AN OVERVIEW OF THE PHYSICAL-ENVIRONMENT AND VEGETATION UNITS OF THE BA AND IB LAND TYPES OF THE PRETORIA-WITBANK-HEIDELBERG AREA

An analysis of the physical environment and associated vegetation of t he study area is presented. Releves were compiled in 265 stratified ra ndom plots. Care was taken to avoid severely disturbed areas and ecoto nes. A TWINSPAN classification, refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures, revealed eight vegetation units which can be regarded as distinct ecol ogical units. A hierarchical classification, description and ecologica l interpretation of the eight vegetation units are presented. These ec ological units should be taken into account in the compilation of mana gement programmes for the natural resources of the study area.