• Login
    View Item 
    •   UZeScholar Home
    • Faculty of Science
    • Faculty of Science ETDs
    • Faculty of Science e-Theses Collection
    • View Item
    •   UZeScholar Home
    • Faculty of Science
    • Faculty of Science ETDs
    • Faculty of Science e-Theses Collection
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Spatial variation in vegetation and soils around artificial watering points in Hwange National Park

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Mhondoro_Spatial_variation_in_vegetation_and_soils_around_artificial_water_points.pdf (719.9Kb)
    Date
    2014-07-17
    Author
    Mhondoro, Melania
    Metadata
    Show full item record

    Abstract
    Piospheres are examples of the spatial impacts animals have on their environment. They tend to develop around artificial watering points, particularly in the dry season. The present study sought to assess impactof disturbance on plant species and soils across a disturbance gradient at watering points in the Main Camp of Hwange National Park. The study was conducted around four artificial watering points (two seasonal watering points and two perennial watering points). A stratified sampling design was adopted, with woody vegetation plots systematically placed at 150 m intervals along 2 550 m long transects. Assessments of non-woody plants and soils were conducted in plots laid at 50 m interval along 2 500 m long transects. Results indicated that woody species height and basal area increased with increasing distance from watering points. Shrub species richness was highest in moderately utilised zones and woody species diversity was lowest closest to the watering points. Non-woody species cover, richness and abundance increased towards the watering points. There was no consistent relationship between distance from water and non-woody species diversity. Concentrations of nutrients were highest in the vicinity of watering points. Soil moisture was lowest close to watering points and highest in the moderate occupancy zone. Soil pH was highest close to watering points. Onlyphosphorus was significantly different between seasonal watering points and perennial watering points. No significant differences were observed between seasonal watering points and perennial watering points in terms of vegetation attributes. Results indicate the existence of spatial variation in woody vegetation structure, non-woody vegetation cover and soil nutrient status and pH around artificial watering points which is associated with an animal disturbance gradient in Hwange National Park.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10646/1270
    Subject
    surface water
    artificial water sources.
    natural water sources
    natural watering points
    Hwange National Park
    Collections
    • Faculty of Science e-Theses Collection [233]

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Thumbnail

      An Evaluation of the Impact of Domestic Water Supply and Challenges faced by Women in Rural Zimbabwe: A Case Study of Sigangatsha and Malaba wards of Matobo District 

      Cheurombo, Moses (2013-06-04)
      Water for domestic purposes is a scarce resource in the rural areas of Sigangatsha and Malaba wards, and the group mostly affected by this scarcity is women. This dissertation focused three objectives and the first objective ...
    • Thumbnail

      The realities and challenges of reforming the water sector using the Integrated Water Resources Management Framework: Lessons from the Mazowe Catchment, Zimbabwe 

      Chikozho, Claudious (2014-06-16)
      The search for solutions to problems of water scarcity and increasing demand on the available finite fresh water has resulted in the emergence of a new water governance regime guided by the integrated water resources ...
    • Thumbnail

      Evaluating the effect of different water demand scenarios on downstream water availability in Thuli river basin, Zimbabwe. 

      Khosa, Sangwani Mugwazu (2012-10-16)
      Thuli river basin is situated in a semi-arid area, where surface water resource availability is a constraint due to low rainfall received in the area. The river basin is more developed in its upper than lower reaches. ...

    University of Zimbabwe: Educating To Change Lives!
    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2020  DuraSpace | Contact Us | Send Feedback
     

     

    Browse

    All of UZeScholarCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    University of Zimbabwe: Educating To Change Lives!
    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2020  DuraSpace | Contact Us | Send Feedback