- Email: [email protected]
The impact of a locally managed coppice system on fuelwood harvesting and consumption patterns, and associated time and financial costs
Abstracts
vegetation traits is important for representing savanna trees in dynamic global vegetation models. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2015.03.078
Inducing seed germination in Ceratotheca triloba grown under saline and heavy metal stress using traditional and non-traditional plant growth regulators N.A. Masondo, A.O. Aremu, J.F. Finnie, J. Van Staden Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa Ceratotheca (Pedaliaceae) is an endemic African genus comprising of five species. Among these, Ceratotheca triloba (Bernh.) Hook.f. commonly known as the wild foxglove occurs in most parts of South Africa including KwaZulu-Natal Province. The species is a common leafy vegetable which forms a major part of the diet especially in poor-communities of KwaZulu-Natal. Although the high nutritional value of the species and medicinal properties are well documented, information related to critical aspect of cultivation is currently limited. In addition, the effect of abiotic stress on C. triloba growth and development is pertinent given the increasing concern on climatic change. Cytokinins (CKs) are important plant growth regulators with diverse physiological functions during the life cycles of plants. It has been hypothesized that a direct modulation of endogenous CK content or sensitivity mediated via CK analogues could be vital to alleviate abiotic stress factors. In the current study, the effect of different cytokinin analogues on germination of C. triloba under varying salinity (NaCl) and heavy metal (Cd(NO3)2) conditions was evaluated. The CK analogues used were 2-chloro-6-(3methoxyphenyl)aminopurine designated as INCYDE and 6-(2-hydroxy3-methylbenzylamino)purine designated as PI-55 and tested at different concentrations. It is expected that findings from the current study will help elucidate the potential of CK analogues as tools for enhancing the general growth and development of C. triloba. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2015.03.079
The impact of a locally managed coppice system on fuelwood harvesting and consumption patterns, and associated time and financial costs N. Mathebula, W. Twine School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, c/o Wits Rural Facility, Private Bag X420, Acornhoek 1360, South Africa The majority of poor rural South Africans continue to cook with fuelwood, despite improved access to electricity, due to the unaffordable costs of appliances and electricity bills. Concern has been expressed about the sustainability of fuelwood harvesting in the former homeland areas. Widespread fuelwood shortages drive the pervasive harvesting of live wood, and result in increased time and effort required to obtain the resource. Harvesting for commercial purposes is also rife in areas where local institutions (local government and tribal authorities) lack capacity to enforce rules. Scholars have recommended managed rotational harvesting of coppice as one way of increasing fuelwood supply and promoting sustainable use of the resource. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a community-based coppice management intervention on fuelwood harvesting and consumption patterns, and associated time and financial costs, in three villages across Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces. Data were collected using structured interviews in household
189
energy surveys. In some cases, participation of local people in resource management has contributed significantly towards reducing commercial harvesters and intruders from neighbouring villages. Permitted access to fuelwood during rotational harvesting of coppice from camps or blocks in close to villages reduced distances the harvesters needed to travel. Consumption patterns such as daily amount of fuelwood used was found to be higher in winter than in summer. However, challenges in the implementation of community-based coppice management include poor participation of local harvesters, and the loss of community volunteers who monitor compliance, who leave to seek employment. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2015.03.080
Is there evidence of climate filtering in the Southern Mistbelt Forests' of the Eastern Cape? A. Matiwane, N.P. Barker Rhodes University, Botany Department, PO Box 94, Grahamstown 6139, South Africa Patterns of species distribution along environmental gradients have been documented around the world. The mechanisms responsible for these patterns are not properly understood, but climate plays a major role. “Climate filtering” is the removal of species along a climatic gradient due to their inability to survive in increasingly extreme conditions. Many concepts of plant community assembly are based on the premise that species differ in their environmental requirements (including climatic factors) for successful regeneration, especially when young. In the Eastern Cape, a moisture gradient (from west to east) exists along the Escarpment where patches of Southern Mistbelt Forests occur. There is a notable profusion of plants in these forests, but understanding and predicting the factors that drive plant species composition and abundance in these patches are poorly understood and are critical if we are to address or mitigate the problems imposed by global change. The aim of this research was to determine whether there is evidence of climate filtering in patches of Southern Mistbelt Forest as a consequence of a moisture gradient. We sampled tree and herbaceous species from 24 study areas. When comparing diversity against climatic variables, it was found that herbaceous species diversity correlated with Mean Annual Precipitation (R2 = 0.72) whereas tree species diversity does not (R2 = 0.034). The herbaceous species thus show a greater sensitivity to climate filtering, as driven by annual rainfall. Climate thus appears to play a key role in filtering herbaceous forest species based on their biological traits. These species can thus provide clues or act as indicators of the possible long-term effects of climate change on forest communities. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2015.03.081
Differences in plant growth, nodulation and intrinsic water use efficiency of Rhizobium-inoculated and un-inoculated promiscuous and commercial soybean genotypes grown at Mpumalanga, South Africa G.C. Mbaha, S.T. Masekob, C. Mathewsa, F.D. Dakorab a Department of Crop Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa b Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa Water use efficiency (WUEi) that is, the ratio of intrinsic rates of CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance to water vapour, was
vegetation traits is important for representing savanna trees in dynamic global vegetation models. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2015.03.078
Inducing seed germination in Ceratotheca triloba grown under saline and heavy metal stress using traditional and non-traditional plant growth regulators N.A. Masondo, A.O. Aremu, J.F. Finnie, J. Van Staden Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa Ceratotheca (Pedaliaceae) is an endemic African genus comprising of five species. Among these, Ceratotheca triloba (Bernh.) Hook.f. commonly known as the wild foxglove occurs in most parts of South Africa including KwaZulu-Natal Province. The species is a common leafy vegetable which forms a major part of the diet especially in poor-communities of KwaZulu-Natal. Although the high nutritional value of the species and medicinal properties are well documented, information related to critical aspect of cultivation is currently limited. In addition, the effect of abiotic stress on C. triloba growth and development is pertinent given the increasing concern on climatic change. Cytokinins (CKs) are important plant growth regulators with diverse physiological functions during the life cycles of plants. It has been hypothesized that a direct modulation of endogenous CK content or sensitivity mediated via CK analogues could be vital to alleviate abiotic stress factors. In the current study, the effect of different cytokinin analogues on germination of C. triloba under varying salinity (NaCl) and heavy metal (Cd(NO3)2) conditions was evaluated. The CK analogues used were 2-chloro-6-(3methoxyphenyl)aminopurine designated as INCYDE and 6-(2-hydroxy3-methylbenzylamino)purine designated as PI-55 and tested at different concentrations. It is expected that findings from the current study will help elucidate the potential of CK analogues as tools for enhancing the general growth and development of C. triloba. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2015.03.079
The impact of a locally managed coppice system on fuelwood harvesting and consumption patterns, and associated time and financial costs N. Mathebula, W. Twine School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, c/o Wits Rural Facility, Private Bag X420, Acornhoek 1360, South Africa The majority of poor rural South Africans continue to cook with fuelwood, despite improved access to electricity, due to the unaffordable costs of appliances and electricity bills. Concern has been expressed about the sustainability of fuelwood harvesting in the former homeland areas. Widespread fuelwood shortages drive the pervasive harvesting of live wood, and result in increased time and effort required to obtain the resource. Harvesting for commercial purposes is also rife in areas where local institutions (local government and tribal authorities) lack capacity to enforce rules. Scholars have recommended managed rotational harvesting of coppice as one way of increasing fuelwood supply and promoting sustainable use of the resource. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a community-based coppice management intervention on fuelwood harvesting and consumption patterns, and associated time and financial costs, in three villages across Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces. Data were collected using structured interviews in household
189
energy surveys. In some cases, participation of local people in resource management has contributed significantly towards reducing commercial harvesters and intruders from neighbouring villages. Permitted access to fuelwood during rotational harvesting of coppice from camps or blocks in close to villages reduced distances the harvesters needed to travel. Consumption patterns such as daily amount of fuelwood used was found to be higher in winter than in summer. However, challenges in the implementation of community-based coppice management include poor participation of local harvesters, and the loss of community volunteers who monitor compliance, who leave to seek employment. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2015.03.080
Is there evidence of climate filtering in the Southern Mistbelt Forests' of the Eastern Cape? A. Matiwane, N.P. Barker Rhodes University, Botany Department, PO Box 94, Grahamstown 6139, South Africa Patterns of species distribution along environmental gradients have been documented around the world. The mechanisms responsible for these patterns are not properly understood, but climate plays a major role. “Climate filtering” is the removal of species along a climatic gradient due to their inability to survive in increasingly extreme conditions. Many concepts of plant community assembly are based on the premise that species differ in their environmental requirements (including climatic factors) for successful regeneration, especially when young. In the Eastern Cape, a moisture gradient (from west to east) exists along the Escarpment where patches of Southern Mistbelt Forests occur. There is a notable profusion of plants in these forests, but understanding and predicting the factors that drive plant species composition and abundance in these patches are poorly understood and are critical if we are to address or mitigate the problems imposed by global change. The aim of this research was to determine whether there is evidence of climate filtering in patches of Southern Mistbelt Forest as a consequence of a moisture gradient. We sampled tree and herbaceous species from 24 study areas. When comparing diversity against climatic variables, it was found that herbaceous species diversity correlated with Mean Annual Precipitation (R2 = 0.72) whereas tree species diversity does not (R2 = 0.034). The herbaceous species thus show a greater sensitivity to climate filtering, as driven by annual rainfall. Climate thus appears to play a key role in filtering herbaceous forest species based on their biological traits. These species can thus provide clues or act as indicators of the possible long-term effects of climate change on forest communities. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2015.03.081
Differences in plant growth, nodulation and intrinsic water use efficiency of Rhizobium-inoculated and un-inoculated promiscuous and commercial soybean genotypes grown at Mpumalanga, South Africa G.C. Mbaha, S.T. Masekob, C. Mathewsa, F.D. Dakorab a Department of Crop Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa b Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa Water use efficiency (WUEi) that is, the ratio of intrinsic rates of CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance to water vapour, was