Biodiversity (1 - SRK Consulting

7.2 Description of the plant communities
The distribution of the plant communities identified in this study are shown in the
vegetation map (Figure 9)
Figure 9. Vegetation map of the study site
1 Bushmanland Sandy Grassland
The largest patch of this vegetation type occurs south-east and west of Aggeneys. This is
the grassland of the valley bottoms on mobile or semi-mobile dunes. The largest patch of
this vegetation type fills the shallow valley of the Koa River. The sands and calcrete are of
Quarternary sediments. The area is mostly representing the Af land type, with deep red
sands predominant, with red sand dunes. The sand dunes suggest similarity to southern
Kalahari duneveld flora Mucina & Rutherford 2006). Rainfall is low, 70-110 mm per
annum, mostly falling in late summer to autumn.
The area is typically covered by sparse open grassland, with Stipagrostis species and
Schmidtia kalahariensis prominent, with scattered, drought resistant dwarf shrubs or small
trees, e.g. Rhigozum trichotomum, Boscia albitrunca, Parkinsonia africana and Lycium
cinereum (Figures 10 & 11).
SATO Aggeneys July 2011 45