Ecological Foundations of Indigenous Pastoral Innovations for Climate Resilience: Evidence from the Succulent Karoo Rangeland, Richtersveld National Park, South Africa

Indigenous pastoral practices in the Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape demonstrate remarkable ecological resilience, challenging long-held assumptions about dryland systems. Research shows that the Nama people's annual transhumance between the Succulent Karoo uplands and the Orange River riparian zone sustains year-round forage availability, with shrub biomass peaking at 962.8 g/m² in the Succulent Karoo—nearly twelve times higher than in desert biomes—and riparian grasses reaching 600–700 g/m² during upland dormancy. Rainfall was the strongest predictor of plant biomass (R² = 0.69), while grazing pressure and landform had minimal impact, providing quantitative evidence that traditional management is ecologically adaptive rather than merely 'traditional.' The study, combining vegetation surveys, satellite data, and soil analysis from 2006–2008, offers a robust ecological rationale for policies that have historically undervalued indigenous knowledge.

Konje, M. M. (2026). Ecological Foundations of Indigenous Pastoral Innovations for Climate Resilience: Evidence from the Succulent Karoo Rangeland, Richtersveld National Park, South Africa. AgroEnvironmental Sustainability, 4(2), 187–195. https://doi.org/10.59983/s2026040209