ID:
S_202
The southern African Quaternary: environments, ecology and humans
Lead Convener
Michael Meadows Nanjing University, China. and University of Cape Town, South Africa. michael.meadows@uct.ac.za
Co Convener(s)
Brian Chase University of Montpellier II, France. brian.chase@umontpellier.fr Lynne Quick Nelson Mandela University, South Africa. lynne.j.quick@gmail.com Juzhi Hou Wuhan University, China. houjz@itpcas.ac.cn
Session Keywords
Southern Africa, Palaeoclimate, Palaeoecology, Archaeology
Commission
HABCOM
Abstract Category
Regional Synthesis
Session Description
Southern Africa's diverse ecosystems are shaped by dynamic Quaternary climate and environmental changes, which have influenced ecological patterns and human evolution. This session brings together palaeoscientists, archaeologists, ecologists, and climate modelers to explore past environments and their interpretation through multi-proxy records, geochronology, landscape reconstruction and studies of human adaptation. Key themes include high-resolution reconstructions, challenges in proxy interpretation, inter-site correlation, and the role of climate in shaping ecosystems and hominin histories. Join us to refine our understanding of southern Africa’s Quaternary past and its relevance for present and future ecosystems
