Biodiversity (1 - SRK Consulting
Biodiversity (1 - SRK Consulting
Biodiversity (1 - SRK Consulting
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6. METHODS<br />
Prior to the field visits, a desktop study of the available literature and relevant reports<br />
was made.<br />
The EcoAgent team (Prof G.J. Bredenkamp (vegetation scientist) Dr I.L. Rautenbach<br />
(mammalogist), Dr A. Kemp (ornithologist) and Mr J.C.P. van Wyk (herpetologist).<br />
Conducted a site visit on 27-28 June 2011; accompanied by the <strong>SRK</strong> Environmental<br />
Assessment Practitioners (Ms Lyn Brown and Dr Jenny Lancaster ). The available<br />
roads on the site were driven using a 4x4 pick-up. The farm owner, Mr Deon<br />
Maasdorp and his family (and Hester, Olivia, Waldo and Dayle) guided the EcoAgent<br />
team on site, and Ms Jennifer Brown (SATO) and technology consultant Mr Alfred<br />
Ostenreid (SLC Group) advised on details of the development.<br />
Regular stops were made to record diversity and veld conditions by walking random<br />
transects. Coordinates were taken at localities of note.<br />
6.1. Flora<br />
6.1.1 Vegetation and flora<br />
The vegetation was stratified into relatively homogeneous units on recent aerial<br />
photographs of the area. At several sites within each homogeneous unit a description<br />
of the dominant and characteristic species was made. These descriptions were<br />
based on total floristic composition, following established vegetation survey<br />
techniques (Mueller-Dombois & Ellenberg 1974; Westhoff & Van der Maarel 1978).<br />
Data recorded included a list of the plant species present, including trees, shrubs,<br />
grasses and forbs. Comprehensive species lists were therefore derived for each<br />
plant community / ecosystem present on the site. These vegetation survey methods<br />
have been used as the basis of a national vegetation survey of South Africa (Mucina<br />
et al. 2000) and are considered to be an efficient method of describing vegetation<br />
and capturing species information. Notes were additionally made of any other<br />
features that might have an ecological influence.<br />
SATO Aggeneys July 2011 31