Neogene palaeoenvironments of the Namib Desert: a brief synthesis

Abstract

The Namib Desert which is the oldest in the world, was occasionally more humid during the Neogene than it is today as evidenced by the palaeontological record and geochemical analyses of fossil struthioniform eggshells and enamel of large mammals. The biochronological framework was established by comparison with other sites in Africa and on the basis of the fossil mammal remains, which allows the reconstruction of the broad environmental history of the area during the Neogene.

Keywords:

• Namib Desert
• Neogene
• Palaeoenvironments
• Africa
• Geochemistry

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank the Geological Survey of Namibia, Namdeb Diamond Corporation, De Beers Africa Exploration, the National Heritage Council of Namibia, the French Embassy in Namibia, the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, the CNRS (CR2P and Eclipse Programme) and UPMC Sorbonne Universités (IStep) for support. Special thanks to Dr John Ward for introducing us to the fossil aeolianites and for the lively discussions, and to all the members of the Namibia Palaeontology Expedition, especially Dr Martin Pickford, for their help in the field and for their input into the study of the material and discussions. Many thanks to Dr Margaret Avery and Theo Wassenaar for all their help.