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- Title
Effects of pruning on the concentration of trace elements in Colophospermum mopane leaves.
- Authors
Makhado, Rudzani A.; Potgieter, Martin J.; Luus‐Powell, Wilmien J.; Mapaure, Isaac
- Abstract
Despite the nutritional value of Colophospermum mopane to browser's diets, there is still insufficient knowledge on the effect of browsers on concentrations of these trace elements. A field experiment was conducted in Musina Nature Reserve, Limpopo Province, South Africa, to determine the effect of pruning on the concentration of trace elements in mopane leaves. Samples were analysed for iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), boron (B), molybdenum (Mo), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), fluoride (F) and selenium (Se) using the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry technique. The effect of pruning was tested using the two-tailed t-test: two-sample assuming equal variance and two-tailed Mann-Whitney U-test. Results showed that the concentration of trace elements in the control and pruned trees varies slightly through the year. Fe, Mn, Mo, Cu, Zn and Se are higher during leaf flush, but declined as the leaves matured and aged. This study concluded that simulated browsing had no significant effect on the concentration of trace elements in the mopane leaves. Seasonal variation in the amount of trace elements has implications on the distribution of browsers in the mopane woodland.
- Subjects
SOUTH Africa; PRUNING; MOPANE tree; TRACE elements in plant nutrition; FOLIAR diagnosis; MANGANESE content of plants; NATIONAL parks &; reserves
- Publication
African Journal of Ecology, 2017, Vol 55, Issue 4, p600
- ISSN
0141-6707
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/aje.12396