Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T05:46:35.977Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Vegetation and Seasonality Shifts during the Late Quaternary Deduced from 13C/12C Ratios of Grazers at Equus Cave, South Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Julia A. Lee-Thorp  and
Peter B. Beaumont
Julia A. Lee-Thorp
Affiliation:
Archaeometry Research Unit, Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7700, South Africa
Peter B. Beaumont
Affiliation:
McGregor Museum, Box 316, Kimberley, 8300, South Africa
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Season of rainfall can be a major influence on the relative proportions of C3 and C4 grasses in a landscape, since their relative distribution is essentially constrained by temperatures during the growing season; cool growing seasons favor C3 grasses, whereas warm ones favor C4 grasses. 13C/12C ratios in tooth enamel carbonate of grazers from the site of Equus Cave, northern Cape Province, South Africa, were used to determine vegetation and rainfall seasonality shifts during the late Quaternary. The results show shifts in the relative proportion of C3 and C4 grasses during the latter stages of the Pleistocene, and domination by C4 grasses in the Holocene. The data show that the northwestern Cape did not fall within a winter rainfall zone during this period as has been postulated in recent climate models. Instead, a more complex situation is suggested in which at least two periods of enhanced winter rainfall occurred within a predominantly summer rainfall regime.

Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 43 , Issue 3 , May 1995 , pp. 426 - 432
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ambrose, S, H., and DeNiro, M, J, (1986). The isotopic ecology of East African mammals. Oecologia 69, 395–406.Google Scholar
Ambrose, S. H., and Norr, L. (1993). Experimental evidence for the relationship of the carbon isotope ratios of whole diet and dietary protein to those of bone collagen and carbonate. In “Archaeology at the Molecular Level” (Lambert, J. B. and Grupe, G., Eds), pp. 1–37, Springer, Berlin.Google Scholar
Beaumont, P. B. Miller, G. H., and Vogel, J. C. (1992). Contemplating old clues to the impact of future greenhouse climates in South Africa. South African Journal of Science 88, 490–498.Google Scholar
Berger, R. Homey, A. G., and Libby, W. (1964). Radiocarbon dating of bone and shell from their organic components. Science 144, 999–1001.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Botha, G. A. Scott, L. Vogel, J. C., and von Brunn, V. (1992). Palaeosols and palaeoenvironments during the Late Pleistocene Hypothermal in northern Natal. South African Journal of Science 88, 508–512.Google Scholar
Brink, J. (1987). “The Archaeozoology of Florisbad, Orange Free State.” Memoirs of the National Museum, Bloemfontein, No. 24.Google Scholar
Brink, J. S., and Lee-Thorp, J. A. (1992). The feeding niche of an extinct springbok, Antidorcas bondi (Antilopinae, Bovidae), and its palaeoerwironmental meaning. South African Journal of Science , 88, 227–229.Google Scholar
Cockcroft, M. J. Wilkinson, M. J., and Tyson, P. D. (1987). Application of a present-day climatic model to the late quaternary in southern Africa. Climate Change 10, 161–181.Google Scholar
Cowling, R. (1983). The occurrence of C3 and C4 grasses in fynbos and allied shrublands in the southeastern Cape, South Africa. Oecologia 58, 121–127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deacon, H. J. (1983). Another look at the climates of South Africa. South African Journal of Science 79, 325–328.Google Scholar
DeNiro, M. J., and Epstein, S. (1978a). Influence of diet on the distribution of carbon isotopes in animals. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 42, 495–506.Google Scholar
DeNiro, M. J., and Epstein, S. (1978b). Carbon isotopic evidence for different feeding patterns in two hyrax species occupying the same habitat. Science 201, 906–908.Google Scholar
Freundlich, J. C. Kuper, R. Breunig, P., and Bertram, H.-G. (1989). Radiocarbon dating of ostrich eggshells. Radiocarbon 31(3) 1030–1034.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Friedli, H.» Lotscher, H. Oeschger, H. Siegenthaler, U., and Stauffer, B. (1986). Ice core record of the 13C/12C ratio of atmospheric C02 in the past two centuries. Nature 324, 237–238.Google Scholar
Hassan, A. A. Termine, J. D., and Haynes, C. V. (1977). Mineralogical studies on bone apatite and their implications for radiocarbon dating. Radiocarbon 19, 364–374.Google Scholar
Hedges, R. E, M. Lee-Thorp, J. A., and Tliross, N. Is tooth enamel carbonate a suitable material for radiocarbon dating? Radiocarbon (in press).Google Scholar
Klein, R, G. Cruz-Uribe, K., and Beaumont, P. B. (1991). Environmental, ecological, and paleoanthropological implications of the late Pleistocene mammalian fauna from Equus Cave, northern Cape Province, South Africa. Quaternary Research 36, 94–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koch, P. L. Behrensmeyer, A. K., TUross, N., and Vogel, M. L. (1990). The fidelity of isotopic preservation during bone weathering and burial. In “Annual Report of the Director of the Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 1989-1990,” pp. 105–110.Google Scholar
Koch, P. L. Zachos, J. C., and Gingerich, P. D. (1992). Correlation between isotope records in marine and continental carbon reservoirs near the Palaeocene/Eocene boundary. Nature 358, 319–322.Google Scholar
Krueger, H. W. (1991). Exchange of carbon with biological apatite. Journal of Archaeological Science 18, 355–361.Google Scholar
Krueger, H. W., and Sullivan, C. H. (1984). Models for carbon isotope fractionation between diet and bone. In “Stable Isotopes in Nutrition” (Tlimland, J. F. and Johnson, P. E., Eds.), ACS Symposium Series, Vol. 258, pp. 205–222, Am. Chem. Soc., Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Lee-Thorp, J, A. (1989). “Stable carbon isotopes in deep time: the diets of fossil fauna and hominids.” Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Cape Town.Google Scholar
Lee-Thorp, J. A., and Beaumont, P. B. (1990). Environmental shifts in the last 20,000 years: isotopic evidence from Equus Cave. South African Journal of Science 86, 452–453.Google Scholar
Lee-Thorp, J. A. Sealy, J. C., and van der Merwe, N. J. (1989). Stable carbon isotope ratio differences between bone collagen and bone apatite, and their relationship to diet. Journal of Archaeological Science 16, 585–599.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee-Thorp, J. A., and van der Merwe, N, J. (1987). Carbon isotope analysis of fossil bone apatite. South African Journal of Science 83, 712–715.Google Scholar
Lee-Thorp, J. A., and van der Merwe, N. J. (1991). Aspects of the chemistry of modem and fossil biological apatites. Journal of Archaeological Science 18, 343–354.Google Scholar
LeGeros, R. Z. (1981). Apatites in biological systems. Progress in Crystal Growth Characteristics, 4, 1–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
LeGeros, R. Z., and LeGeros, J. P. (1983). Carbonate studies of synthetic, mineral and biological apatites. Journal of Dental Research 82, 259.Google Scholar
LeGeros, R. Z., and LeGeros, J. P. (1984). Phosphate minerals in human tissues. In “The Phosphate Minerals” (Nriagu, J. and Moore, P., Eds.), Springer-Verlag, Berlin,Google Scholar
Livingstone, D. A., and Clayton, W. D. (1980). An altitudinal cline in tropical African grass floras and its paleoecological significance. Quaternary Research 13, 392–402.Google Scholar
Long, A. Hendershott, R. B., and Martin, P. S. (1983). Radiocarbon dating of fossil eggshell. Radiocarbon 25(2), 533–539.Google Scholar
Muller, M. J., and Tyson, P. D. (1988). Winter rainfall over the interior of South Africa during extreme dry years. South African Geographical Journal 70, 20–30.Google Scholar
Quade, J. Cerling, T. E. Barry, J. Morgan, M. M. Pilbeam, D. R. Chivas, A. R. Lee-Thorp, J. A., and van der Merwe, N. J. (1992). A 16-Ma record of paleodiet using carbon and oxygen isotopes in fossil teeth from Pakistan. Chemical Geology (Isotope Geoscience) 94, 183–192.Google Scholar
Scott, L. (1987). Pollen analysis of hyena coprolites and sediments from Equus Cave, Taung, Southern Kalahari (South Africa). Quaternary Research 28, 144–156.Google Scholar
Scott, L. (1989a). Glacial conditions in southern Africa since the last glacial maximum, inferred from pollen analysis. Palaeogeography, Palaeociimatology, Palaeoecology 70, 345–353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scott, L. (1989b). Late Quaternary vegetation history and climate change in the eastern Orange Free State, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 55, 107–116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sellstedt, H. Engstrand, L., and Gejvall, N.-G. (1966). New application of radiocarbon dating to collagen residues. Nature 212, 572–574.Google Scholar
Smith, B. N., and Epstein, S. (1972). Two categories of l3C/12C ratios for higher plants. Plant Physiology 47, 380–384.Google Scholar
Smithers, R. H. N. (1983). “Mammals of the southern African subregion,” University of Pretoria, Pretoria.Google Scholar
South African Weather Bureau (1986). Climate of South Africa: Climate Statistics up to 1984. WB40, Department of Environmental Affairs, Government Printers, Pretoria.Google Scholar
Sullivan, C. H., and Krueger, H. W. (1981). Carbon isotope analysis of separate chemical phases in modem and fossil bone. Nature 292, 333–335.Google Scholar
Tamers, M. A., and Pearson, F. J. (1965). Validity of radiocarbon dates on bone. Nature 208, 1053–1055.Google Scholar
Thackeray, J. F., and Lee-Thorp, J. A. (1992), Isotopic analysis of equid teeth from Wonderwerk Cave, northern Cape Province, South Africa. Palaeogeography, Palaeociimatology, Palaeoecology 99, 141–150.Google Scholar
Thackeray, J. F. van der Merwe, N. J. Lee-Thorp, J. A., and Sealy, J. C. (1993). Relationships between stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in bone collagen of African ungulates. South African Journal of Science 89, 458–459.Google Scholar
Tieszen, L. L. Senyimba, M. M. Imbamba, S. K., and Thoughton, J. H. (1979). The distribution of C3 and C4 grasses and carbon isotope discrimination along an altitudinal and moisture gradient in Kenya. Oecologia 37, 337–350.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tieszen, L. L. Boutton, T. W. Tesdahl, K. G., and Slade, N. A. (1983), Fractionation and turnover of stable carbon isotopes in animal tissues: implications for the 13C analysis of diet. Oecologia 57, 32–37.Google Scholar
Tieszen, L. L., and Fagre, T. (1993). Effect of diet quality and composition on the isotopic composition of respiratory C02, bone collagen, bioapatite, and soft tissues. Oecologia 57, 32–37. In “Archaeology at the Molecular Level” (Lambert, J. B. and Grupe, G., Eds), pp. 1–37, Springer-Verlag, Berlin.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tyson, P. D. (1986). “Climatic Change and Variability in Southern Africa,” Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Tyson, P. D., and Lindesay, J. A. (1992). The climate of the last 2000 years in southern Africa. The Holocene 2, 271–278.Google Scholar
Van Zinderen Bakker, E. M. (1967). Upper Pleistocene stratigraphy and Holocene ecology on the basis of vegetation changes in sub-Saharan Africa. In “Background to Evolution in Africa” (Bishop, W. W. and Clark, J. D., Eds), pp. 125–147, Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago.Google Scholar
Van Zinderen Bakker, E. M. (1976). The evolution of Quaternary climates of southern Africa. Palaeoecology of Africa 9, 160–202.Google Scholar
Van Zinderen Bakker, E. M. (1986). African climates and palaeoenvironments since Messinian times. South African Journal of Science 82, 70–71.Google Scholar
Vogel, J. C. (1978). Isotopic assessment of the dietary habits of ungulates. South African Journal of Science 74, 298–301.Google Scholar
Vogel, J. C. Fuls, A. and Ellis, R. P. (1978). The distribution of Kranz grasses in South Africa. South African Journal of Science 74, 209–215.Google Scholar
Vogel, J. C. (1983). Isotopic evidence for the past climates and vegetation of southern Africa. Bothalia 14, 391–394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar