wildfires in south africa
Post on 08-Jan-2017
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I have a significant role to play in maintaining ecosystem functionality and biodiversity.
I AM FIRE
I occur natural through lightening to perform my
duties. Humans have altered most of the
natural ecosystems and if these ecosystems are mismanaged, I consume
everything in my path and leave a catastrophic
signature.
I’m also anthropogenic
occurring. Humans use me as a land
management tool
I ‘m your best friend And also, I can be your worse enemy
WHY SOUTH AFRICA IS AN IDEAL PLACE FOR WILDFIRES
RESEARCH?
Bongani Finiza
B-Tech Forestry
s210095784@live.nmmu.ac.za
SOUTH AFRICA
• Divided into nine provinces.• Has a wide range of climatic conditions and
vegetation types.• Its diverse in terms of environmental distribution.• High levels of biodiversity.• Its unique social structure has resulted in:
– Diversity of languages, – Literacy levels,– Geographical spread and, – Population communication abilities.
SOUTH AFRICA
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
• Bushveld
• Lowveld
• Highveld
• Drakensberg
• Sub-Tropical East Coast
• South-East Coast
• South Coast
• Karoo
• Mediterranean
• Desert and Semi-desert
• Steppe
South Africa have eleven climatic regions:
Climatic zones
GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES
• Landscape
• Topography
• Slope
• Aspect
• Altitude
SOILS
Soil Forming Factors
• Geology
• Climate
• Topography
• Living Organisms
• Time
Site Factors and Productivity
• Climate
• Topography
• Soil chemistry
• Soil physical properties
• Soil form classes
Soil
Dis
turb
ance
Soil Regions
VEGETATION DISTRIBUTION
• Fynbos
• Karoo
– Succulent Karoo
– Nama Karoo
• Savannah
• Grassland
– True Grassland
– False Grassland
• Forest
• Thicket
South Africa have six types of Biomes
FIRE MANAGEMENT
• Fire contributes to Earth System Science (ESS).
• Fire as a driving factor for ecosystem and biodiversity.
• Fire management (Forester);
– Prevention,
– Protection, and
– Suppression.
• Fire as land management tool.
FIRE MANAGEMENT cont.
• Fire ecology;
– Fire dependent ecosystems,
– Fire independent ecosystems,
– Fire sensitive ecosystems, and
– Fire influenced ecosystems.
• Integrated fire management.
– Old – The Hedgehog Concept.
– New – The Fox Concept.
Fire independent ecosystems
Fire dependent ecosystems
Fire sensitive ecosystems
Fire influenced ecosystems
(Adapted from S.A. Biomes) Low et al., 1998
TYPES OF FIRE ECOSYSTEMS
CONCLUSION
• South African environmental conditions are complex, not complicated.
• Understand the conditions for better management.
• Link + Interaction = Functionality
• Fires can be beneficial.
– E.g. management of the ecosystems.
• Fires can also have detrimental effect.
– E.g. Destruction of the land.
THANK YOU
QUESTIONS?
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