The ecology of drought – a workshop report

The 2014–2016 drought experienced across the summer rainfall region of South Africa brought a range of social and economic impacts, with regular coverage in the public media. However, little has been reported on the ecological impacts of the drought in the rural rangelands and protected areas of the country. To address this issue a workshop on the ecology of drought was organised by the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), a facility of the National Research Foundation, in November 2017. The event brought together researchers active in savannas (bushveld) of the northeastern part of the country, including the Kruger National Park (KNP) and adjacent Lowveld, and in savannas and grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal. The land uses in these areas varied from conservation to densely populated communal rangelands.