Wonderkrater, South Africa 20,000 Year Pollen Data Scott, L. Scott, L. PAGES 2k Network PAGES Africa 2k earth science/paleoclimate/pollen (Wonderkrater WkrB3>LATITUDE -24.4333>LONGITUDE 28.75) Pollen spectra from cores of organic spring deposits from the Transvaal provide evidence for the climatic evolution of the province during the last 35,000 yr B.P. or more. The past climatic phases are derived from palynological reconstructions of past vegetation types by comparison of fossil pollen data with modern surface pollen spectra from various localities. Evidence is provided for an early moist, cool phase with relatively mesic bushveld and expanded montane forest in the central Transvaal, followed by a drier period with drier bushveld which probably lasted until approximately 25,000 yr B.P. During the next phase, which at the latest ended about 11,000 yr B.P., the temperatures were probably 5°-6°C cooler than at present. At that time bushveld vegetation in the central Transvaal was replaced by open grassland with macchia elements. Climatic amelioration came and semiarid savanna returned to the plains, at first gradually and then developing into a warm Kalahari thornveld-type vegetation. After 6000 yr B.P. it apparently became slightly wetter and a more broad-leafed bushveld developed. About 4000 yr B.P. it again became cooler and slightly wetter and the bushveld vegetation on the central and northern plains was comparable to present open upland types. After 2000 yr B.P. conditions gradually became warner until about 1000 yr B.P., when the modern climate of the central Transvaal bushveld originated. STUDY NOTES: 20,000 year pollen record from a peat deposit surrounding the Wonderkrater thermal spring near Naboomspruit, in the Transvaal bushveld, South Africa. Wonderkrater: 24°26'S, 28°45'E, elevation 1100m. NCDC-Paleoclimatology https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/data-access/paleoclimatology-data - Bauer Bruce Investigator : Scott, L. 2012-07-25 ONLINE Files online, ASCII https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/13155 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/pollen/africa/wonderkrater1982pollen.xls https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/pollen/africa/wonderkrater1982pollen.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/pollen/africa/wonderkrater1982pollen.xls https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/pollen/africa/wonderkrater1982pollen.txt English https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/13155 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/pollen/africa/wonderkrater1982pollen.xls https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/pollen/africa/wonderkrater1982pollen.txt Scott, L. 1982. A Late Quaternary Pollen Record from the Transvaal Bushveld, South Africa. Quaternary Research, Vol. 17, Issue 3, May 1982, pp. 339-340. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0033-5894(82)90028-X START YEAR: 20035 cal yr BP * END YEAR: 338 cal yr BP 28.75 -24.4333 28.75 -24.4333