22. SUBHUMID LOWVELD BUSHVELD

Synonym:

Lowveld (A10).

Statistics:

1 360 km²; ± 36% transformed; 21.49% conserved.

Locality & Physical Geography:

Found in the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal at more or less 100 m altitude.

Climate:

The mainly summer rain amounts to between 500 and 750 mm per year. Mean monthly temperatures vary from 24C in summer to 17C in winter, while maximum temperatures in summer may exceed 29C and fall to around 9C in winter.

Geology & Soil:

Mainly found on deep, light, Quaternary aeolian sand of marine origin.

Vegetation:

This is a dense bushveld related to forest, composed of large trees with a dense shrub layer. The principal trees are Flat Crown Albizia adianthifolia, Largeleaf Falsethorn A. versicolor, Knob Thorn Acacia nigrescens, Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra, Ziziphus mucronata, Dichrostachys cinerea subsp. africana, Maytenus senegalensis, Schotia brachypetala, Dombeya rotundifolia, Peltophorum africanum, Spirostachys africana and Euclea crispa subsp. crispa. The dominant shrubs are Giant Raisin Grewia hexamita, Small-leaf White Crossberry G. tenax and Pride-of-De Kaap Bauhinia galpinii. The grass layer is poorly developed and the following species can be found: Guinea Grass Panicum maximum, Broadleaf Panic P. deustum, Pinhole Grass Bothriochloa insculpta, Eragrostis superba, Aristida bipartita, Cymbopogon excavatus and Sporobolus fimbriatus.

Key Environmental Parameters:

The high rainfall and lack of frost, coupled with deep sandy soils of marine origin, with frequent fires and general grazing by cattle and game, shape this bushveld type.

Economic Uses:

The main activities are cattle and game farming, and ecotourism.

Conservation Status:

Well conserved in Ndumu Game Reserve and Tembe Elephant Reserve.

Key References:

Moll & White (1978), White (1983).

Author:

Ed Granger.