Umhlaba Biome Onengca
I-Vredefort Dome imi kumhlaba we Grasslands biome, kwimida ephakathi kwe Highveld kunye neqhina le Transvaal. Indidi yengca elapha iqhele ukohlulwa nge Bankenveld, kodwa imvelaphi yobume bomhlaba walendawo, ibangele ukuba kubekho iindidi ezingaqhelekanga ezahlukeneyo. Umzekelo, iindidi ze Bushveld zivamise ukufunyanwa kumakhulu ekhilomitha emantla zikhona apha, ezifana ne Bush Willow, Red Ivory kunye ne Tree Ferns. Iriverine bush esecaleni kwemilambo ye Vaal naye yongeza kwizityalo ezilapha ezahlukeneyo. Kwikona zonke zale Dome, indidi ezahlukeneyo ze microhabitats, microclimates kunye neendidi zomhlaba zi succor iindidi ezininzi zezityalo. Uluhlu olupheleleyo lwezityalo neentyatyamob alukagqitywa, kodwa kule ngingqi kukho malunga neendidi ezingam 99 ubuncinane.Ingakumbi imithi ye Wild Olive iqhelekile kulendawo, kunye nesona sityalo sininzi salendidi kwihlabathi lonke(Olea europaea subsp. africana) siyafumaneka kwi koppie engaphandle nje kancinci e Parys. Iindidi ze Minga kunye neze Protea nazo zithe thantalala.
Iindidi Zezityalo Ezingafunwayo/Ezigqiba Amanzi
Izityalo ezifunxa amanzi (alien plants) ziyingxaku kule Dome. Imithi ye gramthiya iya ngokwanda kwimigxobhozo echumileyo yase Vaal.Poplar, Weeping Willows kunye neqela leendidi ze Tolofiya nazo zidudulela ngaphandle izityalo zalendawo. iWater hyacinths zezona zikruqulayo, njengoko zichuma kumlambo iVaal River zivale imisele yamanzi. Umninzi umsebenzi okusafuneka wenziwa ukubuyisela lendawo kwimo yayo nendalo.Iintaka kukokwazo, linani elingaphaya kwama 200 eendidi zentaka. Ezindidi ziquka: oonogwidi, ooskhwalimanzi, amalanda , ispoonbills, amaxhalanga, amakhozi, oontloyiya, ookhetshe, iintambanane, iimpangele, lapwings, sandpipers,izikhova, nightjars, swifts, intaka zempuku kingfishers, rollers, barbets, izinqolamthi, swallows, martins, cisticolas, starlings, sunbirds, widowbirds, bishops, warblers, chats and tits. I-Inlandsee Pan, ekufuphi ne Vredefort, nayo yindawo ebalulekileyo yokudibanela kweentaka ezifudukayo.
'Red Data Species'
Nangona iDome yayikade ilikhaya le zilwanyana zontlanu ezinkulu zoMzantsi Afrika (Big 5), zonke izilwanyana ezinkulu zazingelwa ngethuba amafama ethathela kuwo lomhlaba. Noxa kunjalo kusekho iindidi ezingama 50 zezilwanyana ezinamanqina amane ezikhoyo apha, kuquka i"Red Data Species". Ingwe, ingada, ingci, udyakalashe, imbila kunye nempala nazo zisekhona. Iqela leefama ezigcina izilwanyana zasendle kunye nee nature reserve zikwiphulo lokubuyisela izilo zasendle zalengingqi.I-Vredefort inesibalo esininzi sezinambuzane, iinyoka,oonomadudwane. Kukwakho nobutyebi obuqaphelekayo beendidi zamabhabhathane, ngoko ke ukuba uyi lepidopterist, le yindawo engakunika umdla! Uzuqonde, kuthiwa kukho iindidi zamabhabhathane ezininzi eDome ukodlula iBritish Isles iphela. Ngaphandle kwase Vaal River, iDome igcinwa imanzi yimvula ena malunga nama 625mm, i500mm yayo nena kwiinyanga zehlobo. Iimbalela ke nazo azinqabanga. Ehlotyeni, amaqondo obushushu abaphezulu, afikelela kuma 30°C aphezulu ukuya kwi 15°C ubuncinane emini. Imini zobusika zifudumele (malunga ne 18°C) kodwa ubusuku bungaqhaqhazelisa amazinyo.
Translated by Zizipho Silwana