Assessment of herbaceous vegetation species composition growing around Kleinkopje opencast coal mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa
Coal mining involves the removal of natural vegetation, heavy excavation; combustion and ignition accompanied by a release of coal dust to the atmosphere that drastically reduce the ecosystem services. A study was conducted to assess of veld grasses around a coal mine in Emalahleni in Mpumalanga. Si...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Journal Article |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Nature Research
2025
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179730 |
| _version_ | 1855515080597176320 |
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| author | Mangwane, M. Madakadze, I.C. Nherera-Chokuda, F.V. Dube, Sikhalazo Mndela, M. Tjelele, T.J. Pule, H.T. |
| author_browse | Dube, Sikhalazo Madakadze, I.C. Mangwane, M. Mndela, M. Nherera-Chokuda, F.V. Pule, H.T. Tjelele, T.J. |
| author_facet | Mangwane, M. Madakadze, I.C. Nherera-Chokuda, F.V. Dube, Sikhalazo Mndela, M. Tjelele, T.J. Pule, H.T. |
| author_sort | Mangwane, M. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Coal mining involves the removal of natural vegetation, heavy excavation; combustion and ignition accompanied by a release of coal dust to the atmosphere that drastically reduce the ecosystem services. A study was conducted to assess of veld grasses around a coal mine in Emalahleni in Mpumalanga. Six 100 m line transects were established on rehabilitated site and natural veld in Kleinkopje coal mine. Plant identification, leaf and tiller counting, and biomass harvesting were conducted on each of five 1 m<sup>2</sup> sampling quadrats placed at intervals of 20 m along the transect. Nineteen (19) grass species, some (07) forbs and (03) sedges were recorded. Therefore, <i>Eragrostis curvula</i> (31.5%) was the most frequent on the natural veld, followed by <i>Cynodon dactylon</i> (28.36%) and Panicum maximum (22.25%) on the rehabilitated. On the natural veld, <i>Aristida congesta</i> had higher tiller production (17 tillers per plant) while <i>E. curvula</i> averaged 11 tillers per plant on the rehabilitated site. On the rehabilitated site, <i>U. mosambicensis</i> produced averaged 94 leaves per plant than all other species on both sites. Basal cover, species diversity and richness did not differ (p > 0.05) between rehabilitated site and natural veld. Rehabilitated site had a generally higher biomass production of 4.35 kg DM ha<i>− 1</i> than natural veld with 3.24 kg DM ha<i>− 1</i>. <i>E. curvula</i> and <i>C. dactylon</i> had higher contribution to the total biomass production on both sites. However, their biomass production was insignificantly different (p > 0.05) from that of <i>Urochloa mozambicensis</i> and <i>P. maximum</i> on rehabilitated site and <i>Heteropogon contortus</i> on natural site. Our results indicated that <i>E. curvula</i> and <i>C. dactylon</i> are highly persistent and productive hence they are ideal for mine rehabilitation. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace179730 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Nature Research |
| publisherStr | Nature Research |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1797302026-01-16T11:02:06Z Assessment of herbaceous vegetation species composition growing around Kleinkopje opencast coal mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa Mangwane, M. Madakadze, I.C. Nherera-Chokuda, F.V. Dube, Sikhalazo Mndela, M. Tjelele, T.J. Pule, H.T. grasses vegetation Coal mining involves the removal of natural vegetation, heavy excavation; combustion and ignition accompanied by a release of coal dust to the atmosphere that drastically reduce the ecosystem services. A study was conducted to assess of veld grasses around a coal mine in Emalahleni in Mpumalanga. Six 100 m line transects were established on rehabilitated site and natural veld in Kleinkopje coal mine. Plant identification, leaf and tiller counting, and biomass harvesting were conducted on each of five 1 m<sup>2</sup> sampling quadrats placed at intervals of 20 m along the transect. Nineteen (19) grass species, some (07) forbs and (03) sedges were recorded. Therefore, <i>Eragrostis curvula</i> (31.5%) was the most frequent on the natural veld, followed by <i>Cynodon dactylon</i> (28.36%) and Panicum maximum (22.25%) on the rehabilitated. On the natural veld, <i>Aristida congesta</i> had higher tiller production (17 tillers per plant) while <i>E. curvula</i> averaged 11 tillers per plant on the rehabilitated site. On the rehabilitated site, <i>U. mosambicensis</i> produced averaged 94 leaves per plant than all other species on both sites. Basal cover, species diversity and richness did not differ (p > 0.05) between rehabilitated site and natural veld. Rehabilitated site had a generally higher biomass production of 4.35 kg DM ha<i>− 1</i> than natural veld with 3.24 kg DM ha<i>− 1</i>. <i>E. curvula</i> and <i>C. dactylon</i> had higher contribution to the total biomass production on both sites. However, their biomass production was insignificantly different (p > 0.05) from that of <i>Urochloa mozambicensis</i> and <i>P. maximum</i> on rehabilitated site and <i>Heteropogon contortus</i> on natural site. Our results indicated that <i>E. curvula</i> and <i>C. dactylon</i> are highly persistent and productive hence they are ideal for mine rehabilitation. 2025-12-29 2026-01-13T07:51:28Z 2026-01-13T07:51:28Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179730 en Open Access Nature Research Mangwane, M., Madakadze, I.C., Nherera-Chokuda, F.V., Dube, S., Mndela, M., Tjelele, T.J. and Pule, H.T. 2025. Assessment of herbaceous vegetation species composition growing around Kleinkopje opencast coal mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Scientific Reports 15:44814. |
| spellingShingle | grasses vegetation Mangwane, M. Madakadze, I.C. Nherera-Chokuda, F.V. Dube, Sikhalazo Mndela, M. Tjelele, T.J. Pule, H.T. Assessment of herbaceous vegetation species composition growing around Kleinkopje opencast coal mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa |
| title | Assessment of herbaceous vegetation species composition growing around Kleinkopje opencast coal mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa |
| title_full | Assessment of herbaceous vegetation species composition growing around Kleinkopje opencast coal mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of herbaceous vegetation species composition growing around Kleinkopje opencast coal mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of herbaceous vegetation species composition growing around Kleinkopje opencast coal mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa |
| title_short | Assessment of herbaceous vegetation species composition growing around Kleinkopje opencast coal mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa |
| title_sort | assessment of herbaceous vegetation species composition growing around kleinkopje opencast coal mine mpumalanga province south africa |
| topic | grasses vegetation |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179730 |
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