This paper reviews the options for management of the savanna ecosystems of the Kruger National Pa... more This paper reviews the options for management of the savanna ecosystems of the Kruger National Park using fire. The major goals of management have shifted from attempts to use fire to achieve a stable vegetation composition, to one of recognising that savanna ecosystems are in constant flux. Fire is a major form of disturbance that helps to maintain a state of flux, and thus to conserve biodiversity. Three candidate approaches for fire management have been put forward@the lightning fire approach, the patch mosaic burning approach, and an approach based on the assessment of ecological criteria. These approaches differ in their underlying philosophies, but not necessarily in their outcomes, although this cannot be predicted with confidence. We propose, therefore, that patterns of fire frequency, season, intensity and spatial distribution be recorded and monitored, and that these patterns should serve as surrogate measures of biodiversity. Guidelines for the definition of thresholds of...
The experimental burn plot (EBP) trial initiated in 1954 is one of few ongoing long-termfire ecol... more The experimental burn plot (EBP) trial initiated in 1954 is one of few ongoing long-termfire ecology research projects in Africa. The trial aims to assess the impacts of differentfire regimes in the Kruger National Park. Recent studies on the EBPs have raised questions as to the experimental design of the trial, and the appropriate model specificationwhen analysing data. Archival documentation reveals that the original design was modified on several occasions, related to changes in the park's fire policy. These modifications include the addition of extra plots, subdivision of plots and changes in treatmentsover time, and have resulted in a design which is only partially randomised. The representativity of the trial plots has been questioned on account of their relatively small size,the concentration of herbivores on especially the frequently burnt plots, and soil variation between plots. It is suggested that these factors be included as covariates inexplanatory models or that ce...
... The Value of Visions and Art of Visionaries. Kevin Rogers 1 , Dirk Roux 2 , and Harry Biggs 3... more ... The Value of Visions and Art of Visionaries. Kevin Rogers 1 , Dirk Roux 2 , and Harry Biggs 3 ... The first cut is the first step in that convergence. Thereafter, the artist is the generative power that molds the vision of "hazy" but creative ideas in harmony with the reality of the grain. ...
The two major land classification systems used in the Kruger National Park are discussed with res... more The two major land classification systems used in the Kruger National Park are discussed with respect to their development, sub-classification, scale, as well as current and potential usages. Their relatedness to one another, as well as to six other broad scale vegetation classifications is investigated and major similarities and differences are pointed out.
The principle of peripheral development and its relevance to South African National Parks has bee... more The principle of peripheral development and its relevance to South African National Parks has been a recurring subject for debate. One viewpoint is that the principle should be applied as a general rule, and that in future all major developments of infrastructure should be on the periphery rather than the interior of national parks. The Scientific Services units of South African National Parks were asked to provide their views, and this note is the result. The consensus was that, although there is much to be said in general for the principle, there are circumstances in which developments on the periphery of a park could be deleterious. Hence, the principle does not merit the status of a rule.
The Onderstepoort journal of veterinary research, 1983
Twelve mountain zebra which were culled at monthly intervals on the farm " Kelpie " in ... more Twelve mountain zebra which were culled at monthly intervals on the farm " Kelpie " in South West Africa/Namibia were examined for helminths. The zebras varied in age from 2-15 years, the middle group of which, aged 4-7 years, had the highest worm burdens. Fourteen species of nematodes belonging to the families Atractidae , Strongylidae , Oxyuridae , Setariidae and Spiruridae were recovered. The highest worm burdens were those of Crossocephalus sp. with 692-61 066 680 and Probstmayria vivipara with 1 257 810-42 004 300. The predominance of the atractids is discussed. The nematodes consistently present were: Cylicodontophorus n. sp. (44-2 107), Triodontophorus spp. (2-934), Cylindropharynx spp. (20-2 332), Crossocephalus sp. and P. vivipara. Two new species, Cylicostephanus longiconus and Cylicodontophorus n. sp., were reported. An additional 3 mountain zebra, culled in the Namib - Naukluft Park, were also examined for helminths. Of 3 zebras ranging in age from 2-7 years, t...
Arising from public debate held in Midrand on 4 May 1995, the South African National Parks undert... more Arising from public debate held in Midrand on 4 May 1995, the South African National Parks undertook to review its policy for the management of elephant in the Kruger National Park. The new policy focuses on the extent and intensity of elephant impacts on biodiversity rather than on numbers of elephants per se, and is based on four fundamental principles: a) That ecosystems are not static; fluctuations of conditions and population responses are an inherent attribute of ecosystems and contribute to biodiversity. A range of elephant impacts in different areas at different times, is thus also natural and desirable; b) That elephants are important agents of habitat modification and thus contribute to biodiversity (intermediate disturbance hypothesis); c) That elephant populations which are confined will increase in number until negative impacts on the system's biodiversity will ultimately result; d) That elephants should not be viewed in isolation, but as one component of a broader,...
The concept of thresholds of potential concern (TPCs) as implemented for the last decade in strat... more The concept of thresholds of potential concern (TPCs) as implemented for the last decade in strategic adaptive management in South African National Parks (SANParks), has proved workable in practice in a number of instances, but in others appears beset by conceptual and practical limitations or barriers. Three common challenges relate to (1) situations where there is uncertainty about whether and where real thresholds exist, (2) whether and how preferences and other social constructs, as opposed to what were seen as objective biophysical variables only, can be used for TPCs and (3) whether it is admissible to adjust TPCs to allow for variations in societal behaviour, in particular rate of management response. All three challenges arise in the face of TPC objectivity implied by the original definition, and in the light of the original view that TPCs be set some distance prior to a presumed ecological threshold. This paper suggests that the three challenges can be partly or largely dea...
... April 2000 167 O-A fire history of the savanna ecosystems in the Kruger National Park, South ... more ... April 2000 167 O-A fire history of the savanna ecosystems in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, between 1941 and 1996 BW van WMgen', HC Biggs", SP O'Regan and N. Mare' This paper analyses the fire history of the Kruger National Park (1.9 million ha), South Africa, for ...
This paper reviews the options for management of the savanna ecosystems of the Kruger National Pa... more This paper reviews the options for management of the savanna ecosystems of the Kruger National Park using fire. The major goals of management have shifted from attempts to use fire to achieve a stable vegetation composition, to one of recognising that savanna ecosystems are in constant flux. Fire is a major form of disturbance that helps to maintain a state of flux, and thus to conserve biodiversity. Three candidate approaches for fire management have been put forward@the lightning fire approach, the patch mosaic burning approach, and an approach based on the assessment of ecological criteria. These approaches differ in their underlying philosophies, but not necessarily in their outcomes, although this cannot be predicted with confidence. We propose, therefore, that patterns of fire frequency, season, intensity and spatial distribution be recorded and monitored, and that these patterns should serve as surrogate measures of biodiversity. Guidelines for the definition of thresholds of...
The experimental burn plot (EBP) trial initiated in 1954 is one of few ongoing long-termfire ecol... more The experimental burn plot (EBP) trial initiated in 1954 is one of few ongoing long-termfire ecology research projects in Africa. The trial aims to assess the impacts of differentfire regimes in the Kruger National Park. Recent studies on the EBPs have raised questions as to the experimental design of the trial, and the appropriate model specificationwhen analysing data. Archival documentation reveals that the original design was modified on several occasions, related to changes in the park's fire policy. These modifications include the addition of extra plots, subdivision of plots and changes in treatmentsover time, and have resulted in a design which is only partially randomised. The representativity of the trial plots has been questioned on account of their relatively small size,the concentration of herbivores on especially the frequently burnt plots, and soil variation between plots. It is suggested that these factors be included as covariates inexplanatory models or that ce...
... The Value of Visions and Art of Visionaries. Kevin Rogers 1 , Dirk Roux 2 , and Harry Biggs 3... more ... The Value of Visions and Art of Visionaries. Kevin Rogers 1 , Dirk Roux 2 , and Harry Biggs 3 ... The first cut is the first step in that convergence. Thereafter, the artist is the generative power that molds the vision of "hazy" but creative ideas in harmony with the reality of the grain. ...
The two major land classification systems used in the Kruger National Park are discussed with res... more The two major land classification systems used in the Kruger National Park are discussed with respect to their development, sub-classification, scale, as well as current and potential usages. Their relatedness to one another, as well as to six other broad scale vegetation classifications is investigated and major similarities and differences are pointed out.
The principle of peripheral development and its relevance to South African National Parks has bee... more The principle of peripheral development and its relevance to South African National Parks has been a recurring subject for debate. One viewpoint is that the principle should be applied as a general rule, and that in future all major developments of infrastructure should be on the periphery rather than the interior of national parks. The Scientific Services units of South African National Parks were asked to provide their views, and this note is the result. The consensus was that, although there is much to be said in general for the principle, there are circumstances in which developments on the periphery of a park could be deleterious. Hence, the principle does not merit the status of a rule.
The Onderstepoort journal of veterinary research, 1983
Twelve mountain zebra which were culled at monthly intervals on the farm " Kelpie " in ... more Twelve mountain zebra which were culled at monthly intervals on the farm " Kelpie " in South West Africa/Namibia were examined for helminths. The zebras varied in age from 2-15 years, the middle group of which, aged 4-7 years, had the highest worm burdens. Fourteen species of nematodes belonging to the families Atractidae , Strongylidae , Oxyuridae , Setariidae and Spiruridae were recovered. The highest worm burdens were those of Crossocephalus sp. with 692-61 066 680 and Probstmayria vivipara with 1 257 810-42 004 300. The predominance of the atractids is discussed. The nematodes consistently present were: Cylicodontophorus n. sp. (44-2 107), Triodontophorus spp. (2-934), Cylindropharynx spp. (20-2 332), Crossocephalus sp. and P. vivipara. Two new species, Cylicostephanus longiconus and Cylicodontophorus n. sp., were reported. An additional 3 mountain zebra, culled in the Namib - Naukluft Park, were also examined for helminths. Of 3 zebras ranging in age from 2-7 years, t...
Arising from public debate held in Midrand on 4 May 1995, the South African National Parks undert... more Arising from public debate held in Midrand on 4 May 1995, the South African National Parks undertook to review its policy for the management of elephant in the Kruger National Park. The new policy focuses on the extent and intensity of elephant impacts on biodiversity rather than on numbers of elephants per se, and is based on four fundamental principles: a) That ecosystems are not static; fluctuations of conditions and population responses are an inherent attribute of ecosystems and contribute to biodiversity. A range of elephant impacts in different areas at different times, is thus also natural and desirable; b) That elephants are important agents of habitat modification and thus contribute to biodiversity (intermediate disturbance hypothesis); c) That elephant populations which are confined will increase in number until negative impacts on the system's biodiversity will ultimately result; d) That elephants should not be viewed in isolation, but as one component of a broader,...
The concept of thresholds of potential concern (TPCs) as implemented for the last decade in strat... more The concept of thresholds of potential concern (TPCs) as implemented for the last decade in strategic adaptive management in South African National Parks (SANParks), has proved workable in practice in a number of instances, but in others appears beset by conceptual and practical limitations or barriers. Three common challenges relate to (1) situations where there is uncertainty about whether and where real thresholds exist, (2) whether and how preferences and other social constructs, as opposed to what were seen as objective biophysical variables only, can be used for TPCs and (3) whether it is admissible to adjust TPCs to allow for variations in societal behaviour, in particular rate of management response. All three challenges arise in the face of TPC objectivity implied by the original definition, and in the light of the original view that TPCs be set some distance prior to a presumed ecological threshold. This paper suggests that the three challenges can be partly or largely dea...
... April 2000 167 O-A fire history of the savanna ecosystems in the Kruger National Park, South ... more ... April 2000 167 O-A fire history of the savanna ecosystems in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, between 1941 and 1996 BW van WMgen', HC Biggs", SP O'Regan and N. Mare' This paper analyses the fire history of the Kruger National Park (1.9 million ha), South Africa, for ...
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