A vegetation-based hierarchical classification for seasonally pulsed floodplains in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Researchers developed a vegetation-based hierarchical classification system for seasonally pulsed floodplains in the Boro-Xudum distributary of the Okavango Delta, Botswana. This system categorizes floodplains into four main classes—Dry Floodplain Grassland, Seasonally Flooded Grassland, Seasonally Flooded Sedgeland, and Seasonal Aquatic Communities—based on indicator species analysis and ordination. The classification provides an ecologically meaningful framework for monitoring vegetation changes due to hydrological shifts. The study surveyed 30 sites between March and June 2007, using stratified random sampling and multiple quadrats along transects orthogonal to the floodplain long axis. This objective routine aids in assessing the impacts of environmental changes on this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Murray-Hudson, M., Combs, F., Wolski, P., & Brown, M. T. (2011). A vegetation-based hierarchical classification for seasonally pulsed floodplains in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. African Journal of Aquatic Science, 36(3), 223–234. https://doi.org/10.2989/16085914.2011.636904