Drivers of vegetation change in tropical Africa

The distribution of vegetation across tropical Africa today is influenced by natural processes (such as fire and herbivory), human activity (such as clearance and agriculture), and climate regimes. During the Quaternary the relative influence of these factors has undoubtably varied, but uncertainty exists in the timing of changes and the degree of influence they have had in shaping the modern landscapes. To further explore the spatial and temporal variation in past climate, and shed insights in the drivers of past climatic change, I will compare palaeoclimate reconstructions from: (i) empirical data (pollen), and (ii) mechanistic models, for nine locations in tropical Africa. To develop a stronger understanding of how interactions between natural processes, human activity, and climate have changed at any given location it is necessary to develop a multi-proxy approach to temporal analysis. I will present new data from sites in western Africa (Benin and Ghana) where new charcoal (fire history) data has recently been combined with existing palaeoecological data. These new data combinations help to illustrate the changing balance of the role of fire, herbivory and people in shaping vegetation.

About the Speaker

William is Professor of Palaeoecology and Biogeography at the University of Amsterdam, and Head of the Department of Ecosystem & Landscape Dynamics within the Institute of Biodiversity & Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED). He has is interested in how ecosystems have functioned in the past and co-ordinates the "Ecology of the past" blog; where details of his current research and teaching activity can be found.