Projektin Bonamanzi Game Reserve Päiväkirja

elokuu 5, 2021

Veld burning in Bonamanzi

In Bonamanzi fire is used as a management tool in the savanna and woodland habitats. The principle guiding this is that the grasslands in Zululand were formed under a fire regime and need fire for their continued well-being.

In the Bonamanzi Game Reserve there has, in recent decades, been a large increase in woody plants within these grassy habitats. One of the main drivers of woody plant increase is too little burning – where the fires are not frequent enough and not hot enough. So, as well as rejuvenating the grasslands, fire is used to reduce the woody plants – in conjunction with mechanical clearing.

The aim is to have a patchwork of grassland where there are sections with different burn histories. This promotes what is known as a ‘fire mosaic’ which provides a range of ‘micro-habitats’ which support a high diversity of plant and animal species.

The wetlands are also burnt – but at less frequent intervals than the grasslands. Fire is excluded from the riparian and sand forest habitats.

Most of the burning in Bonamanzi is done in late winter when there are high fuel loads and there is not yet a spring growth flush.

In August three areas were burnt. The burnt areas will soon 'green up' and will attract grazing animals. There may also be some veld flowers coming up in the short grass.

Julkaistu elokuu 5, 2021 01:23 IP. käyttäjältä ricky_taylor ricky_taylor

heinäkuu 8, 2021

Sand Forest plant checklist

The ‘Dendrological Group’ visited Bonamanzi on 20 June 2021. It had two previous visits (1996 and 2007). The Tree list (https://www.inaturalist.org/check_lists/4327274-Bonamanzi-tree-list) is a compilation of the trees recorded in all three visits.

Is the vegetation sand forest or sandy bushveld?
There were discussions whether the vegetation we looked at should be classed as sand forest or as sandy bushveld.

The locality is at the southern limit of sand forests. The trees grow on a palaeo-dune – which has deep red soils. Many plants typical of sand forest occur here – but some key ones are missing.

This is a young forest. The earliest air photos, from 1937, show that most of the area was grassland. The presence within the forest of trees such as Terminalia sericea, Hyphaene coriacea, Sclerocarya birrea are evidence of this. These as these are all savanna trees which would have been growing in situ when the forest expanded.

Whatever the classification – this is still a very interesting vegetation community.

Julkaistu heinäkuu 8, 2021 12:40 IP. käyttäjältä ricky_taylor ricky_taylor

kesäkuu 11, 2021

Main habitats in Bonamanzi

There are five main habitats in Bonamanzi - defined by the vegetation. These are sand forest, savanna, riparian, woodland and wetland

Julkaistu kesäkuu 11, 2021 02:02 IP. käyttäjältä ricky_taylor ricky_taylor

kesäkuu 9, 2021

Frogs and reptiles at Bonamanzi

With its diversity of habitats and the variety of wetlands Bonamanzi has a rich in herp fauna (frogs and reptiles).
Observations of these can be seen at:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?iconic_taxa=Amphibia,Reptilia&place_id=172732&project_id=bonamanzi

I have created preliminary guides to the frogs and the reptiles of Bonamanzi. These includes iNaturalist observations and those frogs in the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife database.

See the amphibian guide at: https://www.inaturalist.org/guides/14093
See the reptile guide at: https://www.inaturalist.org/guides/14094

Julkaistu kesäkuu 9, 2021 09:22 AP. käyttäjältä ricky_taylor ricky_taylor

kesäkuu 8, 2021

Bonamanzi is a bird 'hotspot'

Bonamanzi is well known for its birding. The diversity of habitats in the nature reserve attracts many species of birds. And this, in turn, attracts many 'birders'.

eBird lists 361 species of birds that have been recorded from Bonamanzi. It is listed as one of their bird hotspots.
see: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1314001/
A checklist of the birds of Bonamanzi can be downloaded from eBird.

You can see what bird observations have been recorded for Bonamanzi in iNaturalist at
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?iconic_taxa=Aves&place_id=172732&project_id=bonamanzi

Julkaistu kesäkuu 8, 2021 07:38 AP. käyttäjältä ricky_taylor ricky_taylor

kesäkuu 7, 2021

Purpose of the Bonamanzi Project

To conserve an ecosystem it is important to know what species are present. Species are the 'building-blocks' of the ecosystem.

This Bonamanzi Project aims to compile a list of the species that contribute to the richness of this nature reserve.

Join this project and, should you visit Bonamanzi, add your observations. Every observation helps.

Julkaistu kesäkuu 7, 2021 09:56 AP. käyttäjältä ricky_taylor ricky_taylor

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