Water-use dynamics of an alien invaded riparian forest within the mediterannean climate zone of the Western Cape, South Africa (original) (raw)
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions
In South Africa the invasion of riparian forests by alien trees has the potential to affect the country's limited water resources. Tree water-use measurements have therefore become an important component of recent hydrological studies. It is difficult for government initiatives, such as the Working for Water (WfW) alien clearing programmes, to justify alien tree removal and implement rehabilitation unless a known hydrological benefit can be seen. Consequently water-use within a riparian forest along the Buffeljags river in the Western Cape of South Africa was monitored over a three year period. The site consisted of an indigenous stand of Western Cape afrotemperate forest adjacent to a large stand of introduced <i>Acacia mearnsii</i>. The heat ratio method was used to measure the water-use of a selection of representative indigenous species in the indigenous stand, a selection of…
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