#Flora Drummond

[20th-century-scrapbook]

Flora Drummond photographed when she was arrested in Hyde Park, London, 1914. (Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)

Nicknamed ‘The General’, Flora Drummond (1878–1949) was often seen marshalling marches wearing a military-style uniform atop a horse. A working-class Scottish firebrand whom Emmeline Pankhurst hailed as “a woman of very great public spirit”, she was renowned for her public speaking and no-nonsense approach to silencing hecklers.

[fuzzysparrow]

The General

Nicknamed “The General” for leading Women’s Rights marches while wearing a military-style uniform complete with an officer’s cap and epaulettes, Flora Drummond is one of 59 women listed on the plinth of the Millicent Fawcett statue in Parliament Square, London. Often seen on horseback, Drummond helped organise the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) and earned a reputation for her ability…

[helluvatimes]

Drummond’s Phlox

Phlox drummondii making an appearance in the conservatory. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

This was named after 19th century Scottish botanist Thomas Drummond who was apparently collecting seeds and samples in its native range in Texas in 1835.

[filmes-online-facil]

Assistir Filme Amazônia Online fácil

Assistir Filme Amazônia Online Fácil é só aqui: https://filmesonlinefacil.com/filme/amazonia/

Amazônia - Filmes Online Fácil

Castanha (voz de Lúcio Mauro Filho) é um macaco prego, criado em cativeiro, que é liberado na Floresta Amazônica. Seguindo o ponto de vista do animal, o filme revela os mistérios da fauna e da flora da região, destacando dificuldades enfrentadas pelo animal e ainda algumas amizades, como a com a macaca Gaia (Isabelle Drummond).

[gazeta24br]

“EscolinhaZinha” é um projeto desenvolvido em parceria Allegresse Produções Brazil e CN Artes, e conta com a direção de Cininha de Paula, sobrinha de Chico Anysio e diretora do programa Escolinha do Professor Raimundo, da TV Globo, desde os anos noventa e Charles Daves também ator e diretor, além da participação especial do ator, comediante e dublador Nizo Neto, filho de Chico Anysio, que interpretará o Professor Raimundo. A montagem do musical será uma homenagem aos dez anos do falecimento de Chico Anysio, e promete ao público muitas risadas, lembranças e forte emoção, além de trazer ao palco grandes hits dos anos 1980. Também serão lembrados outros gênios do humor que fizeram parte da história de nosso país, como Claudia Jimenez, Grande Otelo e Orlando Drummond. Entre os personagens homenageados estarão Cacilda, Dona Bela, Marina da Glória, Capitu, Catifunda, Tati, Dona Mandala, Seu Ptolomeu, Joselino Barbacena, Seu Boneco, Rolando Lero, Seu Peru e Galeão Cumbica, entre muitos outros. João Canabrava, o bêbado que transformou Tom Cavalcante em astro da comédia nacional, passa por uma mudança de gênero no musical, e será chamada de Joana Canabrava, a personagem será dividida entre as atrizes Mafê Mossini e Rafa Calazans. As apresentações de “EscolinhaZinha” acontecerão nos dias 10 e 11 de dezembro, no Teatro Nair Bello (no Shopping Frei Caneca, em São Paulo). Os ingressos já estão à venda pela Sympla.com Ficha Técnica: Produção: CN Artes e Allegresse Produções Brazil Direção: Cininha de Paula e Charles Davis Direção Musical: Paulo Nogueira Coreografia: Cinzia Alvarez Figurinos: Jana Melazo Elenco: Professor Raimundo: Nizo Neto Cacilda: Clarah Passos e Estelinha Erlichman Dona Bela: Paola Rabetti e Sophia Marie Marina Da Gloria: Mariana Di Giacomo e Sophie Tenório Capitu: Mirella Rocha e Fernanda Matias Catifunda: Flora Bongianni e Yasmin Soares Flora Propolis: Victoria Wowk e Bia Brumatti Tati: Sofia Budke e Isa Ricci Dona Escolástica: Ana Sophia Sato e Mafê Diniz Dona Mandala: Maria Rosa Amaral e Giovana Maciel Candida: Natalia Calanca e Victoria Feldman Manuela Dalem Mar: Manuela Richter e Antonia Assad Dona Dalagos Alves: Aurora Jockman e Lorena Nieto Leandra Borges: Victoria Fraiha  e Beatrice Rocha Pitolomeu: Theo Arantes e Vittorio Taguti Jocelino Barbacena: Pietra Piffer Seu Boneco: Miguel Lallo e Kaua Soares Rolando Lero: Sam Sabbá e Théo Barreto Seu Peru: Anthony Caio e Fabrizio Miranda Batista: Lorenzo Tarantelli e Alice Di Giulio Eustaquio: Lucas Oliveira Carvalho e JP Amaral Joana Canabrava: Mafê Mossini e Rafa Calazans Galeao Cumbica: Ana Beatriz Teixeira e Mari Rezende Atanagilda: Valentina Monteiro Alves e Leticia Aiub Aldemar Vigario: Marcus Vinicius de Carvalho e Sam Sabbá Suppapou Uaci: Ana Luiza Rosa e Malu Monteiro Armando Volta: Ernesto Profase e Lucca Fraga Petreca Balthazar da Rocha: Pedro Paniquar e Pedro Paniquar Sarah: Clara Callado Talia: Sofia Presser e Thaviny Nicolini Serviço: “EscolinhaZinha do Professor Raimundo” Apresentações nos dias 10 e 11 de dezembro, às 11h e 15h Teatro Nair Bello - Rua Frei Caneca, 569 - 3º Piso, Shopping Frei Caneca, São Paulo - São Paulo Ingressos entre R$ 60,00 e R$ 130,00 Vendas: https://bileto.sympla.com.br/event/77978 Classificação etária: Livre Duração: 60 minutos

[azmmorg]

Mac and cheese recipe kraft box

MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE KRAFT BOX HOW TO

(And for more cooking hacks, check out this genius guide to elevating boxed cake mix. Pour hot macaroni out of the sieve back into same sauce pan. From on-the-go microwavable snacks, to our signature blue box dinners, theres a Kraft Macaroni & Cheese to comfort you at any time of day. When macaroni is done, immediately drain off hot water. Have other ingredients made and handy: milk, process cheese slices, margarine or butter and any optional hot sauce or granulated garlic.

MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE KRAFT BOX HOW TO

Keep reading for a closer look at how to make boxed mac and cheese better. Prepare boxed macaroni and cheese as per instructions. KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Chicken Casserole Busy Creating Memories. elbow macaroni, mild salsa, ragu cheesy double cheddar sauce. There's even a fun recipe for fried mac and cheese bites that you won't want to miss! ham, red pepper, macaroni, breadcrumbs, sweetcorn, Flora Cuisine and 5 more. It's very simple, takes the 'blue box' of mac and cheese and adds just a few ingredients and steps to make it taste a bit more homemade. You'll also find plenty of ideas for swaps and mix-ins (hello, bacon!) that will transform your standard boxed mac and cheese into a complete and hearty meal. This recipe came from a Kraft newsletter. Prefer your macaroni and cheese on the crispy side? There's a quick hack for that, too. Craving a creamier sauce? A couple of additional ingredients like whole milk and extra butter will do the trick. This list includes 10 easy ways to doctor up boxed mac and cheese to make it taste better-and suit your mood. Using some simple tricks, you can elevate any boxed mac and cheese so it tastes like you made it from scratch. If you consume an entire box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (prepared with margarine and 2 percent milk), youll consume 875 calories, 32.5 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat and 25 grams of protein. Upgraded Kraft Mac N Cheese Recipe - top 1 (14 ounce) package Kraft macaroni and cheese (dinner, blue box) 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 2 cup sour cream 1 4 teaspoon ground red pepper or 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 6 butter flavored crackers, crushed (like Ritz) 1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine, melted DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375F. If you're wondering how to make boxed mac and cheese better, you should know that you don't have to stick to the directions on the box. The popular blue box is supposed to provide 2.5 servings.But many people eat the entire box as a meal. Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, and while we all love a great homemade version (like Ree Drummond's extra creamy macaroni and cheese), it's helpful to keep store-bought brands on hand for super-quick meals.

[jasmineandviolet]

Suffragette committee meeting, for Daily Mirror, 1906.

Charlotte Despard (née French) (1844-1939), Florence Flora Drummond (1869-1949), Annie Kenney (1879-1953), Nellie Alma Martel (1855-1940), Dame Christabel Pankhurst (1880-1958), Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928).

[lindaseccaspina]

Missanoga Rock? Bon Echo Rock? Mazinaw Rock?--THE CANOE TRIPS TO THE ROCK 1895 and Ontario's Answer to the Overlook Hotel

Missanoga Rock? Bon Echo Rock? Mazinaw Rock?–THE CANOE TRIPS TO THE ROCK 1895 and Ontario’s Answer to the Overlook Hotel

CLIPPED FROMOwen Sound SunOwen Sound, Ontario, Canada16 Nov 1917, Fri  •  Page 11 I wrote an interesting story about a Lanark Cave a few months ago Mystery of the Lanark Cave — Lanark Village and this week I came across stories of a cliff rock with Indigenious markings called Missanoga Rock and could not find much about it– so I started to dig more. CLIPPED FROMThe Menasha RecordMenasha,…

[89words]

A castidade com que abria as coxas e reluzia a sua flora brava Na mansuetude das ovelhas mochas, e tão estreita, como se alargava. Ah, coito, coito, morte de tão vida, sepultura na grama, sem dizeres Em minha ardente substância esvaída, eu não era ninguém e era mil seres em mim ressuscitados

Carlos Drummond de Andrade - ‘Coito’

[thisismyhistorybook]

Emmeline Pethick Lawrence, Jennie Baines, Flora Drummond and Frederick Pethick Lawrence, c. 1906-1910. by LSE Library Via Flickr: 7JCC/O/02/130 Photograph, printed, paper, monochrome, Emmeline Pethick Lawrence receiving a bouquet of flowers from Jennie Baines, Flora Drummond and Frederick Pethick Lawrence watching; manuscript inscription on reverse 'Mrs Baines', printed 'Please acknowledge LNA Photo. London News Agency Photos Ltd, 46 Fleet Street, EC'

[celtfather]

Favor of a Dance #564 feat. Ellen Gibling

I’m back from Scotland ready to dance and share a Celtic music story by Ellen Gibling on today’s Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.

Willos' & Massimo Giuntini, Téada, Banshee in the Kitchen, Gerry O'Connor, The Lilies of the Midwest, Marc Gunn, Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer, Jamie Haeuser, Jonathan Milton, Boston Blackthorne, Ellen Gibling, Jocelyn Pettit, Barleyjuice, Mary - Grace Autumn Lee, Brad Tuck, The Bordercollies

I hope you enjoyed this week's show. If you Heard music you loved, share the episode and tag the artist on social. Include the show time so they can quickly listen and enjoy.

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast is here to build our diverse Celtic community and help the incredible artists who so generously share their music with you.

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VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2022

This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create next year's Best Celtic music of 2022 episode.  Vote Now!

THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC

0:06 - Willos' & Massimo Giuntini "The Flying Bull" from From Now On

5:31 - WELCOME

7:09 - Téada "Reels  -  Ar Mhuin na Muice / Cairo Barry / Garranmore / Hunter Billy’s" from Coiscéim Coiligh / As the Days Brighten

11:48 - Banshee in the Kitchen "As I Roved Out" from Band O' Shees

15:23 - Gerry O'Connor "The Hawk and the Hare (Jig & Polska)" from Last Night's Joy

18:56 - The Lilies of the Midwest "The Mountains of Pomeroy" from Flora

23:31 - FEEDBACK

27:23 - Marc Gunn, Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer, Jamie Haeuser "Favor of a Dance" from Come Adventure With Me

30:19 - Jonathan Milton "Munster Buttermilk" from Just One More...

34:48 - Boston Blackthorne "Fishing over the Lusi" from Fishing over the Lusi

39:02 - CELTIC STORY  -  ELLEN GIBLING

42:14 - Ellen Gibling "Reels: The Cribbies/ Vice Versa / Louise's Reel" from The Bend in the Light

46:52 - THANKS

48:02 - Jocelyn Pettit "Wind Rose" from Wind Rose

51:31 - Barleyjuice "Hard Life Of Ivan Macrae" from The Morning After

54:39 - Mary - Grace Autumn Lee "Autumn’s Fall: Drummond Castle/Brendan Tonra’s/The Yellow Wattle (Jigs)" from Eyre

58:57 - Brad Tuck "Madeline's Might" from Stages

1:02:25 - CLOSING

1:03:32 - The Bordercollies "Carraig Nua" from Sticks and Stones

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. The show was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather. Subscribe through your favorite podcatcher or on our website where you can become a Patron of the Podcast for as little as $1 per episode. Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/.

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WHAT’S NEW IN IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC: BEST OF 2022

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BUY SELCOUTH BY MARC GUNN

My latest CD features Sci F’Irish music. That means it is original songs fusing pop culture themes with Irish drinking songs. There are some traditional music on the album. But mostly, it features songwriting by Marc Gunn with guests including: Screeched Inn, The Muckers, Jamie Haeuser, Sam Gillogly, Nathan Deese, and Mikey Mason.

Selcouth means, “when everything is strange and different, yet you find it marvelous anyway.”

The album is not completely Celtic and it’s not just science fiction and fantasy. It’s a fusion of the two. It’s heartfelt and a lot of fun.

It’s now on sale in my Bandcamp store. Check out Selcouth now.

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TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos. Learn more about the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/

#celticmusic #irishmusic #celticmusicpodcast

I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? You can send a written comment along with a picture of what you're doing while listening.

Email a voicemail message to celticpodcast@gmail.com

Maire emailed: "Dia dhuit! I've been listening for several years now and thought I'd finally reach out to let you know what I'm doing while listening. Most of the time, I'm studying anatomy. The music itself is far more calming to me than most other genres because it reminds me of hot summers of my childhood dancing for Trinity Irish Dance at Irish fests. No matter what, I always have paper and pen near by to write down the names of the amazing musicians showcased on this podcast. Thanks for widening my celtic musical world orld and keep it up! Slain! Maire P.S Thanks so much for pronouncing Celtic correctly!"

Charlene Adzima emailed: "Hey there Marc, I'm Charlene Adzima, fiddler and singer with Wisconsin - based all - female Irish music trio, The Lilies of the Midwest. As the pandemic seems to be waning, we've been reaching out to venues, festivals, radio shows, and podcasts to let folks know that we have an authentic, energetic, and charming stage presence and we'd like to get known outside of our small part of the Midwest. Our core instrumentation is fiddle, concertina, and mandolin, with the occasional guest guitarist or percussionist. With our Ohio - based guitarist Rick Nelson, we recorded a 6 track EP called Flora, which we'd like to offer you to play on your podcast. Thanks much and all the best! "

Peter Bengtson emailed: "Hi Mark, I was walking yesterday and tried to get on SeriusXM.  Something was wrong and I couldn't get on.

I got on your podcast  -  Episode 546 I think.  Once that episode was over, another episode started.  I listened to a total of 4 or 5 episodes.  This works great for me.  In the past, it seems that once the episode I listened to stopped, I had to go to start a new episode of Celtic Music or startup SeriusXM."

Check out this episode!

[rtanoticias]

Drummond aporta a la conservación de especies en peligro

Drummond Ltd. continúa sumando esfuerzos para el cuidado y conservación de la fauna y flora existente dentro de sus áreas operacionales.

Drummond aporta conservación de especies. Drummond Ltd. continúa sumando esfuerzos para el cuidado y conservación de la fauna y flora existente dentro de sus áreas operacionales. La compañía lidera un proceso de conservación del paujil de pico azul (Crax alberti), que es un ave endémica de Colombia que se encuentra en peligro crítico de extinción debido a la pérdida de su hábitat y a la cacería…

[akenvs3000w22]

Alvars: a unique environment makes for unique writing approaches

Prior to these readings, I had no idea what an alvar was. Upon reading these three articles about alvars in North America, I was quickly inspired to choose them as a focal point. For those who don’t know, an alvar is a barren land mass of limestone or marble with very little soil, and they are home to a unique set of plant species due to these harsh conditions. The unique flora belonging to Alvars makes them intriguing, and almost magical, for us to observe; and this can make for a great topic to write about from various perspectives.

Firstly, the Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists’ website has a free article titled, “What is an alvar? Burnt Lands: a rare alvar of exceptional quality”. This article describes the basics of what an alvar is and describes what makes the Burnt Lands Alvar stand out. This article was generally written with a scientific scope, listing and describing the various species and their abundance in a monotonous way. However, when introducing the topics, the writer did an excellent job injecting emotion into the writing. For example, a universal sense of triumph was felt when it was described how alvars are home to species that have been isolated and thrived through generations untouched, while other species didn’t survive. Additionally, quotes from people familiar with the alvar were used to further get the reader to relate to alvars on a personal level.

The second article was found on the site for Drummond Island Tourism Association and is titled “Drummond Island Alvar”. This article also explains what an alvar is, then proceeds to describe the Drummond Island Alvar in a matter-of-fact way. Although this article felt a bit dry at times, it focused primarily on what makes this Alvar unique in great detail. Using a straight-forward voice and simple terms allows the reader to easily comprehend the content. Furthermore, focusing on the unique traits of this Alvar can inspire the reader to want to visit this unique site, as this may be a marketing strategy for this tourism website. Overall, this article was less personable, but certainly used a more accessible language and is likely intended for both adults and teenagers.

The final article I chose is from the Meander Photography website, titled “Saskatchewan’s Alvars”. This was my personal favourite article as it recounts the search for an alvar (which are rare in Saskatchewan) by a photographer and their girlfriend. This first person approach allows the reader to put themselves in the author’s shoes, and paired with the photos, it can feel like you’re exploring an alvar yourself! Although this article was less scientific, it was the least accessible of the three as it used many ecological terms that most people aren’t familiar with.

Overall, all three articles were well written and informative on the topic of Alvars. The first article was excellent at personifying and using quotes to invoke emotions from the reader, whereas the second article was a bit dryer but was better for marketing the location for tourists. Lastly, the final article was the most unique as it took on Alvars through a first person lens and utilized photographs to really capture the beauty of experiencing an Alvar. It is because of this that I think “Saskatchewan’s Alvars” was the article that “worked best”.

Photo of an areal view of an alvar (Saskatchewan’s Alvars, 2021).

References:

“Drummond Island Alvar: the largest remaining high quality alvar in North America” Drummond Island Tourism Association. Accessed 16 Feb 2022 at https://www.visitdrummondisland.com/alvar.html

“Saskatchewan’s Alvars: Hidden in Plain Sight” March 2021. Meander Photography. Accessed 16 Feb 2022 at https://www.meanderphotography.ca/Alvar

“What is an alvar? Burnt Lands: a rare alvar of exceptional quality” Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists. Accessed 16 Feb 2022 at https://mvfn.ca/what-is-an-alvar-burnt-lands-a-rare-alvar-of-exceptional-quality/

[annieboltonworld]

Juniper Publishers-Open Access Journal of Environmental Sciences & Natural Resources

Modifications of the Flora Zambeziaca in the Zambezi Basin by Environmental Antecedent Factors: Termites, Fire and Elephant

Authored by Clifford Tafangenyasha

Abstract

The study throws light on factors modifying flora Zambeziaca in the Zambezi Valley and investigates the phenomenon of tree mortality. The paper adds to the growing literature that suggests that harvester termites Isoptera: Termitidae, Macrotermitinae, elephant (Loxodonta Africana Blumenbach L) and fire reduce forest cover over wide swathes of land. To assess the impact of the hyper-abundant termites, fire and elephant in Zambezi Valley 18 belt transects were randomly placed in the study area in Sengwa Wildlife Research Area (SWRA). The 18 belt transects were characterised into nine paired plots that were considered degraded and Undegraded. The study formed part of a vegetation condition assessment of the SWRA. Spearman rank order test (rs) and Student T tests showed significant tests in elephant, termite and fire damage patterns. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used to bring out strong patterns (p<.05) in the dataset. The study results are critical for biodiversity management strategies in the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe.

Keywords: Termites; Elephant; Fire; Flora Zambesiaca; Vegetation Modification; Savanna Systems

Introduction

The Flora Zambeziaca in the Zambezi Basin is a keystone and flagship resource to a wide range of freely grazing and browsing wildlife species [1-3]. The Zambezi Basin presents interesting Savana and management styles available in the menu to rangeland ecologists Bignell [4] Walker [5], Cumming [6], Ben-Shar [7] Holdo [8]. Several studies Chafota and Owen-Smith [9], Nangendo [10], Nellis and Bussing [11], Tafangenyaha [12], Osborne [13] investigated vegetation change in Savana rangelands without concluding actual drivers of change. Zambezi Basin vegetation has been aptly described by Wild, Barbosa and Fernandez, Drummond [14], Timberlake among other workers. The original vegetation from the time of pioneer explorer David Livingstone (19 March 1813-1 May 1873), outback hunter Frederick Selous (1875-1917) and Wild et al (1967) was intact but has recently come under pressure from increasing mega herbivore populations and more recently termites (Isoptera: Termitidae, Macrotermitinae). Most recently there has been compression of the elephant population following land pressure from settlement and cultivation after tsetse fly eradication. The result has been massive reduction with upper canopy trees. A number of authors Dangerfield [15,16] Eggleton and Tayasu [17], Timberlake [18] attribute endogenous and exogenous factors as key to woody plant mortality and recruitment. The impact of natural forces such as herbivore and fire is ever changing in intensity and scale and the need to study its influence on structure and composition. Tafangenyasha noted that scale and intensity of disturbance in open rangelands need exhaustion after long-term studies in varied habitats created by mega herbivores and antecedent environmental factors. In addition, herbivore has been underscored in the present study as initiating tree damage with drought, changes to structure and composition of the forests. Termites are detrivores that eat dead and decaying organic matter. Symbiotic bacteria in the termite gut transforms decomposing cellulose into carbohydrates and sugar, whereas gut protozoa in turn relyon symbiotic bacteria embedded on their surfaces to produce some of the necessary digestive enzymes Eggleton and Tayasu. Bacteria form an important link in the cycling of nutrients in the forests by breaking down wood and organic residues on the ground which would otherwise take years to decay by microbes. In dry environments litter degradation and soil mixing is mainly performed by termites Dangerfield. In 1961, most (81%) termite mounds were not full size in the Zambezi Valley, which suggested that they were recent additions to the area. There was little change in mound density between 1970 and 1981, but between 1981 and 1984 and between 1984 and 1987, there were major increases in mound. Dangerfield contends that with one exception, where new mounds appeared after 1981 were areas where the abundance of the tall, tufted grass, Vetiveria nigritana, declined during the same period. Tree damage and loss may be a composite phenomenon that sets in forest gaps that may be colonised by noxious invasive species such as Lantana camara L Tafangenyasha. Maintaining functionality and sustainability of dry land systems requires sustainable land management over large areas such as Zambezi Valley. This research is critical in developing biodiversity management strategies in protected areas.

Study Area

In Zimbabwe changes in woodlands caused by elephants and other factors were studied in the Zambezi Valleyat Sengwa Wildlife Research Area with a long history of documented elephant (Loxodonta Africana Blumenbach 1797) population build up to 1965 followed by 24 years of sustained culling and 26 years of vegetation regeneration in aftermath of elephant culling. Sengwa Wildlife Research Area (SWRA) is situated at the southern end of Chirisa Safari Area (18o 10’ S, 28o 14’ E) in Gokwe South District, north-western Zimbabwe (Figure 1). Covering an area of about 373 km2, the area was set aside in the late 1960s for longterm wildlife and ecological research. There are a series of blackand- white aerial photographs from as far back as 1964. Three sets of detailed colour photography at scales of 1:10 000 and some at 1:5 000 were examined. The surface geology comprises of Lower and Upper Karoo age. The study area constituted by the Lower Karoo is represented by the Madumabisa mudstone formation weathering grey carbonaceous shale with Endothiodon spp fossil wood and Lamellibranchs-Pellaedonodonta spp and Ostracods- Darwinuda spp Selibas [19]. The Upper Karoo which overlies the mudstones gives rise to geologically and ecologically significant colluvial deposits with carbonaceous and siliceous matrices Figure 1.

The geological formations have been dissected by the north flowing rivers to give rise to soil and vegetation types (Figure 1) that are an important source of water for the animals. SWRA is semi-arid ecosystem with low and irregular rainfall, high evapo transpiration and cyclical droughts. High evapo transpiration means soils dry up quickly reducing amount of water available for plant uptake. (Figures 2-4) suggest that severe droughts are a long term feature in the study area and region. Several topographic and vegetation maps of the area were used to make possible the study on homogeneous Madumabisa mudstones. Data on animal numbers and seasonal movements are available from counts done during organized patrols, along permanent transects and aerial surveys since the late 1960s. There is a wide variety of vegetation types, 26types having been described and mapped by Craig (1982). A wide range of research projects have been done in the SWRA since its establishment to establish diet preferences of herbivores and forage availability. The elephant (Loxodonta Africana Blumenbach L.) ranks as one most common and dominant herbivore in SWRA Cumming [20,21]. The wasteful feeding behaviour was militated against by a sustained culling programme terminated in 1989. Few studies have been conducted to understand the response of woody vegetation in the aftermath of culling.

The SWRA has a diverse large animal mammal community of 7 species of large carnivores and 18 species of large herbivores. The area is home to diverse communities of birds, small mammals and reptiles. Some common wild animals in the SWRA are given in Figure 5. When an elephant range area reserve is fenced and supplied with water from permanent rivers, elephant population irruptions take place, necessitating culling. A comparison can be made between patches formerly degraded and undegraded in the aftermath of culling. Two assumptions were made about the history of the wood lands examined in this study. The first is that there is no difference in the woodland structure and composition of vegetation in over utilized and undegraded plots after culling had ceased. The second is that changes to the vegetation in SWRA were caused by elephants and fire. The 2014 elephant aerial survey of the Sebungwe Region showed a major decline in standing elephant populations from 13000 to 3500 Dunham [22]. But prior to establishment of national parks there were about 5000 elephant in Zimbabwe in the middle of the 19th century. The extent of gap colonization by non-native plant species were observed in the study area. The information obtained in the study should influence management decisions on appropriate park ecosystem health and understanding of changes in vegetation composition and structure and habitat preferences.

Materials and Methods

To assess the impacts of hyper-abundant termites, fire and elephant in Zambezi Valley 18 belt transects were randomly placed in study area in the SWRA in the dominant woodland types occurring in the study area. The 18 belt transects were located by pairing nine plots that were considered degraded and undegraded. A mosaic of patchy disturbance by elephant feeding habits occur in SWRA. The study formed part of a vegetation condition assessment of the SWRA. The woody vegetation types delineated by Craig [23] (Figure 6) were used as a guide to vegetation condition assessment (Figures 7-12). Spearman’ rank correlation (rs) coefficient is a non-parametric measure of rank correlation between rankings of two variables (Table 1). It measures the strength and direction of association between two ranked variables. PCA is a technique used to emphasise variation and bring out strong patterns in a dataset. The analyses highlight current understanding for improved Savana conservation. To obtain pattern from the data regression analysis was used.

Results

Spearman rank correlation showed strong positive relationship between elephant damage and termite damage (Table 1). There was a strong positive relationship between fire damage and elephant damage using Spearman rank correlation (Table 1). The metrics collected between degraded and undegraded plots showed variations that are summarised in Table 2. Degraded plots measured smaller mean girth (12, 2 cm) and mean height (446,7cm) when compared to undegraded plots (13,6 cm and 460, 2 cm, respectively, Table 2). Mean percentage canopy cover, elephant damage and termite damage was higher on undegraded plots compared to degraded plots (Table 3). Drought damage on woody plants was about the same between degraded (0,1%) and undegraded plots (0%) (Table 3). Degraded plots measured the highest mean distance (1026,8 cm) to water compared to undegraded plots (885,4 cm) (Table 3).

Formerly over utilized patches showed no significant differences (Student t test p>.05) in height, girth and number of stems per plot (Table 3). Table 3 showed no significant differences in number of stems per plot, species density (number per m2) and Shannon Weaver diversity indices. The results presented in Table 3 are surprising considering the recorded negative effects of elephant on Savanna wooded vegetation. The results suggest that the historically high densities of elephants altered forest structures and the vegetation may not be showing strong differences between formerly heavily utilised and relatively unutilised patches after repeated culling events. The general findings are outlined below:

A general recovery of woody vegetation in previously damaged sites is shown by counts of stems with few signs of fresh damage.

a) No significant differences in numbers of stems/trees between degraded and undegraded plots.

b) Low incidences of burn marks

c) Low damage levels by elephant.

d) High levels of termite activity on woody stems and litter cannot be explained at this stage.

Species richness is estimated with the total number of observed species. Species richness (usually notated S) of a dataset is the number of different species in the corresponding species list. Richness is a simple measure. The Shannon Diversity Index is calculated by multiplying a species proportional abundance by the natural log of that number:

ln i i H = −Σρ ρ

Where pi is the proportion of individuals found in the species “i”. This index assumes that individuals are sampled randomly from an infinite or very large population. Similarly, it supposes that all species are represented in the sample (Figures 7 & 8).

Factors important in vegetation change at Sengwa wildlife area (Figure 3):

a) Small plants common in the recruitment cycle of vegetation regeneration.

b) Large tree sizes have high levels of termite damage probably due to an abundance of cellulose and biomass for metabolic energetic.

c) Young trees not burdened by termite attack.

d) Elephant damage more pronounced on young mature plants.

e) Elephant damage and termite damage have greater incidence on young trees than on mature tree sizes.

f) Elephant damage is a major factor in the Savana vegetation affecting all three sizes.

g) Elephant culled/translocated to reduce populations, termites not.

h) Elephant damage a problem in all age classes.

i) Elephant population suppression likely to give recruitment of trees a chance of survival to maturity

Tafangenyasha noted the importance of elephant and fire suppression on woodlands. Termite damage emerged as an important factor during dry periods. Fire and hyper-abundant termite damage have even importance (Figure 7) but with high fire damage loading scores. Elephant damage may have a role in controlling height of trees. Drought damage may affect large trees (Figure 7) Distance to water effect is distributed across the large stretches of water courses (Figure 7) SWRA has virtual reliance on surface water in the water courses.

Discussion

The data in this study seems to be in agreement with observations by Remmert, Dublin [24], Nangendo and O’Connor [25] and suggests that woodland dynamics may be changing all the time due to complex interactions of fire, elephant and termites. Termites have long been known to be voracious feeders of lignin and cellulose diet Becker their main sources of energy but their impacts on integrity of woodlands has always been sketchy. Elephant damage may have greater landscape change through felling and breakage of branches and stems. With growing aridity as predicted by IPCC agents of vegetation change may be considered de-novo. The consequences for woodland dynamics as recorded in this study depend largely on the size classes of the trees affected, as well as on how the disturbance is concentrated in time and space Chafota and Owen Smith, Timberlake and Mapaure Mortality of canopy trees has probably a much greater and longer-lasting impact than losses among the regenerating stages of these trees Tafangenyasha [26], Tafangenyasha. However, the consequences may be less adverse for ecosystem function and biodiversity if the disturbing effects are locally concentrated, generating a patch mosaic of stands at different stages of regeneration Campbell [27] Luoga [28] Remmert. In the study area, majority of trees were young trees suggesting that in a free ranging elephant country mature trees are damaged or eaten. Young trees have low cellulose, low lignin content, low fibre, low chemical and mechanical defensive structures and high crude protein content Midgley [29]. The consequences for woodland dynamics depend on the size classes of the trees affected, as well as on how the disturbance is concentrated in time and space Chafota and Owen-Smith, Timberlake and Mapaure. Chafota and Owen suggest that elephants can have a major transforming effect on Savana structure through felling, debarking or uprooting trees. However, it is difficult to separate their influence from that of other causes of tree mortality, including wind storms Spinage and Guinness [30] drought Lewis, van de Vijver [31] fire Higgins [32] and in some situations frost Childes & Walker [33] Holdo [34] especially when interactions among them may occur de Beer [35] Laws [36] Pienaar [37]. The size selection of trees by trees and the ubiquitous termite leave lasting scars on the landscapes Cizek noted that patches of miombo also occur somewhere in the empty polygons of northern Kruger National Park (see Wild, Fernandez and Barbosa. For example, importantly, there was a catastrophic decline of canopy of Brachystegia torrei across the Chihunja Platform in the last decades the last century Tafangenyasha, but patches still remain Clegg [38]. Which woody species selected by elephant are at risk of local extirpation may be based on an understanding of elephant digestive physiology, foraging ecology, attributes of individual plants and populations, and historical changes in ecosystems.

Elephant select items rich in cell solubles relative to availability for achieving maximum through put per unit time on account of their large energy requirement, hindgut fermentation with limited cell wall digestion, high passage rate, and inefficient recycling of microbial protein Midgley. Accordingly, diet is predominantly green grass and herbs in the wet season, green browse in the late wet and dry seasons, and bark and roots following leaf fall Holdo. Increased consumption of woody material indicates nutritional stress. Bulls graze more than cows and impact woody plants more when grazing deteriorates to create patches Roxburgh. A patch is defined as an area differing in appearance from its surroundings Roxburgh [39]. Landscape patches in the SWRA of the Zambezi Valley owe their existence to large herbivore feeding patterns. Examples of remnant patches are areas of vegetation which have escaped the effects of a widespread fire, and the patches of natural vegetation which can be found in many rangelands. Patches may also be transient, meaning that they may only exist for short periods of time such as heavy grazing/browsing pressure. With increasing mega faunal disturbance patches become numerous and smaller, varying in size and shape.

Vegetation on termite mounds usually differs highly from vegetation in the surrounding landscape Dangerfield, Eggleton and Tayanus. In African Savanas, Macrotermes mounds form ‘islands’ with high tree densities Wilson [40] Bignel contend that due to the digging of termites and due to their decomposition of plant material, the mound soils are generally more fertile than other soils. On top of that, mound soils have been found to contain more water than their surroundings, a clear advantage for plant growth in Savanas Bignel. The high tree densities on termite mounds attract high densities of browsing herbivores, due to the high nutrient contents in foliage from trees growing on mounds Dangerfield or perhaps due to the high quantities of food and shelter on mounds. Mound building termites contribute to Savana vegetation heterogeneity. Damage by termites is greater during dry periods or droughts than periods of regular rainfall Logan [41]. Damage by termites is greater during dry periods or droughts than periods of regular rainfall Logan [41]. The increases in termite damage could also be associated with climate change induced drought. In recent decades, drought linked to El Niño episodes has become more intense and widespread in southern Africa. It may follow that termite damage, elephant and fire damage creates a mosaic of patches on landscapes in the Zambezi Valley. Overall mortality of woody vegetation has been estimated at 29.0 % by Swanepoel Swanepoel [42] Damage and mortality rates varied annually possibly related to rainfall linked with elephant densities Swanepoel, Dunham [43]. The increases in termite damage could also be associated with climate change induced drought. In recent decades, drought linked to El Niño episodes has become more intense and widespread in southern Africa Harrington and Stork [44]. Termite mounds should clearly be considered a focus of conservation importance and their destruction and utilization for farming Nyamapfene detrimental to a diverse range of plant and animal species. The study suggests an interesting interaction of fire, elephant and termites in creation of Savana heterogeneity. Termites as ecosystem engineers drive Savana nutrient dynamics by being tertiary consumers. The hyper-abundant termitidae in the Zambezi Valley gives insight into forest dynamics using the gaps created by elephant, forest health and behaviour of mesoherbivores that is initiated by fire and elephant. The study opens insights into a complex ecosystem functioning in the Zambezi Valley where once intact miombo woodland is being fragmented [45-55].

Conclusion

Fire, elephant and termites, can have a major transformation and modification of the Zambezian vegetation through complex interactions. However, it is difficult to separate influence of each factor from that of other cause of tree mortality, including drought, fire and major herbivores such as elephant especially when interactions among them may co-occur. The consequences or woodland dynamics may depend on the size classes of the tree affected as well as how the disturbance is concentrated in time and space. It seems, the consequences of vegetation modifications by antecedent environmental factors may be more for an ecosystem function and biodiversity in the case that the disturbing effects are fire, elephant and termites. Fire impacts, termite attacks and concentrations of mega-herbivores are significantly concentrated along the Zambezi River, generating a patch mosaic of stands at different stages of regeneration. The paper presents interesting Savana ecosystem processes and management styles available in the menu to rangeland ecologists.

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This will always be one of my favorite photos and I can't stress enough how much I love it. Christabel Pankhurst, Flora Drummond and Emmeline Pankhurst in court, 1908. Their faces say it all.