Glynis Joy Humphrey

University of Cape Town | UCT · African Climate & Development Initiative

Adopting early dry season fires in African conservation areas has been proposed as ecologically desired and a means of generating sufficient carbon revenues for their management. We interrogate available peer-reviewed information on the ecology a nd b io geochemistry of fire in Africa to offer an informed perspective on the full implications of the...

Adopting early dry season fires in African conservation areas has been proposed as ecologically desired and a means of generating sufficient carbon revenues for their management. We interrogate available peer-reviewed information on the ecology a nd b io geochemistry of fire in Africa to offer an informed perspective on the full implications of the...

In this storybook, we present a series of stories from Africa to illuminate the factors that constrain or enable social equity in nature-based solutions. These fictionalised stories are based on the experiences and reflections of researchers and practitioners, and bring local voices to the fore. The accompanying illustrations include reflections th...

The relationships between woody vegetation cover and fire, climate, herbivory, and human activities in African savanna ecosystems are complex. Fire has been managed by humans for thousands of years, but post 1800, fire suppression was implemented in many areas. The impact of these policies are largely unknown, due to a lack of long-term records ext...

Vegetation cover estimates for trees, shrub-grass mosaics, and grassland and bare ground, were quantified in the savanna-woodland of Bwabwata National Park, north-east Namibia. Changes in woody cover were analysed using repeat photographs in combination with aerial photographs and recent satellite imagery taken between 1996 and 2019. Cover estimate...

Questions Bush encroachment, (i.e. disproportionate woody vegetation increase at the cost of grassland) has negative impacts for biodiversity conservation and tourism by homogenising habitat structure and decreasing grazing and game‐viewing. While herbivory, rainfall, and CO 2 all influence changes in woody vegetation cover, fire has the best poten...

In response to recent discussion about terminology, we propose “tracking science” as a term that is more inclusive than citizen science. Our suggestion is set against a post-colonial political background and large-scale migrations, in which “citizen” is becoming an increasingly contentious term. As a diverse group of authors from several continents...

There is a long history of fire management in African savannas, but knowledge of historical and current use of fire is scarce in savanna-woodland biomes. This study explores past and present fire management practices and perceptions of the Khwe (former hunter-gatherers) and Mbukushu (agropastoralists) communities as well as government and non-gover...

Fire management around the world is now undergoing extensive review, with a move toward fire management plans that maintain biodiversity and other ecosystems services, while at the same time mitigating the negative impacts to people and property. There is also increasing recognition of the historical and anthropogenic dimensions that underlie curre...

We have investigated the size class distribution (SCD) of baobabs on a rocky outcrop, known alternatively as Kubu or Lekhubu, located in the southwest of Sowa Pan, northern Botswana. This study is aimed primarily at determining whether baobab girths show any systematic distribution relative to elevation, linked to palaeo-lake levels during the late...

The coexistence of trees and grasses in savanna ecosystems is a contentious phenomenon. Fire and herbivory disturbances are often cited as major structuring forces that create a sustainable tree–grass relationship. However, periodic flooding of savanna patches may also enable coexistence. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of floo...

The coexistence of trees and grasses in savanna ecosystems is a contentious phenomenon. Fire and herbivory disturbances are often cited as major structuring forces that create a sustainable tree– grass relationship. However, periodic flooding of savanna patches may also enable coexistence. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of flo...

The coexistence of trees and grasses in savanna ecosystems is a contentious phenomenon. Fire and herbivory disturbances are often cited as major structuring forces that create a sustainable tree– grass relationship. However, periodic flooding of savanna patches may also enable coexistence. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of flo...