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    Biomass production and economic value of Phragmites australis reedbeds in the Southern Okavango Delta, Botswana

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    Date
    2010-11-10
    Author
    Murray-Hudson, Michael
    Mmopelwa, Gagoitseope
    Publisher
    Global Science Books, www.globalsciencebooks.info
    Link
    http://www.globalsciencebooks.info/JournalsSup/11AJPSB_5_SI1.html
    Rights
    Available under subscription from Global Science Books, APJSB
    Rights holder
    Global Science Books
    Type
    Published Article
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    Abstract
    Most work globally on Phragmites spp. has been done in temperate northern hemisphere localities, where winter low temperatures and short day lengths cause a seasonal decrease in growth. In this study, we report above-ground stem length-mass relationships, stem densities and daily growth rates in 3 Phragmites australis reedbeds in the flood-pulsed, tropical Okavango Delta, with the aim of assessing the economic value of this plant, which is widely used throughout north-western Botswana for cladding house walls and fencing yards. Stem density averaged 77 m-2 in 32 plots. Length-mass relationships were best represented by a power curve of the function y = 8.05x1.85, where y is the dry mass in grams, and x is the length in metres (r2 = 0.895). The mean daily growth rate was 0.015 m; and did not appear to vary systematically with season. The maximum standing crop calculated from stem length was 2.89kg/m2, and occurred in May 2005. Annual above-ground production was conservatively estimated at 20-30 t/Ha. Assuming that harvesting takes place not more than once annually, reed beds in the Okavango Delta are worth ~US$45,000/Ha at market. This land use value is over 90 times that of flood recession agriculture in the same area.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1308
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    • Research articles (ORI) [270]

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