Climatic and anthropogenic induced landscape degradations of West African dry Savanna environments during the Later Holocene

Titelangaben

Heinrich, Jürgen ; Moldenhauer, Klaus-Martin:
Climatic and anthropogenic induced landscape degradations of West African dry Savanna environments during the Later Holocene.
In: Quaternary International. Bd. 93-94 (2002) . - S. 127-137.
ISSN 1040-6182

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Abstract

Comparative geomorphological and pedological studies on Late Holocene landscape development in West African dry Savanna environments reveal several phases of morphodynamic activity and stability resulting in typical relief forms and related sediments. Although significant similarities in the geomorphological development of the various research areas are found, fieldwork and laboratory analysis show small-scale variations in sedimentary structure and soil formation. This is not only due to climatic fluctuations, because sediment datings and archeological findings prove an early human impact on dry Savanna ecosystems. Nowadays, most of the study areas are affected by severe degradation processes, attributed to increasing population growth. Interpretations of rainfall data refer to specific climatic factors of Savanna environments, likeprecipitation structure, which promotes landscape degradation. Actual geomorphodynamics in West African dry Savanna can threfore have both anthropogenic and climatic causes.