Effects of Fire on an African Plateau Grassland

Abstract

The Nyika Plateau of Malawi (formerly Nyasaland), Africa, is a fire—conditioned grassland. The large (750 square miles) plateau, which extends from 6,000 to 8,000 ft elevation at about 10° S lat, supports numerous endemic plants and animals suggesting a long, stable climatic and fire history. An intensive 10—month investigation concentrated on the vegetation, particularly plants that related to the welfare of eland, roan antelope, and zebra. Three herbaceous legunes were assessed on burning plots which had been maintained for the previous 4 years. Three sampling methods did not show injury to any of the legumes, and Aeschynomene oligophylla, a native nodule—producing forage plant, increased after burning. Incidental studies of braken fern showed no important changes in any combination of treatments, except that fire and close grazing might favor it. Judicious burning seems a satiscactory, perhaps even essential, land—use practice if an increase of the large grazing animals is the goal.