Patterns of plant species associations on a Sour Bushveld nature reserve

Plant species associations were studied in Lapalala Wilderness, a private nature reserve situated in the Waterberg region, in the north-western Transvaal. Classification and ordination techniques were applied on a data set which included 30 of the more abundant grass and tree species in the reserve. Results of the analyses suggested that the area and associated grass and tree species composition could be divided along gradients of pH levels in soils and the degree of slopes. Further finer divisions separated the riverine vegetation from the rest of the samples