19. MIXED LOWVELD BUSHVELD

Synonyms:

Lowveld (Al0), Arid Lowveld (A11); Mixed Combretum spp./ Terminalia sericea Woodland; Rooibosveld, Rooibos/Mopanieveld.

Statistics:

15 204 km²; ± 30% transformed; 28.25% conserved.

Locality & Physical Geography:

On flat to undulating landscapes between 350 and 500 m in Northern Province, Mpumalanga and Swaziland.

Climate:

The annual summer rainfall for the area varies from 450 to 600 mm. Temperatures vary between -4C and 45C, with an average of 22C.

Geology & Soil:

The substrate is characterised by sandy soils in the uplands and clayey soils with a high sodium content in the bottomlands. The geology is granite and gneiss with numerous dolerite intrusions and areas covered by gabbro.

Vegetation:

This vegetation type can be described variously as dense bush on the uplands, open tree savanna in the bottomlands, and dense riverine woodland on Ever banks. The tree layer is characterised by Red Bushwillow Combretum apiculatum, Largefruit Bushwillow C. zeyheri, Silver Clusterleaf Terminalia sericea, Strychnos madagascariensis, Sclerocarya birrea, Lannea stuhlmannii and Peltophorum africanum. Bottomland situations are dominated by Knob Thom Acacia nigrescens, Scented Thom A. nilotica, Common Falsethorn Albizia harveyi and Euclea divinorum. The shrub layer is moderately developed and individuals of Hairy Corkwood Commiphora africana, Wild Grape Cissus cornifolia, Sickle Bush Dichrostachys cinerea, Acacia exuvialis, Dalbergia melanoxylon and Pterocarpus rotundifolia are commonly found. The grass layer is poorly to moderately developed, and grasses such as Herringbone Grass Pogonarthiia squarrosa, Blueseed Grass Tricholaena monachne, Curlyleaf Lovegrass Eragrostis rigidior, Melinis repens Brachiaria nigropedata Panicum maximum Digitaria eriantha and Heteropogon contortus are the conspicuous species. Other grasses that can be found are Kalahari Sand Quick Schmidtia pappophoroides, Spreading Bristlegrass Aristida congesta, Bushveld Signalgrass Urochloa mosambicensis and Enneapogon cenchroides.

Key Environmental Parameters:

This bushveld is confined to a frost-free area, with frequent fires and general grazing by cattle and game.

Economic Uses:

Cattle and game farming, ecotourism, and the cultivation of subtropical fruit, vegetables and sugar cane.

Conservation Status:

A quarter of the area of Mixed Lowveld Bushveld is conserved in the Kruger National Park and adjacent private game farms and conservation areas.

Key References:

Van der Schijff (1957), Bredenkamp (1982), Coetzee (1983), Gertenbach (1983), Van Wyk (1984).

Authors:

Noel van Rooyen & George Bredenkamp.