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Fire drives major Holocene vegetation shifts between subtropical and Mediterranean-type ecosystems: a case study from a biodiversity hotspot in South Africa
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  • Lynne Quick,
  • Brian Chase,
  • Manuel Chevalier,
  • Barend Grobler,
  • Saúl Manzano
Lynne Quick
Nelson Mandela University

Corresponding Author:lynne.j.quick@gmail.com

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Brian Chase
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
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Manuel Chevalier
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
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Barend Grobler
Nelson Mandela University
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Saúl Manzano
Nelson Mandela University
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Abstract

Fire plays a pivotal role in driving ecological shifts between Mediterranean-type vegetation and subtropical ecosystems in South Africa. This study investigates long-term environmental dynamics and ecological regime changes at the Mediterranean-type vegetation /subtropical boundary using a 6000-year palaeoecological sequence from the Baviaanskloof – a region of South Africa characterized by high levels of biodiversity and climate dynamism. Combining fossil pollen and microcharcoal data from a rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) midden, we analyse vegetation responses to environmental changes. Our findings reveal that Mediterranean-type vegetation resilience prevailed until ca. 2800 cal yr BP when a major fire event triggered a transition to a subtropical thicket-dominated environment. This abrupt ecological turnover underscores the significance of fire as a major driver of vegetation change at the Mediterranean-type vegetation /subtropical boundary. Our study emphasizes the vulnerability of Mediterranean-type vegetation ecosystems to global environmental change, suggesting potential implications for similar biome boundaries worldwide. By integrating multi-proxy palaeoecological evidence, we gain insights into the resilience and vulnerability of these ecosystems, aiding in understanding future responses to climate change scenarios.
29 Apr 2024Submitted to Ecography
30 Apr 2024Submission Checks Completed
30 Apr 2024Assigned to Editor
30 Apr 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
16 Jun 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
25 Jun 2024Assigned to Editor
25 Jun 2024Submission Checks Completed
25 Jun 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
01 Jul 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
08 Jul 2024Editorial Decision: Accept