Assessing drought impacts on riparian vegetation and local community adaptation: A case of Buffalo River Catchment, Eastern Cape province, South Africa
Loading...
Date
2023
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Fort Hare
Abstract
River catchments are vulnerable to drought events that significantly affect the ecosystem and the livelihoods of local communities, especially in water-scarce countries like South Africa. The significance of the Buffalo River catchment lies in its ecological value and the vital role it plays in supporting local communities. Despite the catchment's importance, there is a notable lack of documented evidence on drought effects in the area, underscoring the need for this research. Accordingly, the study assessed the impacts of drought on riparian vegetation and local communities’ adaptation strategies (1990 to 2020). To this end, the study utilised Landsat imagery, various indices (NDVI, TDVI, MNDWI), and the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), along with semi-structured questionnaires. The findings indicated that drought events resulted in precipitation variability (SPI 6 and 12 months), and a decline in river discharge (R² = 0.0235) with a moderately positive correlation (r = 0.77) between precipitation and water drainage. These results indicate adverse effects on riparian vegetation, leading to substantial challenges for local communities that rely on these resources. Local communities relying on riparian resources have faced significant disruptions, such as reduced agricultural productivity, limited water access, and various socio-economic challenges due to drought. As a result, the local community in the Buffalo River catchment has devised various adaptation strategies to drought impacts. The communities have experienced reduced agricultural productivity, limited water access, and other socio-economic difficulties due to drought. In response, they adopted several adaptation strategies, such as rainwater harvesting (65%), water reuse (36%), livelihood diversification (20%) conservation (12%), and alternative water sources (6%). The significance of this research lies in its potential to guide policymakers in developing community-based adaptation strategies, which could enhance the resilience and sustainability of river ecosystems in drought-prone areas.
Description
Master dissertation
Keywords
Riparian plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape, Sustainable development -- South Africa, Watersheds -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Citation
Mpanyaro, Z. (2023) Assessing drought impacts on riparian vegetation and local community adaptation: A case of Buffalo River Catchment, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. MSc (Geography) dissertation. Alice, South Africa: University of Fort Hare.