Nama Karoo types:

Bushmanland Nama KarooUpper Nama KarooOrange River Nama Karoo Eastern Mixed Nama KarooGreat Nama KarooCentral Lower Nama Karoo

50. Upper Nama Karoo

Synonyms:

Upper Nama Karoo

False Arid Karoo (A35), Central Upper Karoo (A27).

Statistics:

40 001 km²; area transformed unknown; 0.03% conserved.

Locality & Physical Geography:

This region occupies the central part of the upper plateau at an altitude of between 1 050 and 1 700 m. The topography is generally flat and stony but the area is dotted with hills and mountains.

Climate:

Although not as add as the Bushmanland Nama Karoo, rainfall is also low (200 to 250 mm per year), occurring mostly in autumn.

Geology & Soil:

Karoo Sequence sandstones and shales which give rise to weak and structureless clayey and sandy soils.

Vegetation:

On the stony plains, Kapokbush Eriocephalus ericoides, Silverkaroo Plinthus karooicus and Perdekaroo Rosenia humilis, amongst many other shrubs, are common. After good rains grasses, such as Tassel Bristlegrass Aristida congesta and Lehmann's Lovegrass Eragrostis lehmanniana, may dominate. The more hilly regions are characterized by Kunibush Rhus undulata, Kareethorn Lycium spp., and Threethorn Rhigozum trichotomum, with Mountain Wiregrass Merxmuellera disticha on the tops of the higher mountains in the region.

Key Environmental Parameters:

Upper Nama Karoo occurs on the more rocky and hilly areas which obtain a more predictable rainfall, occurring largely in summer, than the other Nama Karoo vegetation types. Frost tends to be an important factor.

Economic Uses:

Mainly livestock farming, with Dorper Sheep and Boer Goats.

Conservation Status:

There are no major reserves in this vegetation type, but careful farming should result in the conservation of most of the indigenous plant species. Overgrazing is, however, a problem in some areas. As in many Nama Karoo vegetation types, riverine areas are heavily invaded by Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa and Threethorn Rhigozum trichotomum, which may form dense thickets in parts which are heavily grazed.

Key Reference:

Acocks(1988).

Author:

Timm Hoffman.