Influence of Late Pleistocene and Holocene climate on vegetation distributions in southwest Africa elucidated from sedimentary n-alkanes – Differences between 12°S and 20°S

摘要: Abstract Global and local climatic forcing, e.g. concentration of atmospheric CO2 or insolation, influence the distribution C3 C4 plants in southwest Africa. dominate more arid warmer areas are favoured by lower pCO2 levels. Several studies have assessed past present continental vegetation analysis terrestrial n-alkanes near-coastal deep sea sediments using single samples a small number from given stage. The objectives this study were to evaluate changes Africa with regard during Late Pleistocene Holocene elucidate potential sample simplifications. We analysed two sediment cores at high resolution, altogether ca. 240 samples, Southeast Atlantic Ocean (20°S 12°S) covering time spans 18 1 ka 56 2 ka, respectively. Our results for 20°S showed marginally decreasing plant domination (of 5%) deglaciation based on average chain length (ACL27–33 values) carbon isotopic composition C31 C33n-alkanes. Values 18 ka overlap and, thus, not significantly representative stages they derive from. In contrast, 12°S n-alkane parameters show clear difference type (C4 domination, 66% average) (C3 40% average). During change highly correlates increase (r² = 0.91). Short-term events such as Heinrich Stadials Antarctic warming periods reflected catchment area. Instead, smaller fluctuations occur accordance variations insolation.