturbance vegetation age, low intensity grazing, high litter cover and cool, steep, poleward slopes. All these factors contribute to lower growing season temperatures, favouring the competitive growth of C3 species. Amongst the soil variables, high sand content and low levels of total nitrogen emerged as predictors of high relative C3 grass cover.

Type of Medium: Electronic Resource

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00384551

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2

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A comparison of fynbos and non-fynbos coenoclines in the lower Gamtoos River Valley, southeastern Cape, South Africa (1983)

Cowling, R. M. ; Campbell, B. M.

Springer

Plant ecology 53 (1983), S. 161-178

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ISSN: 1573-5052

Keywords: Afromontane forest ; Cape fynbos ; Endemism ; Gradient analysis ; Growth forms ; Phytochorological affinities ; Soil moisture ; Soil nutrients ; Subtropical thicket ; Vegetation history ; Vegetation structure

Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Topics: Biology

Notes: Abstract Patterns in the relative importance of structural attributes and growth forms along fynbos and non-fynbos coenoclines were studied to test the hypothesis that there would be less structural variation in the former because the overriding influence of low levels of soil nutrients would be manifest in a great deal of structural convergence in fynbos. The coenoclines were ranged along identical environmental gradients of increasing altitude, rainfall and soil moisture and decreasing climatic variability. Results showed that along the entire fynbos coenocline vegetation was structurally a small-leaved sclerophyllous shrubland with a graminoid understorey and, usually, a large-leaved (proteoid) shrub overstorey. Fynbos structure was interpreted largely as a response to low levels of soil nutrients. Non-fynbos vegetation ranged from mixed succulent-sclerophyllous and spiny large-leaved thicket at lower altitudes to tall mesic forest at the upper end of the gradient. Non-fynbos structure was explained in terms of variations in soil moisture and climate. An analysis of the biogeographical affinities of sample floras at sites along the coenoclines showed that fynbos vegetation was dominated by taxa endemic to the Cape phytochorion, although phytochorological mixing was pronounced at the lower altitude sites. The level of local endemism in the fynbos coenocline was relatively high; nearly all endemics were Cape fynbos taxa and their incidence increased with increasing altitude. These data indicate that fynbos vegetation has had a lengthy history in the southeastern Cape and that high altitude sites would have comprised a refuge for Cape taxa during unfavourable climatic periods. Non-fynbos vegetation ranged from dry subtropical Tongaland-Pondoland thicket with a strong Karoo-Namib component to temperate Afromontane forest. Levels of endemism were lower than the fynbos coenocline and decreased with increasing altitude. The high number of karroid endemics found in both coenoclines at low altitudes suggests that karroid vegetation would have been more widespread in the past, probably during the last glacial which was considerably drier than the present Holocene interglacial.

Type of Medium: Electronic Resource

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00044900

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Convergence in vegetation structure in the mediterranean communities of California, Chile and South Africa (1980)

Cowling, R. M. ; Campbell, B. M.

Springer

Plant ecology 43 (1980), S. 191-197

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ISSN: 1573-5052

Keywords: California ; Cape Province ; Chile ; Convergence ; Edaphic factors ; Mediterranean climate ; South Africa ; Speeies richness ; Vegetation structure

Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Topics: Biology

Notes: Summary Plant communities on desert to montane transects in the mediterranean type climatic areas in southern California, central Chile and the Cape, South Africa have been analysed to determine the extent of vegetation convergence. Data on floristic richness, growth form, leaf duration, leaf size, and spineseence, of the woody plants, collected by Parsons & Moldenke (1975) from analogous climatic sites in California and Chile, were compared with data from analogous sites in the Cape. Considerable convergence in vegetation structure between floristically distinct but climatically similar sites in California and Chile has been demonstrated by Parsons & Moldenke (1975). Cape vegetation, however, shows little convergence to these mediterranean regions. In Cape desert communities succulence rather than drought deciduousness is the principal adaptive strategy. Cape fynbos communities show major differences from communities at analogous sites on the other continents. Much of the divergence between fynbos and the vegetation of the other continents can be attributed to the nutrient-poor soils on which fynbos has evolved.

Type of Medium: Electronic Resource

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00158749

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4

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Diversity relations in Cape shrublands and other vegetation in the southeastern Cape, South Africa (1983)

Cowling, R. M.

Springer

Plant ecology 54 (1983), S. 103-127

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ISSN: 1573-5052

Keywords: Disturbance ; Fynbos ; Renosterveld ; Soil nutrients ; Species diversity ; Tension zone ; Vegetation dynamics ; Vegetation history

Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Topics: Biology

Notes: Abstract This paper investigates, and seeks explanations for, the diversity relations of Cape shrublands (fynbos and renosterveld), subtropical thicket and Afromontane forest, in the biogeographically complex SE Cape. Global comparisons of richness at the 0.1 hectare scale, of communities in the study area and elsewhere in South Africa with analogous vegetation on other continents, were largely inconclusive. Reasons for this are the unexplained variability of richness within vegetation types, problems associated with the scale of diversity used, and difficulties in defining analogous vegetation types. Diversity comparisons within the Cape Region and within the study area communities showed that alpha diversity of fynbos was not consistently higher than other vegetation types. In the study area highest richness was recorded in renosterveld and highest equitability in subtropical thicket; the most species-poor communities were Mountain Fynbos and Afromontane forest. The results of a correlation analysis showed that an index of phytochorological diversity was the factor most strongly correlated with richness in all vegetation types. Soil nutrients did not emerge as significant correlates of diversity except in fynbos where low levels of available nutrients were associated with low values of phytochorological diversity and low species richness. The diversity of fire-prone and grazed communities could be partly explained by non-equilibrium models of species diversity. Ecological and historical hypotheses were presented as explanations for the richness of communities having island-like distributions in the study area. It was generally concluded that historical and ecological factors should be given equal weight in descriptive studies which seek regional and global explanations of the evolution and maintenance of species diversity.

Type of Medium: Electronic Resource

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00035145

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