Forest response to climate changes in Atlantic Equatorial Africa during the last 4000 years BP and inheritance on the modern landscapes

被引:119
作者
Vincens, A
Schwartz, D
Elenga, H
Reynaud-Farrera, I
Alexandre, A
Bertaux, J
Mariotti, A
Martin, L
Meunier, JD
Nguetsop, F
Servant, M
Servant-Vildary, S
Wirrmann, D
机构
[1] CEREGE, F-13545 Aix En Provence 04, France
[2] CEREG, ORSTOM, F-67083 Strasbourg, France
[3] CEREGE, African Pollen Database, F-13545 Aix En Provence 04, France
[4] Univ Montpellier 2, F-34095 Montpellier 5, France
[5] ORSTOM, F-93143 Bondy, France
[6] Univ Paris 06, F-75252 Paris 05, France
[7] ORSTOM, Museum Natl Hist Nat, F-75005 Paris, France
关键词
pollen; multi proxydata; forest; climate; Atlantic Equatorial Africa; Late Holocene;
D O I
10.1046/j.1365-2699.1999.00333.x
中图分类号
Q14 [生态学(生物生态学)];
学科分类号
071012 ; 0713 ;
摘要
This review paper synthesizes the recent published palaeoecological results obtained in Atlantic Equatorial Africa (ECOFIT program) on the history of forest ecosystems and inferred climate changes during the past 4000 years. Evidence are mainly provided by pollen analysis carried out at nine sites from Congo, Cameroon and Ghana, locally supported by macroflora remains, phytoliths, diatoms, delta(13)C and mineralogical data. At all the sites, except Lake Bosumtwi (Ghana), following a large expansion of rain and mesophilous forests until 3000 years sp, a major change is registered, affecting floristic composition, structure and geographical distribution. According to the hydrological sensitivity of the different sites, local openings of the forests with development of heliophilous formations and/or isolated enclosed savannas are observed at the most humid sites; complete disappearance of forested formations at the driest. The agreement between pollen records, hydrological and hydrobiological data definitely demonstrates that an arid event has been the primary driving factor of this change and is responsable for the main features of the modern landscapes in Atlantic Equatorial Africa. Moreover, the most recent palaeoecological data obtained in Congo (Lake Sinnda), indicate that this Late Holocene increasing aridity was of longer duration, from 4000 to 1300 years sp, and more progressive than previously inferred. A new expansion of forests is locally detected c. 900-600 BF despite increased human impact.
引用
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页码:879 / 885
页数:7
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