{"title":"Benfontein Private Nature Reserve - South Africa","id":{"prefix":"https:\/\/deims.org\/","suffix":"7c252a07-91d9-49e7-96e5-d64d254dd056"},"type":"site","created":"2025-08-06T09:45:54+02:00","changed":"2025-08-08T08:50:06+02:00","attributes":{"affiliation":{"networks":[{"network":{"name":"SAEON","id":{"prefix":"https:\/\/deims.org\/networks\/","suffix":"bce17afa-e548-4410-99d2-4eade740c9a9"}},"siteCode":null,"verified":false}],"projects":null},"contact":{"siteManager":[{"type":"person","name":"Zanele Ntshidi","email":"z.ntshidi@saeon.nrf.ac.za","orcid":null}],"operatingOrganisation":[{"type":"organisation","name":"South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON)","url":"http:\/\/www.saeon.ac.za\/","ror":"https:\/\/ror.org\/041j42q70"}],"metadataProvider":[{"type":"organisation","name":"South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON)","url":"http:\/\/www.saeon.ac.za\/","ror":"https:\/\/ror.org\/041j42q70"}],"fundingAgency":null,"siteUrl":[{"title":null,"value":"https:\/\/arid.saeon.ac.za\/node-projects\/"}]},"general":{"abstract":"The site is located 10 km outside of the Kimberley on the border of the Northern Cape and Free state. Previously used for grazing land, the area is currently a Private Nature Reserve, home to various game species. Research at the site has been active since the late 1900s, primarily focussing on mammals and birds. SAEON got involved in research at the site in 2017. The site can be characterized by having Nama-Karoo, Arid Grassland, and Arid Savanna.","citation":null,"relatedIdentifiers":null,"status":{"label":"Operational","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/elter_cl\/10772"},"yearEstablished":2018,"yearClosed":null,"relatedSites":null,"siteName":"Benfontein Private Nature Reserve","shortName":"Benfontein","siteType":"Platform","protectionLevel":[{"label":"Category Ia \u2013 Strict Nature Reserve","uri":"http:\/\/dd.eionet.europa.eu\/vocabularyconcept\/cdda\/IucnCategoryValue\/Ia"}],"landUse":null,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/deims.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2025-08\/20250514_094740.jpg","alt":"Flux tower at Benfontein"}]},"environmentalCharacteristics":{"airTemperature":{"yearlyAverage":25,"monthlyAverage":null,"unit":"\u00b0C","referencePeriod":{"label":"Other, non-standardised or incomplete reference period","uri":null}},"precipitation":{"yearlyAverage":420,"monthlyAverage":null,"unit":"mm","referencePeriod":{"label":"Other, non-standardised or incomplete reference period","uri":null}},"biogeographicalRegion":null,"biome":"savanna","ecosystemType":[{"label":"Grasslands","uri":null},{"label":"Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands","uri":null}],"eunisHabitat":[{"label":"Dry grasslands (E1)","uri":null},{"label":"Perennial calcareous grassland and basic steppes (E1.2)","uri":null}],"landforms":null,"geoBonBiome":["Terrestrial"],"geology":null,"hydrology":null,"soils":null,"vegetation":null},"geographic":{"boundaries":"POLYGON ((24.812467 -28.810652, 24.800103 -28.831106, 24.789113 -28.829602, 24.785678 -28.821782, 24.773658 -28.829001, 24.759233 -28.84885, 24.754769 -28.859074, 24.754425 -28.868395, 24.757173 -28.874708, 24.761294 -28.892444, 24.77984 -28.908976, 24.783961 -28.920696, 24.869135 -28.893947, 24.878408 -28.874708, 24.865357 -28.860276, 24.855741 -28.837121, 24.835134 -28.818173, 24.819336 -28.81366, 24.812467 -28.810652))","coordinates":"POINT (24.81453 -28.858397)","country":["South Africa"],"elevation":{"avg":1183,"min":1160,"max":1200,"unit":"msl"},"size":{"value":9486.67,"unit":"ha"},"relatedLocations":null},"focusDesignScale":{"experiments":{"design":"partly experimentation","scale":"micro sites"},"observations":{"design":"mainly observation","scale":"beyond catchment"},"observedProperties":[{"label":"air temperature","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22035"},{"label":"atmospheric parameter","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/20937"},{"label":"beta diversity","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22067"},{"label":"biological parameter","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/20940"},{"label":"canopy cover rate","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22076"},{"label":"canopy growth rate","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22076"},{"label":"canopy height","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22079"},{"label":"community structure","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/21472"},{"label":"effective population size","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22113"},{"label":"electrical conductivity","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/21552"},{"label":"environmental parameter","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/20941"},{"label":"flowering date","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22096"},{"label":"maximum temperature","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/21529"},{"label":"minimum temperature","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/21532"},{"label":"plant cover","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22188"},{"label":"plant density","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22189"},{"label":"rainfall variability","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/21948"},{"label":"relative humidity","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/21579"},{"label":"seasonal change","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/21569"},{"label":"soil moisture content","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/10039"},{"label":"soil parameter","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/20944"},{"label":"soil temperature","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22278"},{"label":"solar radiation","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22284"},{"label":"water parameter","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/20945"},{"label":"wind direction","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22317"},{"label":"wind direction (mean and gust)","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22318"},{"label":"wind speed","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22319"},{"label":"wind speed (mean and gust)","uri":"http:\/\/vocabs.lter-europe.net\/EnvThes\/22320"}]},"infrastructure":{"accessibleAllYear":true,"accessType":"dirt road  (4WD)","allPartsAccessible":true,"maintenanceInterval":30,"permanentPowerSupply":true,"operation":{"permanent":true,"notes":null,"siteVisitInterval":14},"notes":null,"collection":null,"data":{"policy":{"url":null,"rights":["Formal acknowledgement of the dataset providers"],"notes":null}}},"relatedResources":null,"projectRelated":{"lter":{"lterSiteClassification":null}}}}