Between 1938 and 1976, J.P.H. Acocks sampled 2700 vegetation sites in South Africa and the Kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland. The data was used to delineate biomes or veld-types and to describe agro-ecological problems. This historical data set is invaluable for the improved understanding of the processes of global climate change, desertification and the erosion of biodiversity.

South Africa has a rich floral diversity. There are at least 20,000 species of angiosperms. The Cape area itself is home to the fynbos, an area characterized by a Mediterranean climate of cool, wet winters and warm dry summers. This area rivals the tropics in its number of plant species, especially those that are endemic to the area. The South African fynbos hosts 8,600 species of plants, of which two-thirds are endemic.

Even 50 years ago, there was little vegetation in South Africa in its original condition. As farming systems change in response to new land use policy, it is imperative that policy reflect the need to conserve the remaining genetic diversity of the region. The application of modern statistical analytical techniques to the older data set and the new data collected from the resurveying the original sites will provide the South African government with information on which land use policy decisions can be made and strategic decisions for introducing sustainable farming technologies based. At the same time, the international scientific community will acquire an invaluable set of data.

Background

A plant community integrates the effects of its physical environment and therefore serve as an indicator for ecological variability. Plant communities can also be related to scale because they form hierarchies where smaller communities can be grouped to form larger communities. This implies that the environmental factors which differentiate plant communities at different scales, are also related to scale. Description of areas, based on plant communities, therefore, is for developing land use pollicy and sustainable resource management practices.

Acock’s Veld Types is the most widely used source for vegetation descriptions in South Africa. The scale at which the vegetation was sampled (1:1,500,000) and sampling site selections, were intended to describe vegetation units (Veld types) with variations limited to the same farming potential within each Veld type. In addition to recording the presence of a particular species of plant, the relative abundance - in terms of individuals per hectare based on plant spacing - was also estimated for each species.

Acocks selected sampling sites according to the condition of the vegetation and as representative samples of the variability in the Veld types. Degraded vegetation was not included. Over 2,700 sites were sampled in the Republic of South Africa and the Kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland from 1938 to 1976. Raw data credibility is exceptionally high and consistent. All data has been computerized and linked to the site geographical coordinates. Distribution maps with this 50 year old data can be produced from ± 3000 data points using geographic information systems (GIS). The data set is unique in that absence data is applicable, i.e. full species lists were made at each site so absence becomes meaningful.

The current condition of the agricultural resources and the vegetation over much of the South African land surface is much poorer than it was 50-100 years ago. Degradation appears to be increasing at an accelerating rate. Woody thickening is prevalent is some areas while excessive removal of vegetation is prevalent in others. In general, vegetation is being reduced with commensurate increase in water runoff and soil loss. It is assumed that genetic diversity is also be eroded.

South Africa has recognized that ultimate responsibility for the sustainable use of natural resources including genetic diversity rests with local communities. The Landcare Programme, recently adopted in South Africa, would have at least every rural school in the country participating.

The Roodeplaat Grassland Institute of the South African Agricultural Research Council has taken the first steps to  re-sample Acock’s sites. The sites have been geo-referenced and the historical data has been entered into a GIS database. Project managers will meet in May 1998 to develop a workplan and protocol for re-sampling selected sites. To the extent possible, teachers, local universities and extensionists will be involved in re-sampling sites. In this way local expertise can be developed. US and African K-6 teachers will learn the fundmentals of botany and ecology, and the importance biological diversity, through investigation.

It is probable that many of the original Acocks sites have been lost due to land transformation for crop production, forestry, mining and urban development. Experienced vegetation ecologists will visit all of the original sites to catagorize them. It is anticipated that each of the South African biomes will be represented by 5-10 samples all preferably in "pristine" condition with a few obviously altered or degraded sites for comparative purposes. For each of approximately 80 "core" sites, the nearest school will be identified and will be asked to accept responsibility for future monitoring and data gathering. In order to ensure effective and reliable participation on the part of the local school, equipment and training for monitoring will be provided by the project team. Schools will be phased in as funding and time allows and subject to data collection priorities determined by the project team.

Prior to doing field work, all US teachers will have introductory courses in botany, ecology and the history and culture of South Africa. Project team will develop multi-media packages to be used at each vegetation monitoring site. This will include: a checklist of all known plant species from that particular area (extracted from distribution data) together with visual information (scanned from photos of living plants or from digital cameras), description of the habitat of each species and detail of diagnostic features of each species; geographic information system (GIS) distribution data; functional and biological data (reproduction, ecology, habitat, etc); and use data (from a plant use database being developed). With the multi-media package, anyone will be able to reliably and repeatedly identify plant species at all monitoring sites. Using the package, teachers and local community participants will be introduced to intra-specific variability; plant biology and functioning; and the potential and actual uses of these species for mankind.

Plant Identification

All species which cannot be identified using the multi-media packages at each site will be properly collected and labeled to serve as voucher specimens for scientific verification of the identification. Teachers and local community "samplers" will be trained in pressing plant specimens and gathering locality and habitat information using GPS technology, altimeters, etc. Plant identifications will be done by the National Herbarium of the National Botanical Institute (NBI) and these specimens will add to the national information base on the distribution and morphological variation of South Africa’s floral biodiversity. This information is critically important in the planning of species conservation strategies, location of nature reserves and identifying threatened species and diversity "hot spots." School children will become "parataxonomists" similar to the well-known Costa Rican mode.

GPS and GIS

All participants involved in monitoring the vegetation sites will become familiar with he use of GPS equipment. Participants will also be exposed to the use of GIS information whereby plant distribution data can be interpreted juxtaposed against topographical, ecological, soil, geological and climate layers of the GIS database.

Data Management

Locally developed vegetation classification and plant community analysis programs (PHYTOTAB) will be used to analyze data collected in the resampling. This will define the constituent plant communities of the vold types or biomes both in terms of species composition, structure and cover as well as spatially. These plant communities will provide the basis for vegetation based management units for sustainable utilization. Plant community composition analysis will describe the condition of each community and changes will be monitored over time. Plant community structural analysis will be used to describe the relationships between different plant growth forms making up a community, and change will be monitored.

Data Analysis

Vegetation cover relationships will be used to assess cover adequacy and reveal negative or beneficial changes. Key species can be identified and specific management interventions can be made to improve the species composition to a more desirable state. Rare and endangered species and their distribution localities can be identified and specific conservation measures implemented. Early detection of weeds and problem plants will be possible and eradication measures implemented.

Simple data analysis programs that generate graphs, histograms, etc., will be included in the multi-media kit. This will enable each participating school to demonstrate trends over time and to manipulate this data and to study the causes of this change with simple experiments (exclosures, burning, different grazing regimes, etc.). Each scholar may repeat this monitoring "practical" in each of their final four school years and, with time, the local datasets will become increasingly interesting and informative.

Soil sampling and climate monitoring

Soil samples will be taken at each monitoring site. Opportunities for extending the Mesonet climate monitoring program to all participating schools would enhance the value of the dataset.

The data from resampling the Acocks sites will have implcations for studies of climate change and desertification as well as the status of the natural resources including biological diversity. A variety of outputs will be possible - gross changes at the biome level, veld type and community dynamics, species change and dynamics data for most of the 20,000 indigenous South African angiosperms, effect of land use practices (livestock, husbandry, fire regimes, natural product harvesting, etc.) and abiotic parameters (e.g. soil type and conditions, climate) on species and community composition. These products will be useful for land use planning for sustainable management, environmental impact assessments, conservation training and tourism. Beneficiaries will be farmers, pastoralists, the traditional medicine industry, the mining industry, energy planning involving biofuels, conservation agencies, education bodies, state departments charged with the management and use of natural resources and the international scientific community.

Outcomes

• Increased awareness of the importance of conserving biological diversity amongst the youth as they will be the custodians and beneficiaries of the future
• Implementation of sustainable resource management practices
• Strategies including priorities for improving teacher preparation in both countries
• Linkages between teachers which undoubtedly will extend to linkages between classrooms and schools
• Linkages between scientists
• Linkages between scientists and teachers
• Transfer of technology from scientists to farmers
• Linkages between institutions with well-established research programs and those developing programs

Measurable objectives

• Resampling to complete an internationally important data set
• Acquisition of plant specimens by the South African National Herbarium
• As a result of the data set, papers may be published in international peer-reviewed journals; areas of interest may be: ecology, conservation of biological diversity, sustainable range management, soil conservation, water management, botany and education
• Changes in the achievement of the participants' students as measured and possibly form the basis for at least one doctoral dissertation
• A prioritized plan for introducing sustainable technologies in Africa
• Credit hours earned by participating teachers
• Graduate degree(s) earned by participating graduate students

Participating Organizations in the United States