Abstract
This review paper presents first the main pollen results on the vegetation history of the rain forest during the late Quaternary.
- The Lake Bosumtwi record (Ghana) shows the disappearance of rain forest from the base of the core (ca. 28 000 yr BP) to ca. 9000 yr BP. During this time interval the vegetation was of montane type with sparse clumps of trees. There is synchronism between montane vegetation disappearance and rain forest reappearance. This phenomenon occurred abruptly around 9000 yr BP.
- The Lake Barombi Mbo record (West Cameroon) shows clearly that from ca. 24 000 yr BP until the present time, rain forest persisted with limited variations, and thus, this area represents a refuge area.
From these data and other, one concludes that Afromontane vegetation extended to lowland during cool and humid phases.
Other palaeoenvironmental data were obtained by diverse geological analyses of the lacustrine sediments. For Bosumtwi, the relatively precise reconstruction of lake-level fluctuations permitted several palaeoclimatic interpretations for the main Holocene phases.
For Barombi Mbo, the evolution of total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TON) seems to be related mainly to temperature evolution. By comparison with present-day mountain environments, TOC and TON increase in cool environments, but decrease when warmth and humidity increase, as during Holocene time, because the recycling processes speed up in the topsoil. For the same period the alteration of the soils in the catchment produced a strong increase of kaolinite. All these change intervened ca. 9500 yr BP, which is a key date in tropical Africa.
In conclusion, climatic correlations between equatorial and dry north tropical Africa illustrate how changes in the forest block must have important effects on adjacent climatic zones.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Achoudong, G.: 1985, ‘Etude écologique et floristique de la végétation des collines de Yaoundé audessus de 1000 m’, Thèse Ecologie Végétale, Univ. Yaoundé, 301 pp.
Baudet, J. and Laurenti, P.: 1976, ‘Traceurs isotopiques et situation météorologique’, La Méteorologie VI (6), 213–221.
Beadle, L. C.: 1974, The Inland Waters of Africa. An Introduction to Tropical Limnology, Longman, London, 365 pp.
Bernardi, G.: 1979, ‘Contribution à la biogéographie des montagnes africaines. I. Généralités’, C. R. Soc. Biogéogr. 479, 6–10.
Bonnefille, R., Roeland, J. C., and Guiot, J.: 1990, ‘Temperatures and Rainfall Estimates for the Past 40 000 Years in Equatorial Africa’, Nature 346, 347–349.
Brenac, P.: 1988, ‘Evolution de la végétation et du climat dans l'Ouest Cameroun entre 25.000 et 11.000 ans BP’, Actes Xème Symposium Ass. Palynologues Langue Française, Trav. Sect. Sci. et Tech. Inst. Francais Pondichéry 25, 91–103.
Cadet, D. L. and Nnoli, N. O.' 1987, ‘Water Vapour Transport over Africa and the Atlantic Ocean during Summer 1979’, Quarterly J. Royal Meteo. Soc. 113, 581–602.
Caratini, C. and Giresse, P.: 1979, ‘Contribution palynologique à la connaissance des environnements continentaux et marins du Congo à la fin du Quaternaire’, C. R. Acad. Sc. série D, 288, 379–382.
Coetzee, J. A.: 1964, ‘Evidence for a Considerable Depression of the Vegetation Belts during the Upper Pleistocene on the East African Mountains’, Nature 204, 564–566.
Drochon, A.: 1976, ‘Données climatologiques au sol et en altitude pour la station d'Abidjan’, Note ASECNA (Agence Sécurité Navigation Aérienne) 55.
Elenga, H.: 1987, ‘Les Plateaux Batéké (Congo). Paléoenvironnements Quaternaires d'après l'étude du sondage du bois de Bilanko’, Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies, Université d'Aix-Marseille II, 41 pp.
Flenley, J. R.: 1979, The Equatorial Rain Forest: A Geological History, Butterworths, London, 162 pp.
Fredoux, A. and Tastet, J. P.: 1988, ‘Stratigraphie pollinique et paléoclimatologie de la marge septentrionale du Golfe de Guinée depuis 200.000 ans’, Inst. Français. Pondichéry, Trav. Sec. Sci. et Techn. 25, 175–183.
Fredoux, A., Tastet, J. P., Maley, J., and Guilmette, C.: 1989, ‘Caractérisation palynologique du stade isotopique 5 et présence de Podocarpus latifolius en Côte d'Ivoire au Pléistocène supérieur’, 1er Symposium Palynologie Africaine, Rabat, Résumé 1 p.
Gasse, F., Tehet, R., Durand, A., Gibert, E., and Fontes, J.C.: 1990, ‘The Arid-Humid Transition in the Sahara and the Sahel during the Last Deglaciation,’ Nature 346, 141–146.
Giresse, P. and Lanfranchi, R.: 1984, ‘Les climats et les océans de la Région Congolaise pendant l'Holocène. Bilans selon les échelles et les méthodes de l'observation’, Palaeoecology of Africa 16, 77–88.
Giresse, P., Maley, J., and Kelts, K.: (to be published), ‘Sedimentation and Paleoenvironment in Crater Lake Barombi Mbo, Cameroon, during the Last 25 000 Years’, Sedimentary Geology.
Grubb, P. J.: 1971, ‘Interpretation of the “Massenerhebung” Effect on Tropical Mountains’, Nature 229, 44–45.
Grubb, P. J.: 1977, ‘Control of Forest Growth and Distribution on Wet Tropical Mountains, with Special Reference to Mineral Nutrition’, Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 8, 83–107.
Hall, J. B.: 1973, ‘Vegetational Zones on the Southern Slopes of Mount Cameroon’, Vegetatio 27, 49–69.
Hall, J. B. and Swaine, M. D.: 1981, Distribution and Ecology of Vascular Plants in a Tropical Rain Forest: Forest Vegetation in Ghana, W. Junk, The Hague, 383 pp.
Hamilton, A. C.: 1973, ‘The History of the Vegetation’, in E. M. Lind and M. E. S. Morrison (eds.), The Vegetation of East Africa, Longman Publ., pp. 188–209.
Hamilton, A. C.: 1982, Environmental History of East Africa. A Study of the Quaternary, Academic Press, London, 311 pp.
Kling, G. W.: 1987, ‘Comparative Limnology of Lakes in Cameroon, West Africa’, Ph.D. thesis, Duke Univ., 482 pp.
Kling, G. W.: 1988, ‘Comparative Transparency, Depth of Mixing, and Stability of Stratification in Lakes of Cameroon, West Africa’, Limnol. Oceanogr. 33, 27–40.
Leigh, E. G.: 1975, ‘Structure and Climate in Tropical Rain Forest’, Annual Rev. Ecology and Systematics 6, 67–86.
Letouzey, R.: 1968, ‘Etude phytogéographique du Cameroun’, Encyclopédie Biologique, Paris, 49, 508 pp.
Letouzey, R.: 1978, ‘Notes phytogéographiques sur les Palmiers du Cameroun’, Adansonia 18, 293–325.
Letouzey, R.: 1985, ‘Notices de la carte phytogéographique du Cameroun au 1/500.000’, Inst. Carte Intern. Végétation, Toulouse, and Inst. Rech. Agron., Yaoundé.
Maley, J.: 1981, ‘Etudes palynologiques dans le bassin du Tchad et paléoclimatologie de l'Afrique nordtropicale de 30.000 ans à l'epoque actuelle’, Travaux et Documents ORSTOM, Paris, 129, 586 pp.
Maley, J.: 1982, ‘Dust, Clouds, Rain Types and Climatic Variations in Tropical North Africa, Quat. Res. 18, 1–16.
Maley, J.: 1983, ‘Histoire de la végétation et du climat de l'Afrique nord-tropicale au Quaternaire récent, Bothalia 14 (3–4), 377–389.
Maley, J.: 1987, ‘Fragmentation de la forêt dense humide africaine et extension des biotopes montagnards au Quaternaire récent: nouvelles données polliniques et chronologiques. Implications paléoclimatiques et biogéographiques’, Palaeoecology of Africa 18, 307–334.
Maley, J.: 1989, ‘Late Quaternary Climatic Changes in the African Rain Forest: Forest Refugia and the Major Role of Sea Surface Temperature Variations’, in M. Leinen and M. Sarnthein (eds.), Paleoclimatology and Paleometeorology: Modern and Past Patterns of Global Atmospheric Transport, NATO Advanced Sc. Inst. Series, C, Math. & Phys. Sc., 282, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, pp. 585–616.
Maley, J.: 1989b, ‘L'importance de la tradition orale et des données historiques pour la reconstitution paléoclimatique du dernier millénaire sur l'Afrique nord-tropicale’, in Sud Sahara, Sahel Nord, Publ. Centre Cult. Français Abidjan, pp. 53–57.
Maley, J. and Livingstone, D. A.: 1983, ‘Extension d'un élément montagnard dans le sud du Ghana (Afrique de l'Ouest) au Pleistocene supérieur et à l'Holocene inférieur: premières données polliniques’, C. R. Acad. Sc. serie 2, 296, 1287–1292.
Maley, J. and Brenac, P.: 1987, ‘Analyses polliniques préliminaires du Quaternaire récent de l'Ouest Cameroun: mise en évidence de refuges forestiers et discussion des problèmes paléoclimatiques’, Mém. Trav. Ecole Pratiq. Htes. Inst. Monpellier, 17, pp. 129–142.
Maley, J., Giresse, P., Thouveny, N., Brenac, P., Kelts, K., Livingstone, D. A., Kling, G., Stager, C., Haag, M., Fournier, M., Bandet, Y., Williamson, D., and Zogning, A.: 1990, ‘Lithostratigraphy, Volcanism, Paleomagnetism and Palynology of Quaternary Lacustrine Deposits from Barombi Mbo (West Cameroon): Preliminary Results’, J. Volcanology and Geoth. Res. 42, 319–335.
Maley, J., Caballe, G., and Sita, P.: 1990, ‘Etude d'un peuplement résiduel à basse altitude de Podocarpus latifolius sur le flanc Congolais de Massif du Chaillu. Implications paléoclimatiques et biogéographiques. Etude de la pluie pollinique actuelle’, in R. Lanfranchi and D. Schwartz (eds.), Paysages Quaternaires de l'Afrique centrale Atlantique, Didactiques, ORSTOM, pp. 336–352.
Monteny, B. A.: 1986, ‘Forêt équatoriale, relais de l'océan comme source de vapeur d'eau pour l'atmosphère’, Veille Climatique Satellitaire 12, 39–51.
Monteny, B. A. and Casenave, A.: 1989, ‘The Forest Contribution to the Hydrological Budget in Tropical West Africa’, Annales Geophysicae 7 (4), 427–436.
Moreau, R. E.: 1966, The Bird Faunas of Africa and Its IslandsAcademic Press, New York, 424 pp.
Richards, P.W.: 1963, ‘Ecological Notes on West African Vegetation. II. Lowland Forest of the Southern Bakundu Forest Reserve’, J. Ecology 51, 123–149.
Rind, D. and Peteet, D.: 1985, ‘Terrestrial Conditions at the Last Glacial Maximum and CLIMAP Sea-Surface Temperature Estimates: Are They Consistent’, Quat. Res. 24, 1–22.
Schnell, R.: 1977, ‘Introduction à la phytogéographie des pays tropicaux. 4: La flore et la végétation de l'Afrique tropicale’, Gauthiers-Villars Publ., Paris, 378 pp.
Servant, M.: 1973, ‘Séquences continentales et variations climatiques: Evolution du bassin du Tchad au Cénozoïque supérieur’, Thèse Science, Paris. Travaux et Documents ORSTOM, Paris, 159, 573 pp. (1983).
Suchel, J. B.: 1972, La répartition des pluies et les régimes pluviométriques au Cameroun. Trav. & Documents Géogr. Trop. du CEGET, Bordeaux, 5, 287 pp.
Talbot, M. R. and Delibrias, G.: 1977, ‘Holocene Variations in the Level of Lake Bosumtwi, Ghana’, Nature 268, 722–724.
Talbot, M. R., Livingstone, D. A., Palmer, P. G., Maley, J., Melack, J. M., Delibrias, G., and Gulliksen, S.: 1984, ‘Preliminary Results from Sediment Cores from Lake Bosumtwi, Ghana’, Palaeoecology of Africa 16, 173–192.
Talbot, M. R. and Kelts, K.: 1986, ‘Primary and Diagenetic Carbonates in the Anoxic Sediments of Lake Bosumtwi, Ghana’, Geology 14, 912–916.
Talbot, M. R.: 1988, ‘The Origins of Lacustrine Oil Source Rocks: Evidence from the Lakes of Tropical Africa’, in A. J. Fleet, K. Kelts, and M. R. Talbot (eds.), Lacustrine Petroleum Source Rocks, Geol. Soc., London, Sp. Publ., 40, pp. 29–43.
Tanner, E. V.: 1985, ‘Jamaican Montane Forests: Nutrient Capital and Cost of Growth’, J. Ecology 73, 553–568.
Van Zinderen Bakker, E. M. and Clark, J. D.: 1962, ‘Pleistocene Climates and Cultures in North-Eastern Angola’, Nature 196, 639–642.
Van Zinderen Bakker, E. M. and Coetzee, J. A.: 1972, A Re-Appraisal of Late Quaternary Climatic Evidence from Tropical Africa’, Palaeoecology of Africa 7, 151–181.
Vitousek, P. M.: 1984, ‘Litterfall, Nutrient Cycling and Nutrient Limitation in Tropical Forests’, Ecology 65, 285–298.
White, F.: 1981, ‘The History of the Afromontane Archipelago and the Scientific Need for Its Conservation’, Afr. J. Ecology 19, 33–54.
White, F.: 1983, The Vegetation of Africa, UNESCO/AETFAT/UNSO, Maps and Memoir, 356 pp.
Whitmore, T. C.: 1975, Tropical Rain Forests of the Far East, Clarendon Press, Oxford, Chap. 16, ‘Mountain Rain Forests’.
Whyte, S. A.: 1975, ‘Distribution, Trophic Relationships and Breeding Habits of the Fish Populations in a Tropical Lake Basin (Lake Bosumtwi, Ghana)’, J. Zool., London 177, 25–56.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Maley, J. The African rain forest vegetation and palaeoenvironments during late quaternary. Climatic Change 19, 79–98 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00142216
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00142216