Environmental variables
Vertical and horizontal vegetation cover were quantified during each sampling period. The horizontal vegetation cover was quantified by visually estimating percentage area covered by bare ground, leaf litter, rocks, and vegetation within a 1 m² grid over each pitfall trap (Botes et al., 2006; Munyai & Foord, 2012). To quantify the vertical distribution of vegetation, number of hits (i.e., the number of contacts with vegetation) from the rod were recorded at 25 cm intervals using a 1.5 m rod. The 1.5 m rod was placed four times at 90° angles from a pitfall trap, which was used as a central point. This method was used as a measure vertical vegetation complexity.
Soil samples were collected in October 2017 at each replicate, 10 subsoil samples were collected using a soil auger and then pooled for that replicate. A total of 48 soil samples were sent to the Research and Technology Development: Analytical service labs, in Cedara, Pietermaritzburg, for composition analysis (% organic carbon, % nitrogen and % clay), chemical content (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, manganese, zinc, magnesium and copper), and texture (% clay, % sand, % silt and % moisture).