| Abstract: | The paper reviews Late Quaternary palynological evidence from eight sites in the savannas of northern South America. The sites reviewed are Lake Valencia (10°N), Carajas (6°S), Aguas Emendadas (15°S), Crominia (17°S), Salitre (19°S), Lagoa de Serra Negra (18°S), Lagoa Santa (20°S) and Lagoa dos Olhos (20°S). Four of the sites show evidence for a climate more humid than at present from ca. 36 ka BP to ca. 22–18 ka BP. Maximum dryness was reached at 14 ka to 10.5 ka BP at Lake Valencia. There was an increase in moisture from 8.8 ka BP at Lake Valencia and from 7 ka BP in Central Brazil. The presence of charcoal indicates human impact from ca. 8.6 ka BP. ©1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
