Report: HERBACEOUS BIOMASS ESTIMATES ACROSS THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK (APRIL/MAY 2010)

Herbaceous biomass is a dynamic feature in the Kruger National Park (KNP), changing
across space and over time. Rainfall, geology, herbivory and fire are four of the main
drivers influencing the large-scale distribution of herbaceous biomass in semi-arid
savanna systems like Kruger. Knowing how herbaceous biomass are distributed in the
landscape is important since it (i) act as fuel load for fires, (ii) serve as forage for grazers,
and (iii) create patches and habitats for different components of biodiversity.
The rangers and field rangers collect disc pasture meter readings annually throughout the
KNP at Veld Condition Assessment (VCA) sites (Appendix A). Making use of a
calibration equation, these readings are translated into herbaceous biomass estimates
(Appendix B) which are then used by SANParks’ Fire Ecologist (Navashni Govender) to
set fire targets for the different ranger sections.