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RGE811S-RANGELAND ECOLOGY-1ST OPP-JUNE 2025 |
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nAmlBIA UnlVERSITY
OF SCIEn CE Ano TECHn
FACULTY OF HEALTH, NATURAL RESOURCES AND APPLIED SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCE SCIENCES
QUALIFICATION: BACHELOR of NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HONOURS
QUALIFICATION CODE: 08BNRH
LEVEL: 8
COURSE CODE: RGE811S
COURSE NAME: RANGELAND ECOLOGY·
SESSION: JUNE 2025
DURATION: 3 HOURS
PAPER: THEORY
MARKS: 100
EXAMINER{S)
FIRST OPPORTUNITY EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPER
Prof. Ben Strohbach
MODERATOR: Dr Absalom Kahumba
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Answer ALL four (4) questions.
2. Candidates must correctly number their responses on the
ANSWER sheet.
3. Candidates are allowed to use calculators.
THIS QUESTION PAPER CONSISTS OF 2 PAGES (Including this front page)
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Question 1:
[20]
Define the following terms in Rangeland Science context.
1.1. Ecosystem
{3)
1.2. Biome
(3)
1.3. Veld/Vegetation type
(2)
1.4. Carrying capacity
{2)
1.5. Grazing capacity
(2)
1.6. Stocking rate
{3)
1.7. Livestock farmer
{3)
1.8. Stability
(2)
Question 2:
[30]
Rangeland management in Namibia faces many challenges. Discuss challenges,
but also opportunities faced by farmers in the !Karas and Hardap Regions of
Namibia.
Question 3:
[35]
Discuss the growth and development of a grass plant in detail with focus on
growth point development, growth reserves, root growth and the growing
cycle. What implications have these growth characteristics on rangeland
management practises?
Question 4:
[15]
A farmer decided to determine the grazing capacity in a camp on his/her farm.
The farmer clipped 40 {1m 2) quadrates with a yield of 12.5 kg of grass after it
was dried in an oven.
4.1. Convert the clipped grass biomass to kg/ha
{3) ·
4.2. Calculate grazing capacity in kg Animal Biomass/ ha/ year, using a 50%
{4)
utilization factor
4.3. The camp is 80 ha and the farmer is planning to stock the camp with 100 {5)
cows with an average mass of 450 kg for 240 days. How will you advice this
farmer and should he/she go ahead with the plan?
4.4. What will be the correct stocking rate of the 80 ha camp for a planned
{3)
period of 240 days?
2