Landscape Function Analysis at three sites in the Addo Elephant National Park

We assessed the change in (agricultural) grassland functionality at three sites (i.e. Main Camp-section, Colchester-section, Nyati-section) in the Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa. Using landscape function analysis (LFA) we described the landscape organisation of each site, and, using visual surrogates, calculated indices of landscape stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling. The following variables were recorded along transects: (1) number of patches, (2) patch area index (area in m2 covered by vegetative patches along each transect, (3) interpatch lenght (avg length in m of interpatches - i.e. non-vegetative structures like bare ground, logs, rocks, etc.), and (4) % stability, % infiltration, % nutrient cycling (calculated using Tongway and Hindley (2004).