An integrated, landscape based approach to model the formation and hydrological functioning of wetlands in semiarid headwater catchments of the Umzimvubu River, South Africa [Elektronische Ressource] / vorgelegt von Jörg Helmschrot

An integrated, landscape-based approach to model the formation and hydrological functioning of wetlands in headwater catchments of the Umzimvubu River, South Africa Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades doctor rerum naturalium (Dr. rer. nat.) vorgelegt dem Rat der Chemisch-Geowissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena von Dipl.-Geogr. Jörg Helmschrot geboren am 28. Oktober 1969 in Gera Gutachter: 1. Prof. Dr. W.-A. Flügel (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena) 2. Prof. Dr. R. Mäusbacher (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena) 3. Prof. Dr. V. Hochschild (Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen) Tag der öffentlichen Verteidigung: 1. November 2006 IACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation would not have been written without the encouragement and a tremendous amount of support of a large number of people. First of all, I would like to thank my supervisors Prof. Dr. Wolfgang-Albert Flügel and Prof. Dr. Roland Mäusbacher, who supported and guided me with their valuable motivation, criti-cism and fruitful discussions during the time of research for this dissertation. Acknowledgements are also given to Dr. Simon Lorentz (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) for his great scientific help as well as continuous assistance and logistical support in the field during the past nine years.