Diversity, structure and pattern in Nylsvley vegetation

After a brief description of the study area, Nylsvley — site of the South African Savanna Ecosystem Project — and a summary of a recent phytosociological survey, an account is given of the following aspects of the vegetation of the area: species diversity; woody plant structure; herbaceous layer cover and relative occurrence; ordination and pattern of the herbaceous layer; ordination and pattern of woody and herbaceous plants; and aboveground plant standing crop from two surveys. Results are based on both published and unpublished studies. Methods, which are described briefly, included entire stand mensuration for structure and standing crop, narrow transects for pattern studies and the wheelpoint apparatus for cover and relative occurrence.Throughout the paper the great diversity in structure, pattern, species composition and aboveground plant standing crop found at the within-site scale and previously referred to as a ‘more than Daedalian maze’ is highlighted