Description, classification and ordination of the dominant vegetation communities, Cathedral Peak, KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg

A survey of 13 vegetation communities which span the major topographic and successional differences in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg was undertaken. A basic description of species present and their abundance was recorded. Furthermore, an analysis was performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of classification and ordination to delimit the representativeness of samples within particular vegetation communities and the relationship between chosen dominant communilies based on homogeneity with regard to species composition and abundance. The analysis was performed using two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) to describe the distinctiveness or, in the case of the grassland communities, the close association between the various communities. Results are a record of the dominant vegetation communities within a region displaying a steep altitudinal, and hence environmental, gradient, the homogeneity of samples taken within a community and the distinctiveness and/or similarity between these communities