The prevalence, composition and distribution of forageable plant species in different urban spaces in two medium-sized towns in South Africa

Garekae, Hesekia; Shackleton, Charlie M; Tsheboeng, Gaolathe

Title: The prevalence, composition and distribution of forageable plant species in different urban spaces in two medium-sized towns in South Africa
Creator: Garekae, Hesekia
Creator: Shackleton, Charlie M
Creator: Tsheboeng, Gaolathe
Subject: To be catalogued
Date Issued: 2022
Date: 2022
Type: text
Type: article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/401300
Identifier: vital:69724
Identifier: xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01972"
Description: Globally, the importance of urban vegetation in the quality and maintenance of life in urban areas is increasingly recognized. As the basis of urban green infrastructure, urban vegetation provides a diversity of ecosystem services, including provisioning services. However, there is limited understanding of the potential of urban vegetation as a supply of forageable resources within urban landscapes. This study examined the prevalence and distribution of forageable plant species across different spaces in the towns of Potchefstroom and Thabazimbi, South Africa. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed for selecting study sites, with a total of 136 plots sampled. In total, 88 plant species (foraged and forageable) were encountered across the sample plots, with almost three-quarters (70%) being indigenous to South Africa. Most of the species had multiple uses, with medicine, food and firewood being the most common uses, in order of frequency. Species cover and richness significantly differed across the urban spaces, being markedly higher in protected areas as compared to other spaces. Moreover, five plant communities were identified, resembling various species uses. Overall, the findings show that the fragmented urban spaces are endowed with a diversity of forageable plant species, with many valuable to particular sectors of urban society, such as foragers. Moreover, the notable number of forageable plant species encountered across the different spaces demonstrates the potential of urban green infrastructure as a supply of provisioning and cultural ecosystem services. This provides the basis for the selection of a diversity of species in urban greening programs for enhancing liveability and overall well-being in urban areas.
Format: computer
Format: online resource
Format: application/pdf
Format: 1 online resource (16 pages)
Format: pdf
Publisher: Elsevier
Language: English
Relation: Global Ecology and Conservation
Relation: Garekae, H., Shackleton, C.M. and Tsheboeng, G., 2022. The prevalence, composition and distribution of forageable plant species in different urban spaces in two medium-sized towns in South Africa. Global Ecology and Conservation, 33, p.e01972
Relation: Global Ecology and Conservation volume 33 p. e01972 2022 2351-9894
Rights: Publisher
Rights: Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Elsevier Terms and Conditions Statement (https://www.elsevier.com/legal/elsevier-website-terms-and-conditions)
Rights: Closed Access

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RU DST/NRF SARChI for Interdisciplinary Science in Land and Natural Resource Use for Sustainable Livelihoods

RU Department of Environmental Science

Shackleton, Charles Michael (Distinguished Prof)

SDG 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities

SDG 15. Life On Land

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