(1) Traditionally three broad vegetation types have been recognized in northern Zambia: chipya, an open woodland subjected to intense dry-season fires; miombo, a light closedcanopy woodland dominated by species of Brachystegia and Julbernardia; and mateshi, a dry evergreen forest now reduced to remnant patches. (2) The present study formed part of an integrated land-appraisal survey of north-eastern Zambia; 398 quantitative samples (each 20 x 20 m) were recorded, and the majority were found to contain species from two or three of the above vegetation types. (3) It is suggested that there is a dynamic relation between the three vegetation types, with a trend in the absence of fire from chipya via miombo to mateshi; and that, specifically, certain chipya species form patches of low canopy which provide a suitable habitat for the establishment of a number of Uapaca spp. that are unable to grow in the open chipya. Under the protection of Uapaca the miombo and mateshi canopy species regenerate. (4) The component species have been sorted into four ecological groups-chipya, Uapaca, Brachystegia-Julbernardia woodland, and dry evergreen forest and the dynamic relationships between the groups discussed by reference to an ordination of 206 samples. (5) Topography has been shown to play a minor role in the determination of vegetative patterns. Fire is the major factor, and the dynamic vegetative patterns have been described in terms of the development of successive tree canopies that control the effects of fire.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
R. M. Lawton (1978) studied this question.