Response of riparian plant communities to distance from surface water in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Riparian plant communities in the Okavango Delta exhibit significant changes in composition and distribution based on their distance from surface water, with vegetation parameters like tree height, basal area, canopy cover, and diversity increasing as distance decreases. This suggests that riparian species can serve as indicators of long-term hydrologic conditions in the Delta. The study analyzed seven sites using 20 m × 10 m belted plots at incremental distances (0–50 m) from riverbanks, measuring key vegetation metrics and employing statistical analyses to correlate distance with plant community characteristics.

Tsheboeng, G., Murray‐Hudson, M., & Kashe, K. (2016). Response of riparian plant communities to distance from surface water in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. African Journal of Ecology, 55(4), 402–410. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.12364