Biodiversity & Ecology

Journal of the Division Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology of Plants , Institute for Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg.

Biodiversity Research article Open Access

Diversity patterns of woody vegetation of Kgatleng District, Botswana

Koketso Tshireletso*, Shimane W. Makhabu, Mackenzie Nsinamwa, Ednah Kgosiesele, Mpho R. Setlalekgomo, Zibanani Seletlo, Sipho Majaga, Boipuso Legwatagwata

Article first published online: 24 April 2018

DOI: 10.7809/b-e.00353

*Corresponding author contact: ktshirel@buan.ac.bw

<< Volume 6

Biodiversity & Ecology (Biodivers. Ecol.)

Climate change and adaptive land management in southern Africa - assessments, changes, challenges, and solutions,
edited by Rasmus Revermann, Kristin M. Krewenka, Ute Schmiedel, Jane M. Olwoch, Jörg Helmschrot & Norbert Jürgens

Volume 6, pages 416-423, April 2018

PDF (2 MB)

English

Abstract: Vegetation assessments have intensifi ed around the globe to document plant diversity in the wake of climatic shift s and local environmental changes. Botswana also recognises the value of documenting plant diversity, and in this study we present the results of a vegetation survey of Kgatleng District. Between November 2013 and December 2016 we assessed tree species abundance on 77 plots sized 20 m × 50 m. Vegetation classifi cation resulted in the identifi cation of fi ve woody plant communities: Terminalia sericea?Maytenus tenuispina, Dichrostachys cinerea?Combretum apiculatum, Combretum zeyheri? Vachellia tortilis, Senegalia erubescens?Senegalia mellifera, and Grewia fl ava?Rhigozium brevispinosum. One-way analysis of variance indicated that species richness was not diff erent among the fi ve plant communities, nor was tree density. We furthermore provide a vegetation map of the district based on supervised classifi cation of Landsat 8 imagery.

Portuguese

Resumo: Estudos de vegetação intensifi caram em todo o mundo, de modo a documentar a diversidade de plantas na sequência das alterações climáticas e de mudanças ambientais locais. O Botswana também reconhece o valor de documentar a diversidade de plantas e, neste estudo, apresentamos os resultados do levantamento da vegetação do Districto de Kgatleng. Entre Novembro de 2013 e Dezembro de 2016, avaliámos a abundância de espécies de árvores em 77 parcelas de 20 m × 50 m. A classifi cação da vegetação resultou na identifi cação de cinco comunidades de plantas lenhosas: Terminalia sericea? Maytenus tenuispina, Dichrostachys cinerea?Combretum apiculatum, Combretum zeyheri?Vachellia tortilis, Senegalia erubescens?Senegalia mellifera, e Grewia flava?Rhigozium brevispinosum. A análise da variância a um factor indicou que nem a riqueza específi ca, nem a densidade de árvores, eram diferentes entre as cinco comunidades de plantas. Fornecemos ainda um mapa da vegetação do districto baseado na classifi cação supervisionada de imagens de Landsat 8.

Suggested citation:
Tshireletso, K., Makhabu, S.W., Nsinamwa, M., Kgosiesele, E., Setlalekgomo, M.R., Seletlo, Z., Majaga, S. & Legwatagwata, B. (2018) Diversity patterns of woody vegetation of Kgatleng District, Botswana In: Climate change and adaptive land management in southern Africa – assessments, changes, challenges, and solutions (ed. by Revermann, R., Krewenka, K.M., Schmiedel, U., Olwoch, J.M., Helmschrot, J. & Jürgens, N.), pp. 416-423, Biodiversity & Ecology, 6, Klaus Hess Publishers, Göttingen & Windhoek. doi:10.7809/b-e.00353