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http://hdl.handle.net/10204/1630
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| Title: | Invasive alien trees and water resources in South Africa: case studies of the costs and benefits of management |
| Authors: | Le Maitre, DC
Van Wilgen, BW
Gelderblom, CM
Bailey, C
Chapman, RA
Nel, JA |
| Keywords: | Plant invasions
Resource economics
Forestry
Commercial plantations
Catchment management |
| Issue Date: | 1-May-2002 |
| Publisher: | Elsevier Science BV. |
| Citation: | Le Maitre, DC, et al. 2002. Invasive alien trees and water resources in South Africa: case studies of the costs and benefits of management. Forest Ecology and Management, vol 160, 03 January, pp 143-159 |
| Abstract: | Invasive alien plants are consumptive water-users, and may have reduced river flows in South Africa by about 6.7% according to a broad-scale study. An effective programme to bring the invasions under control would cost about US$ 92 million per year for the next 20 years. This paper reports on studies of four representative catchments (The Sonderend, Keurbooms, Upper-Wilge and Sabie-Sand) to assess the impacts and costs of invasions at a scale that is more relevant to managers. Several alien plant species have invaded the catchments. Non-riverine invasions are mainly Pinus and Hakea species in Sonderend and Keurbooms, eucalypts in the Upper Wilge, and pines and scramblers (e.g. Lantana camara) in the Sabie-Sand catchment. Riverine invasions are dominated by Acacia mearnsii and, to a lesser extent, A. dealbata, except in the Sabie-Sand and the lower Sonderend River where Eucalyptus species are important. The impacts and costs are significant and are comparable with those calculated independently for other South African catchments. Water is acknowledged to be a key constraint to economic growth in South Africa and there is considerable pressure for efficient and sustainable use of the limited water resources. The projected impacts would justify control programmes aimed at clearing alien invader, for water conservation. |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/10204/1630
http://hdl.handle.net/10204/1630 |
| ISSN: | 0378-1127 |
| Appears in Collections: | General science, engineering & technology
Environmental management
Forestry and wood science
Ecosystems processes & dynamics
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| le maitre 1_2002.pdf | | 245Kb | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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