The area has a long history of research initiatives in the biological and social spheres by researchers attached to institutes based within the area, as well as researchers associated with outside institutions. Most of the research initiatives were formulated and executed long before the Biosphere Reserve Initiative in the Lowveld began. Consequently the past research has not necessarily fallen within the framework of a Biosphere Reserve.

However from the perspectives of the Hans Hoheison Wildlife Research Station and the Range and Forage Institute, the majority of their research has been aimed at achieving a better understanding of the Lowveld Savanna ecosystem. Which in turn has assisted in addressing management questions in the area where the Biosphere Reserve initiative is based.

Similarly the Wits (University of Witwatersrand) Rural Facility (WRF), believe that although their programs have not been directly guided by the Biosphere Reserve Initiative, or the principles thereof, many of the past and present projects are now applicable to the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve Initiative. WRF is a base for university research, training and outreach and not actually a research unit in itself. WRF have stated that they would like to take cognisance of the Biosphere Reserve's management needs in future research, where applicable.

The Kruger National Park’s approach to research is that, monitoring and research projects are done to investigate / support / question management policies in the park. Any future applications for research need to be applicable to these policies.

In general it is believed that the majority of the research completed and that which is ongoing, is pertinent to management issues of the present. It is the objective of the proposed Biosphere Reserve to help co-ordinate, identify and support future research initiatives.

A summary of the more recent and relevant articles, reports, surveys and proceedings follows. A compilation of all past research/ monitoring activities is to be presented on disct in section 19 (e). Where possible the abiotic and biotic projects have been separated, but most often there is an overlap in the two categories.

There are various organisations working in the proposed Biosphere reserve area. This is a broad summary of the work that has taken place. The major institutions involved in research within the proposed Biosphere Reserve area are included in the following list. However a great deal of their work is in partnerships or collaboration with external and international organisations as well as private consultants.

Mpumalanga Parks Board (MPB); Kruger National Park (KNP); Agriculture research council / Range and Forage Institute (ARC/ RFI); Northern Province Department of Agriculture, Land and Environment (NPDALE); and Wits Rural Facility (WRF).

WRF was established by the University of the Wiwatersrand to serve as a base for applied research, university student education and community outreach. There are five programmes associated with WRF, but many more Wits University departments also use the facility for the purpose of student field trips and as a temporary research base. The five permanent programmes include: AWARD (Association for Water and rural Development); CORRE (Community Rehabilitation research and Education); HSDU (Health Services development Unit); RRP (Refugee Research Program) and SUNRAE (Sustainable Use of Resources in African Environments). Some of the other university facilties, which use the facility, are Town and Regional Planning; Zoology; Anthropology; Education; Architecture and Occupational Therapy.

NPDALE and MPB, the provincial conservation bodies tend to work predominantly within their own areas (ie the core areas), as does KNP - a national conservation body. However from time to time these organisations have visiting scientists, who they accompany on field trips into the core and buffer zones.

ARC / RFI are based in Nelspruit but have a base within the Biosphere Reserve, and the majority of their work takes place within the private conservation areas of the Biosphere Reserve. Their aim is to investigate the potential of the natural resources of the lowveld to contribute to the economy and the development of the region in harmony with social and environmental needs. They currently work in circa 400 000ha of mainly privately owned nature reserves and ranches within the Biosphere area, and are trying to gain a predictive understanding of the savanna ecosystem dynamics.

4) ARC/RFI - have a data base of soil, temperature and rainfall details obtained from their plots since 1989. They have     also done a number of geological and soil surveys.- Local importance.

3. MPB has conducted research on rare and endangered species, monitoring of the herbaceous layer from 1990 onwards, monitoring of the Blue Swallow population from 1980's, monitoring and research on amphibians in Blyde, and monitoring game distribution. They also participated in the national bird atlass. Local and National importance.

4) NPDALE: From about 1974 - 1993 a few short papers have been found on various biotic aspects around the Hans Hoheisen Research Station - 3 relating to work conducted on the vegetation. Eleven related to animal and animal management studies, and 3 on general ecological surveys in the immediate area. Local and National importance.

5) WRF. Since 1991 (to 1999) SUNRAE researchers have compiled the following work. 20 Journal articles, 8 other articles, 7 reports, 4 proceedings and 12 student theses have been published relating to indigenous flora and fauna as a resource to rural communities. The topics include plant species utilised in the medicinal and curio trade, communal grazing and firewood. These are predominantly of Local and National value.

Four Journals, 1 other article, 2 reports, 3 proceedings and 13 student theses have been produced on general flora and fauna ecological issues. Subjects included communal rangeland contribution to biodiversity, the impact of elephant on woody vegetation, and an assortment of comparative studies. These are predominantly of local and national value.

One other article, and three student theses have been done on environmental management issues. These are of local importance.

6) NGO: Forestwood (Coert Geldenhuys) has established a number of plots in the different indigenous forests for monitoring. Various papers have been published on the floristic structure and composition of these forests. Local and National importance.

• Socio-economic research

1. ARC/ RFI - have done some work relating to tourism, game farm and communities. Local importance.

2) KNP's past research on socio economic aspects is much more limited than the biological work, which has been completed. However work has been done on various animals as a food source to people, various archaelogical papers pertaining to findings in the park and assorted tourism aspects have been reported about. One particular title: " The lowveld: Its wildlife and its people" indicates there was a concern about local people as far back as 1949. Local and National importance.

3. MPB has done assorted studies on traditional knowledge of local communities, preparation of commercialisation documents (1995). Local importance.

4) Water Research Commission has students determining the monitoring protocol for Instream Flow Requirements (IFR's) - Project supported by the Institute for Water Research (Rhodes University) and the Water Research Commission, is slowly starting to function within the Biosphere Reserve area, where the aim is to establish the biomonitoring methods (initial and long term) for the ecological Reserve of the rivers, especially pertinent in areas where dams are being built. Once again the emphasis is on the biological component - however proper hydrological and geomorphological studies area fundamental part of the project. Local and National importance.

5) KNP - currently has 18 projects underway. These include the continuation of the river monitoring programs (rate, path of water flow and silting rates). Continued research on the role of fire so that its function in the natural ecosystem is clearly understood, and management can simulate this as closely as possible. Other projects include, copper pollution in KNP; and ecotoxicological effect of airborne C2 chlorohydrocarbons and the deposition of their phyto toxic metabolites to the vegetation. The differences in nutrient supply in granite and basalt landscapes. Local and National importance.

6) MPB - Fire as a management tool in the N.E.Mtn Sourveld. Involvement in River Health Programmme. Local and National importance.

 

• Biotic research and monitoring

1. ARC/ RFI monitoring their sample sites annually and update the database with abiotic and biotic information, which is then used to assist the land owner with user friendly models, to assist with management objectives. Local importance.

 

2. KNP have 41 botanical and 71 zoological ongoing projects. These include continuing with comprehensive vegetation monitoring, which will reflect changes in composition/structure on the short, medium and long term basis as well as the impact of alien vegetation. Continue with animal population counts and deduce population trends. A project determining the proportion of each population counted is currently underway. Continue with several behavioral and ecological studies on assorted animals, impacts of elephant on the woody plant diversity, a number of bird studies, which aim to look at their ranges, patterns and general behaviour aspects. There are also projects underway, which look at Bovine Tuberulosis in lion and buffalo populations, and another, which observes the effects of the closing of artificial water-points in the northern basalt plains. The influences of fire on the biota (eg ticks), and various predator-prey relationships. Local, national and international importance.

 

3. MPB is currently involved in herbaceous layer monitoring (biennial), crocodile monitoring project, Yellow fish (Barbus polylepis) project, control of Small Mouth Bass in the Blyde Dam, monitoring woody component (5 year cycle), assisting with the provision of plant material to the National Botanical Institute (NBI) who are involved in a national survey of medicinal qualities in plants. Other projects include Blue Swallow monitoring, reintroduction of species historically occurring in the reserve (giraffe, sable, & roan) and rare and endangered plant species monitoring - identifying new sites etc, monitoring the forest. MPB also participate in the national frog atlass. Local importance.

4. NPDALE is involved in Graminous phytomass fluctuations over a period of two years in Manyeleti Game Reserve, monitoring the influence of different grazing utilisation levels on the non-graminaceous herbaceous flowering component in the Manyeleti Game Reserve, and an investigation into water distribution and provision of the Manyeleti Game Reserve. Local importance.

5) NGO's / Private / External Institutions:

i) Dr Christiana Knechter -Social ecology of Buffalo in Klaserie PNR – local importance.

ii) FORESTWOOD: The purpose of the project as a whole is