Vegetation ecology of Egoli Granite Grassland on the farm Doornrandjie, Gauteng

A vegetation survey was conducted on the newly acquired farm portions of the farm Doornrandje 386 JR, which are being incorporated into Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s protected area expansion. This study provides an ecological basis for establishing an efficient management programme for the area. From a TWINSPAN classification, refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures, five plant communities were identified. A classification and description of the major plant communities is presented. Descriptions of the plant communities include characteristic species, as well as prominent and less conspicuous species of the tree, shrub, herb and grass strata. Floristic analyses of the vegetation and a biodiversity comparison of the different plant communities found on the farm are also undertaken. This study proves that the extended land incorporated into the Reserve contributes to the biological diversity of the study area.Environmental SciencesM. Sc. (Environmental Science