Synonym:

Kalahari Thornveld (A16).

Statistics:

23 391 km˛; ± 55% transformed; 0.00% conserved.

Locality & Physical Geography:

This type is confined to the plateau, at 1 250 m altitude, in North-West Province and Northern Cape, in the Vryburg-Kuruman-Griekwastad area.

Climate:

The rainfall occurs mainly in summer, varying from 250 mm in the south, to 450 mm in the north. Temperatures vary between -9C and 42C, with an average of 18C.

Geology & Soil:

This bushveld is encountered on different types of soils, such as calcareous tufa, dark brown to red sands and acid gravels, all underlain by dolomite.

Vegetation:

In general, this is a fairly dense bushveld composed of shrubs, and sometimes small trees, in a mixed grassland. The principal shrubs are Camphor Tree Tarchonanthus camphoratus, Threethorn Rhigozum trichotomum, Puzzle Bush Ehretia rigida, Grewia flava and Maytenus heterophylla. The tree layer is not dominant but the following species do occur sparsely: Wild Olive Olea europaea subsp. africana, Umbrella Thorn Acacia tortilis and Shepherd's Tree Boscia albitrunca. The grass is by nature tall and dominated by Redgrass Themeda triandra and other grasses such as Copperwire Grass Aristida diffusa and Silky Bushman Grass Stipagrostis uniplumis. Karoo dwarf shrubs are sometimes accompanied by the development of thickets of shrubs and trees including Fringed Karee Rhus ciliata, Spikeflower Black Thorn Acacia mellifera subsp. detinens and Umbrella Thorn A. tortilis.

Key Environmental Parameters:

This bushveld occurs on the sandy plateau underlain by dolomite with calcrete deposits. Grazing is a major ecosystem pressure.

Economic Uses:

Livestock and game farming, and mining.

Conservation Status:

Extremely poorly conserved - the only Savanna Biome vegetation type which is not represented in any sizeable nature reserve.

Key Reference:

Acocks (1988).

Authors:

Noel van Rooyen & George Bredenkamp.