Kuiseb River Basin, Namibia 2000 Year Hyrax Midden Pollen Data ----------------------------------------------------------------------- World Data Center for Paleoclimatology, Boulder and NOAA Paleoclimatology Program ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please cite original reference when using these data, plus the data file URL and date accessed. NAME OF DATA SET: Kuiseb River Basin, Namibia 2000 Year Hyrax Midden Pollen Data LAST UPDATE: 7/2012 (Original receipt by WDC Paleo) CONTRIBUTOR: Scott, L. IGBP PAGES/WDCA CONTRIBUTION SERIES NUMBER: 2012-118 WDC PALEO CONTRIBUTION SERIES CITATION: Scott, L. 2012. Kuiseb, Namibia 2000 Year Hyrax Midden Pollen Data. IGBP PAGES/World Data Center for Paleoclimatology Data Contribution Series # 2012-118. NOAA/NCDC Paleoclimatology Program, Boulder CO, USA. ORIGINAL REFERENCE: Scott, L. 1996. Palynology of hyrax middens: 2000 years of palaeoenvironmental history in Namibia. Quaternary International, Vol. 33, pp. 73-79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/1040-6182(95)00093-3 ABSTRACT: Well-preserved and dateable faunal middens in rock shelters of dry areas in southern Africa occur as desiccated urine-rich masses. Under local conditions, which exclude microbial decomposition and oxidation, urine cements together faecal pellets and other inclusions. Nine radiocarbon dated hyrax (Procavia capensis) dung middens from the Kuiseb River Basin of the Namib Desert were sub-sampled and analysed for fossil pollen. Some contain small proportions of rat droppings, but not many macro-fossils. Comparative modern pollen in faecal samples were also studied. Most plant macro-fossils are severely digested, but seeds are well-preserved. Some insect inclusions were identified. Small scale changes in vegetation over the last two millennia were observed, representing environmental fluctuations in cycles of ca. 100-200 years. The fluctuations partly agree with other palynological data from southern Africa and with geomorphologic evidence for environmental changes in the desert region. GEOGRAPHIC REGION: Southern Africa PERIOD OF RECORD: 2128 YrBP - present DATA FILE URLS: ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/pollen/africa/kuiseb1996pollen.txt ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/pollen/africa/kuiseb1996pollen.xls DESCRIPTION: 2000 year pollen percentage record from 9 Hyrax middens collected in the Kuiseb River Basin, Namibia. Kuiseb River Basin, Namibia: ~23°25'S, ~15°15'E DATA: Scott 1996 Kuiseb River Basin Midden Pollen Percentages Part 1 of 5 calyrBP MYRICA cfCLUTIA cfBURKEA OLEA EUPHORB COMBRET RHUS CELASTR ZIZIPHUS EUCLEA ACACIA 0 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0.8 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 0 0 0.4 0 1.2 0.4 101 0 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.8 0.8 149 0.8 0 0 0 0.4 0 0 0 0 12 2.4 235 0.4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0.4 0 21.2 12 356 0 0 0 0 0.8 0 0 0 0.4 3.6 2.4 442 0.8 0 1.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.4 2.8 494 0 0 0.4 0 0.4 0 0 0 0.4 1.2 0.8 563 0.8 0 0.4 0 0.4 0 0 0.4 0.4 2.8 2 630 0.8 0 0 0 0.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 697 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 0 779 0.8 0 0.8 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 1.2 0 872 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 0 1303 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8.8 0.4 1345 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.2 0.8 1472 0 0 0 1.6 3.2 0 0.4 0 0 20.4 4 1514 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.2 1.6 1642 0 0 0 0 18.8 0 1.6 0 0 11.2 1.6 1836 0 0 0 0.8 9.2 0.4 0 0 0 1.6 0.8 1982 0 1.2 0 0.4 0.4 0 0 0.4 0 0 0 2128 0 1.2 0 0.4 5.2 1.6 0 0 0 2.8 0.4 Part 2 of 5 calyrBP cfTAMARIX cfSALIX MYRTAC? CAPPARAC COMMIPH SALVADOR ACANTH SCROPHty. COMPOS ARTEMIS PENTZIA t 0 0.8 0 0 0 0 12.8 0 0 0.4 0 0 0 0.4 0.4 0 0.8 0 8.8 0.4 0 6.4 0 0 101 0.4 0 0 0 0 85.6 0 0 0 0 0 149 0.8 0 0 0.8 0.4 4.8 0 0 4 0 0 235 0.8 0 0 0 0 4.4 0.4 0 7.6 0 0 356 1.6 0 0 1.2 0 40.4 0 0 3.2 0 1.6 442 0 0 0 0 0 23.2 0 0 0.4 0 0 494 0.8 0 0 0.8 0 18 0 0 5.6 0 0 563 0 0 0 0 0 39.2 0 0 2 0 0 630 2.4 0 0 0.4 0 8.8 0 0 2 0 0 697 0 0 0 0 0 86 0 0 0 0 0 779 1.2 0 0 0 0 52.8 0 0 0.8 0 0 872 0 0 0.4 0.4 0.4 75.6 0 0 0 0 0 1303 0 0 0 0.8 0 10.4 0 0.8 14.4 0.4 0 1345 2 0 0 0 0 44 0 0 0.8 0 0 1472 0 0.4 0 0 0 11.2 0 0 1.6 0 0 1514 0.4 0 0 0 0 46 0 0 0.8 0 0 1642 1.6 1.6 0 0 0 17.6 0.8 0 5.6 0 0 1836 1.2 1.6 0 0.8 0.4 19.2 0.4 0 11.6 0 0 1982 0 0 0 0.4 0 10 4.4 0 8.4 0 0 2128 0.4 0.8 0 0 0 11.2 0.4 0 4.4 0 0 Part 3 of 5 calyrBP AIZOAC CHENO/AM TRIBULUS BALANITES TRILETE CYPERAC CAMPANUL LILIAC UMBELLIF cfZYGOPH 0 4 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.8 0 3.2 7.2 5.2 0 0 0 0 0.4 0 0.8 101 0.8 0 0.4 0 0 4.4 0 0 0 1.6 149 3.6 0 0.8 0 0.4 0.4 0 0 0.4 0.8 235 3.6 0.4 1.2 0 0 0.4 0 0.4 0 0.8 356 4 0 1.6 0 0 0.4 0 0.4 0 2.4 442 3.2 0.8 1.2 0 0 1.2 0.8 0.4 0 0 494 8.4 2 3.6 0 0 1.6 0 0 0 1.6 563 3.6 0.4 2 0 0 1.6 0 0 0.4 0.4 630 3.2 8.4 0 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 4.8 697 7.6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 779 7.2 0.4 0 0 0.4 0 0 0 0 0.4 872 6.4 2.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.8 1303 4.4 2.8 0.8 0 0.4 0 0 0 0 1.2 1345 1.6 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 1472 3.2 2.8 1.2 0 0 0.4 0 0.4 0 4.8 1514 2 9.6 0 0 0 1.2 0 0 0 0 1642 3.6 0.8 2.4 0 0.4 0.8 0 0 0.4 0.8 1836 8 11.2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 1982 6.4 34.8 2.4 0 0 0.4 0 0 0 0.8 2128 6.4 12.8 3.2 0 0 3.2 0 0 0 1.6 Part 4 of 5 calyrBP GERANIAC CRASSUL GRAMIN BORAGIN PARKINSON OTHER tetrad 3c.ret 3cp.bac polypor 0 0 0 52.8 0 0 0.4 0 15.6 0.8 0 0 0 0.4 60.8 0 0 2 0 0 0.4 0 101 0.4 0 3.2 0 0 1.2 0 0 0 0 149 0.4 0 63.6 0 0 2 0 0.4 0 0.8 235 0.8 0.4 37.2 0 0 1.2 0.8 0 2.4 1.2 356 0.4 0.4 20.4 0 0 2 0 0 10.8 2 442 0.8 35.6 0 0 2 0 0 0.4 22.8 494 0 0.8 34.8 1.2 0 4 0 0.4 0.8 12.4 563 0 0.8 26 0 0 3.2 0 0 0 13.2 630 0 2 62.4 0.4 0.4 1.6 0 0 1.2 0 697 0 0.8 4 0 0 1.2 0 0 0 0 779 0 1.6 14 0 0 0.4 0 0 0 17.6 872 0 0.8 5.2 0.8 0 1.2 0 0 0.4 4.8 1303 0.4 0 48 0 0 2.4 0 2.8 0.4 0.4 1345 0 0 45.6 0 0 0.8 0 0 0.4 0 1472 0.8 0 39.6 0 0 2.8 0 0 0 1.2 1514 0 0 27.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1642 0.4 0 26 0 0 3.2 0 0.8 0 0 1836 0.4 0 22 0 0 2.8 0 3.2 0 0 1982 0.4 0.8 22 0.4 0.8 4 0 0.8 0 0.4 2128 0.4 0.4 36.8 0 0 2.4 0 3.2 0.8 0 Part 5 of 5 calyrBP TOTAL ALNUS AP OTHER COMPOS NAP OTHER 0 100 0 2 0.4 17.6 0 100 9 2.4 6.4 10 101 100 8 1.2 0 8.4 149 100 13 5.6 4 6.4 235 100 9 15.6 7.6 10 356 100 11 6.4 4.8 20.4 442 100 13 3.6 0.4 30.8 494 100 4 3.2 5.6 26.8 563 100 7 4 2 22 630 100 1 4.4 2 10.8 697 100 0 0 0 2 779 100 1 2.4 0.8 21.2 872 100 2 0.8 0 9.2 1303 100 0 1.2 14.8 9.6 1345 100 0 2.8 0.8 1.6 1472 100 19 9.2 1.6 12 1514 100 0 2 0.8 1.2 1642 100 17 23.6 5.6 11.6 1836 100 4 13.6 11.6 12.8 1982 100 3 1.6 8.4 16.8 2128 100 7 8 4.4 17.6