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Does estuarine health relate to catchment land-cover in the East Kleinemonde system, South Africa?

Does estuarine health relate to catchment land-cover in the East Kleinemonde system, South Africa? Temporarily open/closed estuaries in South Africa are being subjected to varying degrees of catchment land-cover transformation. Natural landscapes and hydrological functions are integral to the functioning of estuaries. The relationship between catchment land-cover and the health of the East Kleinemonde Estuary was investigated between 2011 and 2013, using geographic information system (GIS) techniques to delineate and quantify land-cover in the whole catchment, in the lower section of the catchment, and in the 1 km and 100 m buffer zones surrounding the estuary. Human activities, as outlined by the Department of Water Affairs resource directed measures (RDM) studies, and their associated land-cover classes are described. Possible links between catchment and buffer zone land-cover class composition and the health of the East Kleinemonde Estuary were explored. There was a relationship between catchment land-cover and estuarine health within all assessed catchment delineations. Natural land-cover was determined to be the best predictor of estuarine health for the East Kleinemonde system. The methods employed in this study can be applied to other temporarily open/closed estuaries in South Africa to prioritise these systems for rehabilitation and/or conservation. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png African Journal of Aquatic Science Taylor & Francis

Does estuarine health relate to catchment land-cover in the East Kleinemonde system, South Africa?

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Does estuarine health relate to catchment land-cover in the East Kleinemonde system, South Africa?

Abstract

Temporarily open/closed estuaries in South Africa are being subjected to varying degrees of catchment land-cover transformation. Natural landscapes and hydrological functions are integral to the functioning of estuaries. The relationship between catchment land-cover and the health of the East Kleinemonde Estuary was investigated between 2011 and 2013, using geographic information system (GIS) techniques to delineate and quantify land-cover in the whole catchment, in the lower section of the...
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Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
Copyright © NISC (Pty) Ltd
ISSN
1727-9364
eISSN
1608-5914
DOI
10.2989/16085914.2014.973357
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Temporarily open/closed estuaries in South Africa are being subjected to varying degrees of catchment land-cover transformation. Natural landscapes and hydrological functions are integral to the functioning of estuaries. The relationship between catchment land-cover and the health of the East Kleinemonde Estuary was investigated between 2011 and 2013, using geographic information system (GIS) techniques to delineate and quantify land-cover in the whole catchment, in the lower section of the catchment, and in the 1 km and 100 m buffer zones surrounding the estuary. Human activities, as outlined by the Department of Water Affairs resource directed measures (RDM) studies, and their associated land-cover classes are described. Possible links between catchment and buffer zone land-cover class composition and the health of the East Kleinemonde Estuary were explored. There was a relationship between catchment land-cover and estuarine health within all assessed catchment delineations. Natural land-cover was determined to be the best predictor of estuarine health for the East Kleinemonde system. The methods employed in this study can be applied to other temporarily open/closed estuaries in South Africa to prioritise these systems for rehabilitation and/or conservation.

Journal

African Journal of Aquatic Science – Taylor & Francis

Published: Oct 2, 2014

Keywords: buffer zone analysis; estuarine management; estuary conservation; GIS; natural land-cover

References

  • Entire catchment and buffer zone approaches to modeling linkage between river water quality and land cover – a case study of Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
  • National land cover (NLC) 2009
  • Intensification of land use in the catchment influences ecosystem functioning along a freshwater-marine continuum
  • Assessing wetland condition on a watershed basis in the Mid-Atlantic region using synoptic land-cover maps
  • White Paper on a National Water Policy for South Africa
  • Volume 5: Resource directed measures for protection of water resources: estuarine ecosystems component
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  • Reeds as indicators of nutrient enrichment in a small temporarily open/closed South African estuary
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  • Tobler's First Law and spatial analysis
  • The effects of increased freshwater inflow on metal enrichment in selected Eastern Cape estuaries, South Africa
  • National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998)
  • National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act (Act No. 24 of 2008)
  • Buffer zone versus whole catchment approaches to studying land use impact on river water quality
  • Remotely-sensed indicators for monitoring the general condition of “natural habitat” in watersheds: an application for Delaware's Nanticoke River watershed
  • National estuaries 2011
  • Hydrochemical buffer assessment in agricultural landscapes: from local to catchment scale
  • A characterisation of southern African estuarine systems