SGER: Long-Term Recovery of Riparian Structure and Ecological Processes Following Flooding in Savanna Landscapes

[摘要]2000年初，非洲南部的洪水淹没了莫桑比克沿海平原的大片地区。流经克鲁格国家公园的河流经历了约8000立方米/秒的流量（约150年的回流间隔），导致河岸植被的广泛移除和河道几何形状的广泛改变。洪水造成了广泛的人类苦难，但也提供了一个真正独特的研究机会。近一个世纪以来，人们第一次有可能描述和控制河流森林的长期恢复。该项目将包括建造和装备大型动物围场，以调查在有和没有巨型动物影响的地区，以及在实验性的水、养分和火灾制度下，长期植被和土壤的恢复情况。研究问题涉及大型动物（如大象、水牛、河马）对植被恢复的影响、恢复中涉及的营养物质的类型和作用、外来植物在重大干扰后的程度和作用以及自然干湿气候循环对植被的影响。由于南非生长季节于2000年9月开始，因此迫切需要进行封闭。

Abstract00-89105NaimanSGER: Long-term recovery of riparian structure and ecological processes following flooding in savanna landscapesIn early 2000, floods in Southern Africa inundated large areas of the Mozambique coastal plain. Rivers draining Kruger National Park experienced flows of ~8,000 m3/s (~150 year return interval), causing widespread removal of riparian vegetation and extensive alterations to channel geometry. The floods caused widespread human suffering but also provided a truly unique research opportunity. For the first time in nearly a century there is the possibility to describe and manipulate the long-term recovery of riverine forests. This project will involve the construction and equipping of large animal exclosures to investigate the recovery of the vegetation and soils over long periods in areas with and without the influences of megafauna, and under experimental water, nutrient, and fire regimes. Research questions are related to the effects of large animal browsing (e.g., elephant, buffalo, hippopotamus) on vegetative recovery, the type and role of nutrients involved in recovery, the extent and role of exotic plants after a major disturbance, and the effects of natural wet and dry climate cycles on the vegetation. The need for the exclosures is urgent and immediate since the South Africa growing season begins in September, 2000.