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Holocene environmental changes in Namibia inferred from pollen analysis of swamp and lake deposits

Department of Botany and Genetics, University of the Orange Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa

B. Cooremans

Department of Botany and Genetics, University of the Orange Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa

J.S. de Wet

Department of Botany and Genetics, University of the Orange Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa

J.C. Vogel

EMATEK, CSIR, P.O. Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa

Spring deposits exposed during building operations in downtown Windhoek, and lake sediments retrieved from underneath 50 m of water in a sinkhole (Lake Otjikoto), contain pollen profiles which reflect environmental changes in Namibia during the Holocene. At Windhoek moist local conditions are reflected by pollen in the spring deposits which were radiocarbon-dated to between ca. 7000 and 6000 BP. They remained relatively favourable until 5630 BP despite signs of drying. Weedy Compositae (Lactucoideae or Liguliflorae) increased until the end of this record ca. 2410 BP, indicating local disturbance. Deposits from Lake Otjikoto were dated to the late Holocene although an accurate chronology could not be estabiished for the sequence due to unexpected results with radiocarbon measurements. Pollen accumulation values and composition indicate relatively dry conditions after 3500 BP which were followed temporarily by a wetter climate during more recent times.

Key Words: Pollen analysis • late Holocene • Namibia • swamp deposits • lake deposits • principal components analysis.

The Holocene, Vol. 1, No. 1, 8-13 (1991)
DOI: 10.1177/095968369100100103


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