Perceived Abundance and Cultural-Economic Use-Value of Tree Species in the Mopane Woodlands, Mopani District, South Africa

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

（1）The Introduction provides good contextual background but could more clearly articulate what is novel about this study relative to existing work on Mopane woodlands and the ecological apparency hypothesis.

（2）Please specify when (month and year) the household surveys and free-listing exercises were conducted, and whether they covered one season or multiple seasons. This is important given seasonal availability of products (e.g. mopane worms).

（3）Several tables contain many percentages that are not all discussed. You may consider moving some highly descriptive tables to Supplementary Material, keeping in the main text only those that are central to your argument (e.g. top products, top species).

（4）The Discussion could more explicitly connect the empirical results to the ecological apparency hypothesis: for example, are there any notable exceptions where a species is abundant but little used, or heavily used despite low perceived abundance? Discuss what such cases might imply.

（5）The manuscript alternates between “Mopane District” and “Mopani District” when referring to the administrative unit. Please check the official name and standardise it throughout the text (including figure captions).

（6）Figure 1 does not clearly present the study area. What is the relationship between the three smaller maps and the main map? In addition, the base map is too old; please replace it with a more recent one.

(7) The caption of Figure 2 does not correspond to the figure, and key information is missing.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The English is generally understandable and the structure is clear, but there are numerous minor grammatical, typographical and stylistic issues (e.g. article use, subject–verb agreement, punctuation, spacing around hyphens).

Author Response

 （1）The Introduction provides good contextual background but could more clearly articulate what is novel about this study relative to existing work on Mopane woodlands and the ecological apparency hypothesis.

Response 1: The introduction has been revised and highlights the novelty of the study in line 95-107, this is a first study looking at people’s perception in abundance and forest resources use in Mopane woodlands and seeking to provide peoples perception in conservation and management of woodlands “Perception of tree species abundance is guided by the patterns of resource use, long-term interactions between local people and their vegetation, and cultural values. The ecological knowledge of forest resources is transmitted through oral traditions and practices, resulting in a locally culturally embedded understanding of tree species uses, abundance, and distribution.  Therefore, Mopani District Vatsonga people’s perception of abundance may influence harvesting, utilization, and management decisions at the local level. Once their perceptions of tree species are understood, it provides an opportunity to explore the feasibility of incorporating cultural practices into conservation planning. The ecological apparency theory (EAT) predicts that plant species that are more apparent are more likely to be recognized and utilized by humans (14).  As predicted by EAT, apparent species are easier to remember, locate, and harvest, making them central to local ecological knowledge and perceptions of abundance. The Vatsonga people utilize trees and mopane woodlands for firewood, poles, tool-making, gathering wild fruits, fodder, traditional medicine, and ritual practices.”

（2）Please specify when (month and year) the household surveys and free-listing exercises were conducted, and whether they covered one season or multiple seasons. This is important given seasonal availability of products (e.g. mopane worms).

Response 2: The month and year have been added, Line 124 (January 2024)

（3）Several tables contain many percentages that are not all discussed. You may consider moving some highly descriptive tables to Supplementary Material, keeping in the main text only those that are central to your argument (e.g. top products, top species).

Response 3: Table 5, 6 and 7 are discussed under this section “Perceived tree species abundance and use-value”  Table 2, 3 and 4 are discussed under this section “ Utilization of Non-Woody Plant, Animal, and Woody Products in Mopane Woodlands”

（4）The Discussion could more explicitly connect the empirical results to the ecological apparency hypothesis: for example, are there any notable exceptions where a species is abundant but little used, or heavily used despite low perceived abundance? Discuss what such cases might imply.

Response 4: The discussion has been improved and hypothesis has been linked well in discussion,

Line 260-264 “This study reveals a clear pattern in the local people’s perceptions of tree species abundance across the study communities in Mopane woodlands. The mopane woodlandlands resources use patterns and tree abundance perception reflects the principles of ecological apparency theory. The perceived abundant species such as Colophospermum mopane, Sclerocarya birrea, Combretum imberbe, Combretum molle, and Diospyros mespiliformis are mostly apparent and high value tree species.”

Line 303-310 “The following species, Adansonia digitata, Aloe marlothii, Ximenia caffra, Grewia monticola, and Philenoptera violacea, were recorded as having low use values and did not appear in the perceived abundance top list. This aligns with ecological apparency theory, which predicts lower recognition and use of less apparent species. These species are either patchily distributed, naturally rare, or mopane woodlands are not their specific habitats. Moreover, they may not have perceived abundance, but they still hold social and cultural significance. However, the impact of human disturbances should not be overlooked in relation to the effect of these perceived abundances [5].”

（5）The manuscript alternates between “Mopane District” and “Mopani District” when referring to the administrative unit. Please check the official name and standardise it throughout the text (including figure captions).

Response 5: The name of the district has been corrected in the entire document, “Mopani District”

（6）Figure 1 does not clearly present the study area. What is the relationship between the three smaller maps and the main map? In addition, the base map is too old; please replace it with a more recent one.

Response 6: New study area map has been designed and inserted, line 149.

(7) The caption of Figure 2 does not correspond to the figure, and key information is missing.

Response 7: Figure 2 caption has been revised, Line 256 “Figure 2. Scatter plot showing a relationship between use-value and salience (perceived tree 

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Thank you for furthering understanding of an important ecosystem and factors important for its conservation and sustainable use.  However you don’t have objective information - on relative tree abundance and all the other data that you would need for evaluating competing hypotheses.  You should only claim that your data is consistent with your main hypothesis, claims should be more conservative.  The paper requires a robust framework regarding forest collection patterns and linkage to cultural and socioeconomic dimensions.

 

Land tenure is only vaguely alluded to as well as forest resources governance. You mention charcoal among other forest resources are illegaly collected and use, but it is important to describe the legal framework, government and local regulations.  This vital factor (including any differences between communities, cultural, historical or economic) and a discussion using an Ostrom commons framework would greatly improve the paper.  Information regarding the cultural background of the communities is important to incorporate, especially because the paper is dealing with species preferences according to the variety of uses..

 

You may or may not have relevant data.  But in any case you could use your valuable field experience to create a specific and nontrivial set of suggestions for further research which would be relevant to solutions to the problems faced by the people and the forests in the study area.

 

 

 

40  mopane worms, => edible ‘mopane worms’ (Gonimbrasia belina moth caterpillars),  

{readers need to know that these are edible for subsequent text to make sense, Imbrasia belina is an older name}

60-62  eliminate or reword this sentence

67 as worded, readers will be confused about the connection between fire and worm processing

73-74  expand to be more specific otherwise remove

76-84 changes in usage not clear with current wording (a table or chart would be helpful)

93-96  expand with more details or else shorten to remove redundancy

102-104  this sentence is problematic without defining the ‘phytosociological parameters’ and eventually pointing to actual data

119 the readers will wonder how unemployment is defined in this context

133  Expand or eliminate –as worded, this does not make sense as an  ‘X because Y’  sentence

147  Hlomela (65), => 65 for Hlomela

{make consistent for all locations}

268-270 Expand and make clear how this sentence contrasts with the previous sentence

296  describe how fire is used and how it is unsustainable (is fire otherwise rare in these forests?)

 

Author Response

 Comment 1

Thank you for furthering understanding of an important ecosystem and factors important for its conservation and sustainable use. However you don’t have objective information - on relative tree abundance and all the other data that you would need for evaluating competing hypotheses. You should only claim that your data is consistent with your main hypothesis, claims should be more conservative. The paper requires a robust framework regarding forest collection patterns and linkage to cultural and socioeconomic dimensions.

Response 1: We agree that the study does not provide objective, quantitative measures of relative tree abundance or other ecological datasets required to formally test and discriminate among competing hypotheses. we have revised the manuscript to ensure that all claims are more conservative and accurately reflect the nature of the data. Specifically, we now frame our findings as being consistent with the main hypothesis rather than as providing definitive evidence, and we explicitly acknowledge the limitations of relying on perception-based and socio-cultural data in the absence of detailed forest inventory information. Revisions have been made in lines 91-120 and in the discussion section.

Comment 2

Land tenure is only vaguely alluded to as well as forest resources governance. You mention charcoal among other forest resources are illegaly collected and use, but it is important to describe the legal framework, government and local regulations. This vital factor (including any differences between communities, cultural, historical or economic) and a discussion using an Ostrom commons framework would greatly improve the paper.

Response 2: Revised in line 142-150 “The GGM is dominated by Vatsonga people; the GGM forms part of the former homelands (Gazankulu). Forest resources are strongly managed and controlled through customary rules, traditionally protected by taboos and government policies [19]. The customary rules are linked to the community leadership, specifically the Chief (Hosi), and communal decision-making is conducted in a communal assembly (Huvo). The use of forest resources is controlled through access permits issued by the Tibal authority and Chief [20]. In Vatsonga culture, the elders are the custodians of ecological knowledge, which is passed down through oral traditions, including storytelling, proverbs, and praise poetry [15]. ”

Comment 3

Information regarding the cultural background of the communities is important to incorporate, especially because the paper is dealing with species preferences according to the variety of uses.. You may or may not have relevant data. But in any case you could use your valuable field experience to create a specific and nontrivial set of suggestions for further research which would be relevant to solutions to the problems faced by the people and the forests in the study area.

Response 3: Suggestions made in line 358-366 “Addressing the unsustainable exploitation of Mopane woodland products requires multi-stakeholder cooperation, including licensing and the legal commercialization of natural resources. Restrictive conservation policies have proven largely ineffective in the face of widespread poverty and unemployment. Traditional leadership structures, once central to woodland governance, are now weakened, and roles among key stakeholders remain unclear [35]. To counteract degradation, there is a pressing need to establish Mopane woodland user associations, improve licensing systems, and promote co-management models. As Sinthumule [17] emphasizes, successful conservation hinges on collaboration between local communities, traditional leaders, and government institutions.”

Comment 4

40 mopane worms, => edible ‘mopane worms’ (Gonimbrasia belina moth caterpillars),

{readers need to know that these are edible for subsequent text to make sense, Imbrasia belina is an older name}

Response 4: Revised and species name written correctly in the entire document, line 38 and 52. “Gonimbrasia belina moth caterpillars”

Comment 5

60-62 eliminate or reword this sentence

Response 5: The sentence revised, line 59-61 “However, the perceived abundance of locally occurring tree species and their relationship to the use value of forest products in mopane woodlands has received limited research attention, particularly within the Mopani District in Limpopo, South Africa.”

Comment 6

67 as worded, readers will be confused about the connection between fire and worm processing

Response 6: Revised, and explained how fire is used, line 66-67 “ as well as frequent fires caused by unattended fires after mopane worm processing (e.g., cooking, boiling, or roasting) in the mopane woodlands”

Comment 7

73-74 expand to be more specific otherwise remove

Response 7: Expanded for clarity, line 73-74 “mopane species are extensively utilized within mopane vegetation due to their multiple-use characteristics, which make them highly valuable to local communities.”

Comment 8

76-84 changes in usage not clear with current wording (a table or chart would be helpful)

Response 8: The sentence has been revised for clarity, line 76-82 “In Namibia, shifts in species composition within mopane vegetation over time have led to changes in species use, with alternatives such as Hyphaene petersiana increasingly used for purposes like traditional medicine in place of mopane species [10].  In mopane-dominated areas, several alternative tree species are utilized for various purposes. For example, Combretum imberbe, Combretum hereroense, Terminalia sericea, and Dichrostachys cinerea are commonly used for building materials; Hyphaene petersiana for firewood [10].”

Comment 9

93-96 expand with more details or else shorten to remove redundancy

Response 9: Expanded for clarity, line 91-94 “Persistent overharvesting has the potential to severely compromise the distribution, productivity, and ecological functionality of mopane vegetation. In South Africa, rising demand and intensified harvesting have contributed to the growing overexploitation of mopane-derived products [5].”

Comment 10

102-104 this sentence is problematic without defining the ‘phytosociological parameters’ and eventually pointing to actual data

Response 10: The hypothesis has been revised and phytosociological parameters removed, line 114-115, “This study hypothesized that the value of tree species is more closely linked to local perceptions of abundance; the higher the abundance of tree species, the higher the utilization.”

Comment 11

119 the readers will wonder how unemployment is defined in this context

Response 11: Unemployed refers to people who are seeking employment, as per Statistics South Africa, line 132-133 “The district is dominated by rural communities (81%), and a notable percentage of the people are unemployed (39%) seeking work”

Comment 12

133 Expand or eliminate –as worded, this does not make sense as an ‘X because Y’ sentence

Response 12: Rephrased for clarity, line 153-155 “The purposive sampling was used to select the study communities because they are located within mopane woodlands that are experiencing an unprecedented increase in unsustainable harvesting pressure”

Comment 13

147 Hlomela (65), => 65 for Hlomela

{make consistent for all locations}

Response 13: Revised accordingly, line 166-167 “The calculated sample sizes were 70 for Gawula, 65 for Hlomela, 75 for Mahlathi, and 46 for Nkomo C”

Comment 14

268-270 Expand and make clear how this sentence contrasts with the previous sentence

Response 14: “Contrast” was mistakenly used, revised lines 303-305 “The following species, Adansonia digitata, Aloe marlothii, Ximenia caffra, Grewia monticola, and Philenoptera violacea, were recorded as having low use values and did not appear in the perceived abundance top list.”

Comment 15

296 describe how fire is used and how it is unsustainable (is fire otherwise rare in these forests?)

Response 15: Explained line 332-335 “The cumulative effect of many small, repeated fires during the mopane worm harvesting and processing period (e.g., cooking, boiling, or roasting) has led to frequent anthropogenic fires in mopane, subsequently altering the fire regimes.”

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript presents a valuable and well-structured study that addresses an important topic for sustainability science, community-based forest management, and ethnobotanical research. The paper is clearly written, the methods are appropriate and well described, and the results are presented in a transparent and convincing manner. Overall, the study provides useful empirical evidence on how local communities perceive tree species abundance and how this relates to cultural and economic use in mopane woodlands.

With some clarifications and minor refinements, the manuscript can be further strengthened.

1. Research niche and contribution

While the Introduction provides a good overview of mopane woodlands and resource-use pressures, the research niche could be stated more clearly. At present, the contribution of the study emerges implicitly rather than explicitly.

I suggest that the authors more clearly emphasize that the study addresses a specific gap.

2. Aim, research questions, and objectives

Although the purpose of the study can be inferred from the text, the manuscript would benefit from a clear and explicit formulation of the aim, research questions, and objectives, preferably at the end of the Introduction.

3. Perceived versus actual abundance

The study appropriately focuses on perceived tree species abundance, which is well justified given the ethnobotanical and socio-ecological approach. However, in some parts of the Discussion and Conclusions, the distinction between perceived abundance and actual ecological abundance is not always sufficiently clear.

I recommend that the authors consistently emphasize that:

• the findings reflect local knowledge and perceptions,
• the observed relationships are based on perceived availability rather than measured forest inventories.

4. Interpretation of the abundance–use relationship

The strong correlation between perceived abundance and use-value provides convincing support for the ecological apparency hypothesis. At the same time, the interpretation could be slightly more cautious.

 

It may be useful to acknowledge that:

• the strength of the relationship may partly reflect the methods used (free listing, salience, and reported uses),
• social, cultural, or historical preferences may also influence which species are perceived as abundant and valuable.

Framing the results as strong associations rather than deterministic relationships would improve interpretative balance.

5. Use of causal language

In several places, the manuscript uses relatively strong causal wording (e.g., abundance “drives” use or “indicates” pressure). Given the cross-sectional and perception-based nature of the data, I suggest adopting a more cautious and associative language, such as “is associated with,” “is consistent with,” or “suggests potential pressure.”

6. Conclusions and implications

The Conclusions are generally well aligned with the results and highlight the importance of integrating local knowledge into conservation and management frameworks. However, statements suggesting that highly valued species are necessarily under unsustainable pressure could be moderated, as actual harvesting intensity and regeneration were not directly measured.

Linking these conclusions more explicitly to the need for future ecological inventories or long-term monitoring would make the recommendations more balanced and robust.

Author Response

Comment 1

 The manuscript presents a valuable and well-structured study that addresses an important topic for sustainability science, community-based forest management, and ethnobotanical research. The paper is clearly written, the methods are appropriate and well described, and the results are presented in a transparent and convincing manner. Overall, the study provides useful empirical evidence on how local communities perceive tree species abundance and how this relates to cultural and economic use in mopane woodlands.

With some clarifications and minor refinements, the manuscript can be further strengthened.

1. Research niche and contribution

 

While the Introduction provides a good overview of mopane woodlands and resource-use pressures, the research niche could be stated more clearly. At present, the contribution of the study emerges implicitly rather than explicitly.

I suggest that the authors more clearly emphasize that the study addresses a specific gap.

 

Response 1: Research gaps and study necesseity are mentioned in the following lines;

 

Line 59-61 “Human factors influence people's decision-making about where, how much, what, and how to harvest forest resources [9]. However, the perceived abundance of locally occurring tree species and their relationship to the use value of forest products in mopane woodlands has received limited research attention, particularly within the Mopani District in Limpopo, South Africa.”

 

Line 95-106 “Perception of tree species abundance is guided by the patterns of resource use, long-term interactions between local people and their vegetation, and cultural values. The ecological knowledge of forest resources is transmitted through oral traditions and practices, resulting in a locally culturally embedded understanding of tree species uses, abundance, and distribution.  Therefore, Mopani District Vatsonga people’s perception of abundance may influence harvesting, utilization, and management decisions at the local level. Once their perceptions of tree species are understood, it provides an opportunity to explore the feasibility of incorporating cultural practices into conservation planning. The ecological apparency theory (EAT) predicts that plant species that are more apparent are more likely to be recognized and utilized by humans (14).  As predicted by EAT, apparent species are easier to remember, locate, and harvest, making them central to local ecological knowledge and perceptions of abundance.”

 

Comment 2

Aim, research questions, and objectives

 

Although the purpose of the study can be inferred from the text, the manuscript would benefit from a clear and explicit formulation of the aim, research questions, and objectives, preferably at the end of the Introduction.

 

Response 2: Revised line 116-121 “The present study, therefore, aims to evaluate how perceived abundance influences patterns of mopane woodlands resource harvesting and utilization. The following questions were addressed: (a) What are the woody and non-woody products harvested from the woodlands? (b) Which tree species are mostly used, and what are their uses? (c) Which tree species are perceived as abundant within the mopane woodlands?”

 

 

 

Comment 3

Perceived versus actual abundance

 

The study appropriately focuses on perceived tree species abundance, which is well justified given the ethnobotanical and socio-ecological approach. However, in some parts of the Discussion and Conclusions, the distinction between perceived abundance and actual ecological abundance is not always sufficiently clear.

I recommend that the authors consistently emphasize that:

• the findings reflect local knowledge and perceptions,
• the observed relationships are based on perceived availability rather than measured forest inventories.
• Interpretation of the abundance–use relationship

 

Response 3: Perceived abundance has been used to correct the confusion between the measured abundance. The correction has been made in the discussion and conclusion, and the entire document.

 

Comment 4

The strong correlation between perceived abundance and use-value provides convincing support for the ecological apparency hypothesis. At the same time, the interpretation could be slightly more cautious.

It may be useful to acknowledge that:

• the strength of the relationship may partly reflect the methods used (free listing, salience, and reported uses),
• social, cultural, or historical preferences may also influence which species are perceived as abundant and valuable.

Framing the results as strong associations rather than deterministic relationships would improve interpretative balance.

1. Use of causal language

In several places, the manuscript uses relatively strong causal wording (e.g., abundance “drives” use or “indicates” pressure). Given the cross-sectional and perception-based nature of the data, I suggest adopting a more cautious and associative language, such as “is associated with,” “is consistent with,” or “suggests potential pressure.”

 

Response 4: The use of causal language has been corrected, words such as drives, and indicates have been revised as per reviewer suggestions.

 

Comment 5

 

Conclusions and implications

 

The Conclusions are generally well aligned with the results and highlight the importance of integrating local knowledge into conservation and management frameworks. However, statements suggesting that highly valued species are necessarily under unsustainable pressure could be moderated, as actual harvesting intensity and regeneration were not directly measured.

Linking these conclusions more explicitly to the need for future ecological inventories or long-term monitoring would make the recommendations more balanced and robust.

Response 5: Conclusion has been revised, line 373-381 “The more apparent species had more use value and perceived abundance. Most of the products are collected from perceived abundant species. This suggests the potential use pressure of the most perceived abundant tree species in mopane woodlands. The most frequently collected resources include firewood, mopane worms, medicinal plants, wild vegetables, poles, and fish. Among these, firewood emerged as the primary woody forest product, while mopane worms and wild vegetables were the most significant non-woody animal and plant products, respectively.  Future research should focus on ecological inventories of mopane woodlands to validate the perceived abundance.”

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript provides a comprehensive and insightful analysis of the relationship between perceived species abundance and the cultural-economic use-value (UV) of tree species in the Mopane woodlands of South Africa. The research is well-grounded in the Ecological Apparency Hypothesis, testing whether the most visible or abundant species are also those most utilized by local communities. Given the socio-economic challenges in the Mopani District, this study is both timely and relevant for regional forest management and biodiversity conservation. The integration of ethnobotanical indices with socio-economic data offers a robust framework for understanding rural livelihoods.

The manuscript is technically sound, the data supports the conclusions, and the ethical considerations for human-subject research have been appropriately followed.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

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