Water Wheel May/June 2023: Woody Encroachment

Abstract

Cover feature Study examines impact of mopane infestation on ecosystem services At the Mthimkhulu research site located approximately 40 km north of Phalaborwa in northeastern Limpopo, PhD student Tiffany Aldworth and scientists from the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) have been exploring the effects of large-scale changes in vegetation due to mopane encroachment on freshwater resources. Mopane (Colophospermum mopane) is a tree or shrub species indigenous to central and southern Africa. It is one of the main encroaching species in the southern African region, where it often grows in dense, monotypic stands with little to no grass cover.

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