Late Pleistocene and Holocene Afromontane vegetation and headwater wetland dynamics within the Eastern Mau Forest, Kenya

摘要: The Mau Forest Complex is Kenya's largest fragment of Afromontane forest, providing criticalecosystem services, and has been subject to intense land use changes since colonial times. It forms the uppercatchment rivers that drain into major drainage networks, thus supporting livelihoods millions Kenyansand important wildlife areas. We present results a sedimentological palynological analysis aLate Pleistocene–Holocene sediment record forest change from Nyabuiyabui wetland in EasternMau Forest, highland region received limited geological characterization palaeoecological study.Sedimentology, pollen, charcoal, Xray fluorescence radiocarbon data environmental ecosystemchange over last ~16 000 cal aBP. pollen suggests forests characterized end theLate Pleistocene Holocene with dominant taxa changing Apodytes, Celtis, Dracaena, Hagenia andPodocarpus Cordia, Croton, Ficus, Juniperus Olea. Late by more openAfromontane increased grass herbaceous cover. Continuous Poaceae, Cyperaceae Juncaceaevegetation currently cover water level decreasing recent past. Intensiveagroforestry 1920s reduced as introduced have (Pinus,Cupressus Eucalyptus). © 2021 Authors. Journal Quaternary Science Published John Wiley & Sons Ltd. (Less)