Samuels, IgshaanGallant, LukeInman, Emilia N.2026-03-242026-03-242026Inman, E.N., Samuels, I., Cupido, C. and Gallant, L., 2026. Heuweltjies as within-paddock indicators of veld condition in the Succulent Karoo: vegetation contrasts between mound and intermound habitats. South African Journal of Botany, 190, pp.641-649.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.042https://hdl.handle.net/10566/22095Heuweltjies (microtopographic earthen mounds) are conspicuous across South Africa's semi-arid, winter-rainfall rangelands, yet their value as field-ready indicators of veld condition is under-tested. This study examines the suitability of heuweltjies as indicators of veld condition within paddocks in the semi-arid Succulent Karoo. We utilized a spatially explicit paired sampling design, comparing vegetation attributes on 16 mounds with adjacent intermound plots (the matrix), in the Ebenhaeser communal rangelands. We focused on operational diagnostics, which are repeatable, management-sensitive metrics derived from life-form balances, growth-form structure, and palatability-weighted abundance. Statistical comparisons utilized Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) to ensure robust inference by accounting for the non-independence inherent in the paired plot design. Mound habitats consistently showed a strong utilization signal, characterized by significantly higher counts of palatable individuals, as well as high herb richness and Shannon diversity. This confirms the ecological function of heuweltjies as resource islands that concentrate desirable forage. Annual plants exhibited significantly higher abundance and cover on mounds, reflecting their sensitivity to the localized nutrient enrichment and disturbance inherent in these resource islands. Succulent shrubs (a key forage group) were significantly larger on mounds, yet grasses were more abundant on the intermound matrix, highlighting a competitive trade-off possibly driven by higher mound alkalinity or shrub competition. These results validate the inherent mound–intermound contrast as a robust, low-cost indicator framework. Formalizing metrics such as palatable plant count difference and annual proportion provides local managers with repeatable, management-relevant signals necessary for setting accurate utilization thresholds, thus improving the performance of broader veld condition assessments.enEbenhaeserHeuweltjiesIndicatorsRangelandVeld conditionArticle