The Response of Juvenile Dichrostachys cinerea and Terminalia sericea Savanna Plants to Cutting Disturbances in the Nylsvley Nature Reserve, South Africa

Bush encroachment by woody species threatens biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and rangeland productivity in savanna ecosystems. Understanding how juvenile woody plants respond to cutting at different times of the year is essential for developing effective management strategies. This study evaluated the seasonal resprouting responses of juvenile individuals of Dichrostachys cinerea and Terminalia sericea following cutting disturbances. The study was conducted in the Nylsvley Nature Reserve using line transects and plot-based sampling because of challenges associated with protecting experimental sites in communal lands. Juvenile plants of each species were allocated into groups comprising thirty-five individuals and subjected to seasonal cutting treatments. Resprout height, leaf production, and root sugar concentrations were measured to assess seasonal recovery patterns. Both species successfully resprouted after cutting regardless of season. T. sericea produced taller resprout heights than D. cinerea, whereas D. cinerea generally produced more leaves. Seasonal differences significantly affected recovery, with winter cutting producing the tallest resprout heights and greatest leaf production, while summer cutting resulted in the shortest resprouts and fewest leaves. Winter-cut plants produced more than twice as many leaves as summer-cut plants. Winter cutting drastically boosts plant regeneration capacity and cannot effectively curb bush expansion, whereas summer cutting achieves better suppression effects. Root sugar concentrations were lower during winter in both species, indicating reduced metabolic activity. Summer is the most effective season for cutting juvenile individuals of D. cinerea and T. sericea to suppress bush encroachment, whereas winter is the least effective. These findings provide evidence to support seasonally informed bush management strategies that promote biodiversity conservation, ecological integrity, and sustainable savanna ecosystem management.