MAGISTER TECHNOLOGIAE Nature Conservation

Baboons are important components of ecosystems and are often looked upon as the cause of problems when ecosystems deteriorate. This has resulted in large numbers of baboons being removed from their habitats without taking other environmental factors and their role in ecosystem functioning into consideration. When one component of an ecosystem is removed it results in a domino effect that could lead to further deterioration of that system, sometimes with catastrophic consequences (Thompson, 1992). ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Mpumalanga Parks Board who allowed the research to be conducted on the Blyde Canyon Nature Reserve and colleagues from the terrestrial section at Lydenburg who assisted with the identification of the plant specimens. Global Forest Products for funding and the use and assistance of staff in the GIS laboratory in Sabie. If it were not for the patience of my supervisors Prof Brown, Henzi & Barret I would not have finished. Two people in my life that stood by me, helped me through difficult times, and made it possible for me to complete my thesis, Bevvie and Anemien. ii