Development of grasslands and savannas in East Africa during the Neogene

被引:250
作者
Cerling, T. E. [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Utah, Dept Geol & Geophys, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA
关键词
D O I
10.1016/0031-0182(92)90211-M
中图分类号
P9 [自然地理学];
学科分类号
0705 ; 070501 ;
摘要
The development of savanna-type grasslands is a relatively recent phenomena in East Africa. The stable carbon isotopic composition of paleosol carbonates from fossil localities in East Africa show that C 4 vegetation was present by about 8-9 Ma but made up only a relatively small proportion of the total biomass. Although the proportion of C 4 vegetation increased in the Pliocene and Pleistocene there is no evidence for the development of virtually pure C 4 grasslands, as is characterized by tropical grasslands today, until Middle Pleistocene times. This has important implications concerning the evolution of mammals in Africa, including hominids.
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页码:241 / 247
页数:7
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