Determining the distribution of wetlands across Eswatini

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dc.contributor.author Le Roux, Jason Paul
dc.contributor.author Beckedahl, Heinz
dc.contributor.author Grundling, A.T.
dc.contributor.author Sumner, P.
dc.date.accessioned 2024-08-23T05:34:12Z
dc.date.available 2024-08-23T05:34:12Z
dc.date.issued 2023
dc.description.abstract Eswatini became a signatory to the Ramsar Convention on the 15th of June, 2013. To date, the country does not have a national wetland inventory. This study applies a newly developed wetland mapping technique (produced in South Africa) to Eswatini, to provide baseline information on the potential distribution of wetlands across the country. Results of this study show that when applying the mapping technique as it was applied in South Africa, watercourses (rivers, drainage lines, and riparian zones) are more frequently mapped than true wetlands. Given that Eswatini currently uses the broad Ramsar definition of a wetland, the potential wetland map produced in this study is well suited to identify wetlands falling under such definition. However, the technique does not suffice where a more specific definition for wetlands is used. To improve the initial potential wetland map, this study made use of data, obtained from 2 000 points distributed across the initial wetland map, by classifying areas with the highest potential of being wetlands into hydrogeomorphic units. Results indicate that the methods used to improve the initial map areable to distinguish watercourses with a higher potential of being a true wetland and identify certain hydrogeomorphic units. This method can therefore be used to provide baseline data of potential wetland distribution for countries that do not possess the means, or attribute data to produce a comprehensive wetland map. en_US
dc.description.department Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology en_US
dc.description.librarian hj2024 en_US
dc.description.sdg SDG-15:Life on land en_US
dc.description.sponsorship The Water Research Commission of South Africa; the University of Pretoria and the University of Eswatini. en_US
dc.description.uri http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rsag20 en_US
dc.identifier.citation J.P. Le Roux, H.R. Beckedahl, A.T. Grundling & P. Sumner (2023) Determining the distribution of wetlands across Eswatini, South African Geographical Journal, 105:1, 75-98, DOI: 10.1080/03736245.2021.2021975. en_US
dc.identifier.issn 0373-6245 (print)
dc.identifier.issn 2151-2418 (online)
dc.identifier.other 10.1080/03736245.2021.2021975
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/97830
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher Routledge en_US
dc.rights © 2023 Society of South African Geographers. This is an electronic version of an article published in South African Geographical Journal, vol. 105, no. 1, pp. 75-98, 2023.doi : 10.1080/03736245.2021.2021975. South African Geographical Journal is available online at : http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rsag20. en_US
dc.subject Ramsar Convention en_US
dc.subject Wetlands en_US
dc.subject Eswatini en_US
dc.subject Mapping en_US
dc.subject Potential wetland distribution en_US
dc.subject SDG-15: Life on land en_US
dc.title Determining the distribution of wetlands across Eswatini en_US
dc.type Postprint Article en_US


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