THE PLANT-COMMUNITIES OF THE ROODEPLAAT EXPERIMENTAL FARM, GAUTENG, SOUTH-AFRICA AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CLASSIFICATION VERIFICATION

A classification and a map of the Sourish Mixed Bushveld on the ARC-Ro odeplaat Experimental Farm is presented. Plant communities need to be verified and this was done in this study by means of a classification efficiency value, examination of the spatial integrity of releve-group s, floristic and habitat correlation, the validity of the community co mposition analysis and ground-truthing, Five woodland communities, dif ferentiated floristically, are identified and quantitative results far each community include a short description, community statistics, spe cies and growth form relations and community cover. Three of the five woodland communities occur on flats and the other two occur on crests and slopes. All five plant communities have Acacia trees as the domina nt species and four of the five have grasses as diagnostic species. Th e vegetation on the farm is in a degraded condition and Aloe greathead ii var. davyana occurs in all the communities as a strong competitor. Management proposals include conservative stacking rates and the remov al of sheep.