The relationship between size and density of Acacia Mellifera in the Highland Savanna of Namibia and its influence on the grass species composition and soil nutrients

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dc.contributor.advisoren_US
dc.contributor.authorNgaruka, Erastusen_US
dc.date.accessioned2014-02-07T14:08:23Z
dc.date.available2014-02-07T14:08:23Z
dc.date.issued2011en_US
dc.descriptionA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Scienceen_US
dc.description.abstractAbstract provided by authoren_US
dc.description.abstractThe Size-density relationship may be a valuable tool to reveal the extent of competition and mechanisms for distribution patterns, structure and functioning of woody species in savanna vegetation types. A study on the relationship between size and density of Acacia mellifera in the highland savanna of Namibia was carried out to try to facilitate an understanding of the development of stand density in relation to size (height) of A. mellifera. Data was collected at Neudamm farm in three camps that are inhabited by pure stands of A. mellifera. A total of ten clumps in each camp were selected, and the following recordings were made: Height (size) of the selected reference tree within the clump, crown diameter and crown form, and the distance to its two nearest neighbors. Another approach to data collection was the use of the nearest neighbor method, where every A. mellifera at every fifth point along a transect line was selected, its height, distance to nearest neighbor as well as the height of the neighbor were recorded. The results were analyzed with a linear model test to investigate the size-density relationshipen_US
dc.description.abstractThe result from the test indicated that there is no significant relationship (P0.05) between the two. Significant relationship (P0.05) could only be found between crown diameter and height as well as between crown form and height. The influence of A. mellifera clumps on grass species composition and soil nutrients was also investigated, and there was a significant (P0.05) difference between grass species composition under and outside canopiesen_US
dc.description.abstractThe study concluded that tree density does not affect tree size in A. mellifera species in the highland savanna of Namibia; hence no evidence of competition or self-thinning in A. mellifera stands yet. Therefore, competition may not the sole determinant of distribution and structure of wood species in savannasen_US
dc.description.degreeWindhoeken_US
dc.description.degreeNamibiaen_US
dc.description.degreeUniversity of Namibiaen_US
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen_US
dc.description.statusSuccessfully Downloaded file :http://wwwisis.unam.na/theses/ngaruka2011.pdfen_US
dc.format.extentv, 53 pen_US
dc.identifier.isisF004-199299999999999en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11070/574
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.masterFileNumber3851en_US
dc.source.uriabstracts/ngaruka2011abs.pdfen_US
dc.source.urihttp://wwwisis.unam.na/theses/ngaruka2011.pdfen_US
dc.subjectBush encroachment Namibiaen_US
dc.subjectGrazing Managementen_US
dc.titleThe relationship between size and density of Acacia Mellifera in the Highland Savanna of Namibia and its influence on the grass species composition and soil nutrientsen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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