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Late Quaternary vegetation reconstruction from the Eastern Arc Mountains, Tanzania

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

C.T. Mumbi ,
R. Marchant ,
H. Hooghiemstra  and
M.J. Wooller
C.T. Mumbi
Affiliation:
York Institute for Tropical Ecosystem Dynamics (KITE), Environment Department, The University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), P.O. Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania
R. Marchant*
Affiliation:
Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), P.O. Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania
H. Hooghiemstra
Affiliation:
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Kruislaan 318, 1098 SM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
M.J. Wooller*
Affiliation:
Alaska Stable Isotope Facility, Water and Environmental Research Center and School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
*
*Corresponding author. Fax: +44 1904 432998.E-mail address:rm524@york.ac.uk (R. Marchant).
*Corresponding author. Fax: +44 1904 432998.E-mail address:rm524@york.ac.uk (R. Marchant).
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Abstract

Pollen, spore, macrofossil and stable isotope (C and N) analyses from a 266-cm sediment core collected from a swamp on the Eastern Arc Mountains, Tanzania, are used to reconstruct vegetation and environmental history. An estimated time scale based on five14C ages records approximately 38,000 yr. This palaeorecord is the first from this biodiversity hotspot and importantly extends through the last glacial maximum (LGM). The altitudinal transition from montane to upper montane forest shifted from 1700–1800 m (38,00014C yr BP) to 1800–1900 m (35,000–29,00014C yr BP). From 29,000 to 10,00014C yr BP, it shifted from 1850–1950 m across the LGM to 1750–1800 m (during 10,000–350014C yr BP), and to present-day elevations at 2000 m during the last 350014C yr BP. The relative ecosystem stability across the LGM may be explained by the Indian Ocean's influence in maintaining continuous moist forest cover during a period of East African regional climate aridity. During the late Holocene, presence of abundant coprophilous fungi and algal blooms demonstrates increasing human impact.Neurospora spores indicate frequent fires, coinciding with clear signals of decline inPodocarpus and Psychotria trees that possibly represent selective logging.

Keywords

Eastern Arc MountainsPollenSporesLGMEcosystem stability
Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 69 , Issue 2 , March 2008 , pp. 326 - 341
Copyright
University of Washington

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