PLEISTOCENE CLIMATES IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 1959 PLEISTOCENE CLIMATES IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA RICHARD FOSTER FLINT RICHARD FOSTER FLINT DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY, YALE UNIVERSITY, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information RICHARD FOSTER FLINT DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY, YALE UNIVERSITY, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 01 Jul 1958 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Copyright © 1959, The Geological Society of America, Inc. Copyright is not claimed on any material prepared by U.S. government employees within the scope of their employment. GSA Bulletin (1959) 70 (3): 343–374. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1959)70[343:PCIEAS]2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 01 Jul 1958 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation RICHARD FOSTER FLINT; PLEISTOCENE CLIMATES IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA. GSA Bulletin 1959;; 70 (3): 343–374. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1959)70[343:PCIEAS]2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Pleistocene climates in the southern half of Africa are indicated by evidence of lakes in regions now dry, ancient soils for whose development the climate is now too dry or too wet, inactive wind-blown sand now covered by vegetation, and signs of former glaciation. Such features indicate climates different from those now prevailing. In addition, anomalies in the distribution of living organisms seem to support the assumption of climatic change.Most of the evidence indicates change in annual amount or seasonal distribution of rainfall, but some suggests former temperatures lower, possibly by as much as 5°C., than those of today. Few of the features discussed are well fixed stratigraphically, but most of them are probably late Pleistocene.The atmospheric-circulation pattern shows that annual amount and seasonal distribution of rainfall differ markedly in various regions in the subcontinent. The current literature contains a start toward a reconstruction of former patterns which are compatible with the geologic and biogeographic evidence, based on analogies with modern anomalies.Although probable, the theory that pluvial climates in Africa were contemporaneous with glacial climates in Europe remains unsupported by geologic evidence, mainly because data are very few. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.