Speleothem evidence for C3 dominated vegetation during the Late Miocene (Messinian) of South Africa

摘要: During the Late Miocene, Africa experienced a number of ecological transitions including spread C4 grasslands, expansion Sahara Desert, Messinian Salinity Crisis and mammalian migrations expansions, origin hominin clade. A detailed understanding relationship between environmental change evolution is hampered by paucity data available from terrestrial localities, especially in southern Africa. Here, we present stable isotope trace element record speleothem South African cave site Hoogland. Uranium-lead dating magnetostratigraphy places within Age (7.25–5.33 Ma) making it oldest known deposit region near UNESCO Fossil Hominids World Heritage Site (locally as “Cradle Humankind”). Low carbon values indicate predominantly C3 vegetation vicinity throughout period growth. It not possible to determine if this represents grassland or woodland, but clear that an equivalent C3-rich environment has yet be found during east We conclude grass occurred millions years later than did eastern Africa, shift should considered when comparing with late Miocene fossil record.