Life history strategies of Namaqualand pioneer plant species

Abstract

Namaqualand presents tourists with massive floral displays of species at high densities in disturbed areas. Understanding the interactions and functioning of these species is necessary for optimal utilization and management. Multivariate analysis of plant traits were used to place species into guilds. Perennial, facultative perennial and annual species were distinguished. Plant traits, measured on species grown singly, were used to determine a competitive effect hierarchy and an equation to predict the position of a species in the hierarchy. Competitive effect and response hierarchies were determined at two nutrient levels. lnterspecific competition was not large enough to significantly change the relative species abundance in multispecies mixtures compared to the expected abundance. Namaqualand's changing environmental conditions promote coexistence between species as no species is able to retain a competitive advantage long enough to exclude the others.