Pollen analysis of hyena coprolites and sediments from Equus Cave,Taung, southern Kalahari (South Africa) |
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| Affiliation: | 1. The Environmental Research Institute, University of the Highlands and Islands, Ormlie Rd, Thurso KW14 7EE, UK;2. International Centre for Island Technology, Heriot-Watt University Orkney Campus, The Old Academy, Back Rd, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3AW, UK;3. Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 5BD, UK;4. Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-81-712 Sopot, Poland;5. Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, PO BOX 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand;1. State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China;2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia;2. PO Box 120, Richmond, Tasmania 7025, Australia |
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| Abstract: | Equus Cave, in Quaternary tufa near Taung in the semiarid woodland of the southern Kalahari, yielded 2.5 m of sediment in which a rich assemblage of bones and coprolites was preserved. The fossils were accumulated mainly by hyenas during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. Pollen from coprolites reflects diet as well as vegetation over relatively large areas visited by hyenas, while pollen from sediments represents more local sources. The pollen sequence derived from coprolites and sediments demonstrates how the vegetation evolved from open grassland with small shrubs and occasional trees during the late Pleistocene, to open savanna with more small shurbs, then, during the last 7500 yr, to modern savanna. Temperatures were not more than 4°C cooler and it was slightly moister than today during the late Pleistocene phase; it became gradually warmer but relatively dry before optimal temperature and moisture conditions developed around 7500 yr B.P. Climatic conditions slightly less favorable for woodland occurred during part of the late Holocene. |
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