wildfires in south africa

I have a significant role to play in maintaining ecosystem functionality and biodiversity.

I AM FIRE

I occur natural through lightening to perform my

duties. Humans have altered most of the

natural ecosystems and if these ecosystems are mismanaged, I consume

everything in my path and leave a catastrophic

signature.

I’m also anthropogenic

occurring. Humans use me as a land

management tool

I ‘m your best friend And also, I can be your worse enemy

WHY SOUTH AFRICA IS AN IDEAL PLACE FOR WILDFIRES

RESEARCH?

Bongani Finiza

B-Tech Forestry

s210095784@live.nmmu.ac.za

SOUTH AFRICA

• Divided into nine provinces.• Has a wide range of climatic conditions and

vegetation types.• Its diverse in terms of environmental distribution.• High levels of biodiversity.• Its unique social structure has resulted in:

– Diversity of languages, – Literacy levels,– Geographical spread and, – Population communication abilities.

SOUTH AFRICA

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

• Bushveld

• Lowveld

• Highveld

• Drakensberg

• Sub-Tropical East Coast

• South-East Coast

• South Coast

• Karoo

• Mediterranean

• Desert and Semi-desert

• Steppe

South Africa have eleven climatic regions:

Climatic zones

GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES

• Landscape

• Topography

• Slope

• Aspect

• Altitude

SOILS

Soil Forming Factors

• Geology

• Climate

• Topography

• Living Organisms

• Time

Site Factors and Productivity

• Climate

• Topography

• Soil chemistry

• Soil physical properties

• Soil form classes

Soil

Dis

turb

ance

Soil Regions

VEGETATION DISTRIBUTION

• Fynbos

• Karoo

– Succulent Karoo

– Nama Karoo

• Savannah

• Grassland

– True Grassland

– False Grassland

• Forest

• Thicket

South Africa have six types of Biomes

FIRE MANAGEMENT

• Fire contributes to Earth System Science (ESS).

• Fire as a driving factor for ecosystem and biodiversity.

• Fire management (Forester);

– Prevention,

– Protection, and

– Suppression.

• Fire as land management tool.

FIRE MANAGEMENT cont.

• Fire ecology;

– Fire dependent ecosystems,

– Fire independent ecosystems,

– Fire sensitive ecosystems, and

– Fire influenced ecosystems.

• Integrated fire management.

– Old – The Hedgehog Concept.

– New – The Fox Concept.

Fire independent ecosystems

Fire dependent ecosystems

Fire sensitive ecosystems

Fire influenced ecosystems

(Adapted from S.A. Biomes) Low et al., 1998

TYPES OF FIRE ECOSYSTEMS

CONCLUSION

• South African environmental conditions are complex, not complicated.

• Understand the conditions for better management.

• Link + Interaction = Functionality

• Fires can be beneficial.

– E.g. management of the ecosystems.

• Fires can also have detrimental effect.

– E.g. Destruction of the land.

THANK YOU

QUESTIONS?