Abstract
Relative changes in temperature are inferred from multivariate analysis of the relative abundance of rodents and insectivores represented in Late Quaternary deposits at nine sites in various regions of southern Africa. The major increase in temperature at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum is documented, and relative changes in temperature are calibrated for all sequences. The method of analysis provides an opportunity to correlate sequences from cave deposits which are beyond the range of conventional radio-carbon dating techniques.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Avery, D. M.: 1981, ‘Holocene Micromammalian Faunas from the Northern Cape Province, South Africa’, South African Journal of Science 77, 265–273.
Avery, D. M.: 1982a, ‘Micromammals as Palaeoenvironmental Indicators and an Interpretation of the Late Quaternary in the Southern Cape Province, South Africa, Annals of the South African Museum 85, 183–374.
Avery, D. M.: 1982b, ‘The Micromammalian Fauna from Border Cave, Kwazulu, South Africa’, Journal of Archaeological Science 9, 187–204.
Avery, D. M.: ‘Holocene Natural Vegetation in the Magaliesberg, Transvaal, and the Introduction of Farming: Micromammalian Evidence’, South African Journal of Science (in press).
Beaumont, P. B.: 1973, ‘Border Cave - A Progress Report’, South African Journal of Science 69, 41–6.
Burrows, C. J.: 1979, ‘A Chronology for Cool-climate Episodes in the Southern Hemisphere 12000–1000 yr B.P.’, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 27, 287–347.
Butzer, K. W., Beaumont, P. B., and Vogel, J. C.: 1978, ‘Lithostratigraphy of Border Cave, Kwazulu, South Africa: A Middle Stone Age Sequence Beginning c. 195000 yr B.P.’, Journal of Archaeological Science 5, 317–341.
Deacon, H. J.: 1979, ‘Excavations at Boomplaas Cave - A Sequence Through the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene in South Africa’, World Archaeology 10, 241–257.
Deacon, H. J., Deacon, J., Scholtz, A., Thackeray, J. F., Brink, J. S., and Vogel, J. C.: 1984, ‘Correlation of Palaeoenvironmental Data from the Late Pleistocene and Holocene Deposits at Boomplaas Cave, Southern Cape’, in Vogel, J. C. (ed.), Late Cainozoic Palaeoclimates of the Southern Hemisphere, Balkema, Rotterdam, pp. 339–352.
Deacon, H. J., Geleijnse, V. B., Thackeray, A. I., Thackeray, J. F., and Tusenius, M. L.: 1986, ‘Late Pleistocene Cave Deposits in the Southern Cape: Current Research at Klasies River’, Palaeoecology of Africa 17, 31–37.
De Graaff, G.: 1981, The Rodents of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban.
Denys, C.: 1985, ‘Palaeoenvironmental and Palaeobiogeographical Significance of the Fossil Rodent Assemblages of Laetoli (Pliocene, Tanzania)’, Palaeoeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 52, 77–97.
Harris, R. J.: 1975, A Primer of Multivariate Statistics, Academic Press, New York.
Humphreys, A. J. B. and Thackeray, A. I.: 1983, ‘Ghaap and Gariep. Later Stone Age Studies in the Northern Cape’, South African Archaeological Society Monograph Series, No. 2: Cape Town.
Imbrie, J. and Kipp, N. G.: 1971, ‘A New Micropaleontological Method for Quantitative Paleoclimatology: Application to a Late Pleistocene Caribbean Core’, in Turekian, K. K. (ed.) The Late Cenozoic Glacial Ages, Yale University Press, New Haven, pp. 71–181.
Jackson, S. P.: 1961, Climatological Atlas of Africa, Commission for Technical Co-operation in Africa: Nairobi.
Klein, R. G.: 1972, ‘The late Quaternary Mammalian Fauna of Nelson Bay Cave (Cape Province, South Africa): Its Implications for Megafaunal Extinctions and for Environmental and Cultural Change’, Quaternary Research 2, 135–142.
Nie, N. H., Hull, C. H., Jenkins, J. G., Steinbrenner, K., and Bent, D. H.: 1975, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, New York: McGraw-Hill.
Schweitzer, F. R.: 1979, ‘Excavations at De Kelders, Cape Province, South Africa: The Holocene Deposits’, Annals of the South African Museum 78, 101–233.
Schweitzer, F. R., and Wilson, M. L.: 1982, ‘Byneskranskop 1: A Late Quaternary Living Site in the Southern Cape Province, South Africa’, Annals of the South African Museum 88, 1–203.
Scott, L. and Thackeray, J. F.: ‘Late Pleistocene and Holocene Climatic Changes Inferred from a South African Pollen Sequence’, South African Journal of Science (in press).
Shortridge, G. C.: 1934, The Mammals of South West Africa, Heinemann: London.
Singer, R. and Wymer, J.: 1982, The Middle Stone Age at Klasies River Mouth in South Africa, Chicago: Chicago University Press.
Smithers, R. H. N.: 1983, The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion, University of Pretoria.
Vogel, J. C.: 1983, ‘Isotopic Evidence for the Past Climates and Vegetation of South Arica’, Bothalia 14, 391–94.
Wadley, L. and Verhagen, B.Th.: 1986, ‘Filling the Gap: A New Holocene Chronology for the Transvaal Stone Age’, South African Journal of Science 82, 271.
Weather Bureau: 1986, ‘Climate of South Africa: Climate Statistics up to 1984, WB 40. Department of Environment Affairs: Pretoria.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Thackeray, J.F. Late Quaternary environmental changes inferred from small mammalian fauna, southern Africa. Climatic Change 10, 285–305 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00143907
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00143907