The late holocene vegetation history of Lake Farm, South Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorMeadows, Michael Een_ZA
dc.contributor.authorAdams, Terence Gilberten_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-11-08T04:58:28Z
dc.date.available2015-11-08T04:58:28Z
dc.date.issued1994en_ZA
dc.descriptionBibliography: p. 155-175.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractPalynological analysis of organic sediments from a freshwater lake near Port Elizabeth (34°S,25°30'E) has provided a high- resolution vegetation history of the area for the last 2200 years. Detailed identification and counting of the fossil pollen resulted in the generation of a pollen diagram. Changing frequencies in fossil pollen over time are represented, and inferences are made regarding environmental conditions which influenced the vegetation. A detailed narrative of vegetation history in response to environmental change is presented, and this is compared to results from related studies. The significance of the Lake Farm study site has been noted in terms of its location as a 'zone of convergence' for a variety of vegetation types. Results of fossil pollen analysis indicate that environmental conditions prior to 1 500BP were drier than at present. Forest and fynbos vegetation were not well-represented in the pollen spectrum at this time, and it is suggested that they were not favoured by these conditions. Environmental conditions ameliorated after 1500BP, becoming more mesic, which favoured the proliferation of both forest and fynbos vegetation types. At present xeric and grassland elements are declining, while shrubs increase, indicating an enhanced human-induced disturbance regime. It is suggested that the partial decline in forest elements at present 1s most likely attributable to human-induced disturbance of the environment. The introduction of exotic trees has been noted (approx. 280BP) and is seen to have coincided with the influx of european settlers to the region. Principal Components Analysis has revealed that the vegetation distribution in the area has been most heavily influenced by human activity and moisture availability. The necessarily subjective interpretation of the statistical results, however, casts some doubt on the validity of the conclusions drawn. The validity of the conclusions drawn from this study becomes apparent not only in terms of what is learned about the history of forests, but also the form any future management should take.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationAdams, T. G. (1994). <i>The late holocene vegetation history of Lake Farm, South Eastern Cape Province, South Africa</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14715en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationAdams, Terence Gilbert. <i>"The late holocene vegetation history of Lake Farm, South Eastern Cape Province, South Africa."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14715en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationAdams, T. 1994. The late holocene vegetation history of Lake Farm, South Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Adams, Terence Gilbert AB - Palynological analysis of organic sediments from a freshwater lake near Port Elizabeth (34°S,25°30'E) has provided a high- resolution vegetation history of the area for the last 2200 years. Detailed identification and counting of the fossil pollen resulted in the generation of a pollen diagram. Changing frequencies in fossil pollen over time are represented, and inferences are made regarding environmental conditions which influenced the vegetation. A detailed narrative of vegetation history in response to environmental change is presented, and this is compared to results from related studies. The significance of the Lake Farm study site has been noted in terms of its location as a 'zone of convergence' for a variety of vegetation types. Results of fossil pollen analysis indicate that environmental conditions prior to 1 500BP were drier than at present. Forest and fynbos vegetation were not well-represented in the pollen spectrum at this time, and it is suggested that they were not favoured by these conditions. Environmental conditions ameliorated after 1500BP, becoming more mesic, which favoured the proliferation of both forest and fynbos vegetation types. At present xeric and grassland elements are declining, while shrubs increase, indicating an enhanced human-induced disturbance regime. It is suggested that the partial decline in forest elements at present 1s most likely attributable to human-induced disturbance of the environment. The introduction of exotic trees has been noted (approx. 280BP) and is seen to have coincided with the influx of european settlers to the region. Principal Components Analysis has revealed that the vegetation distribution in the area has been most heavily influenced by human activity and moisture availability. The necessarily subjective interpretation of the statistical results, however, casts some doubt on the validity of the conclusions drawn. The validity of the conclusions drawn from this study becomes apparent not only in terms of what is learned about the history of forests, but also the form any future management should take. DA - 1994 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1994 T1 - The late holocene vegetation history of Lake Farm, South Eastern Cape Province, South Africa TI - The late holocene vegetation history of Lake Farm, South Eastern Cape Province, South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14715 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/14715
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationAdams TG. The late holocene vegetation history of Lake Farm, South Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, 1994 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14715en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Environmental and Geographical Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherPalaeoecologyen_ZA
dc.subject.otherClimatic changeen_ZA
dc.titleThe late holocene vegetation history of Lake Farm, South Eastern Cape Province, South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMAen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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