9. MOPANE SHRUBVELD

Synonyms:

Mopane Veld (A15); Colophospermum mopane Shrubveld on Basalt; Shrub Mopane

Veld.

Statistics:

2 612 km²; ± 0% transformed; 99.99% conserved.

Locality & Physical Geography:

On the basalt plains in the northern parts of the Kruger National Park, in the Northern

Province. The altitude ranges from 300 to 400 m.

Climate:

Rainfall ranges from 450 to 500 mm per year, occurring in summer. Temperatures vary between -1 °C and 46°C, with an average of 23.0 °C.

Geology & Soil:

Derived from basalt, the soils are very clayey, often with vertic or near vertic properties.

Vegetation:

The vegetation is typically dominated by a stunted and multi-stemmed shrubby growth of fairly dense Mopane Colophospermum mopane, associated with individuals of Leadwood Combretum imberbe, Russet Bushwillow Combretum hereroense, Knob Thorn Acacia nigrescens, Dalbergia melanoxylon, Cissus cornifolia and Lonchocarpus capassa. The herbaceous layer includes dense stands of Redgrass Themeda triandra, while Vlei Bristlegrass Setaria incrassata, White Buffalograss Panicum coloratum, Bothriochloa radicans and Digitaria eriantha are locally conspicuous.

Key Environmental Parameters:

The very clayey soils, derived from the basalt, determines the limits of this shrubveld.

Economic Uses:

Situated entirely within the Kruger National Park, Mopane Shrubveld is used exclusively for ecotourism.

Conservation Status:

One of only two vegetation types in southern Africa which are effectively entirely conserved.

Key References:

Van der Schijff (1957), Werger & Coetzee (1 978), Van Rooyen et al. (1981), Gertenbach (1983), Van Wyk (1984).

Authors:

Noel van Rooyen & George Bredenkamp.