Temperature Indices from Late Quaternary Sequences in South Africa

Abstract

Temperature indices calculated from palaeontological and palynological data from two Late Quaternary sequences in South Africa are compared with deuterium isotope ratios in the Vostok ice core. Antarctica. Similar trends are identified. confirming that palaeo-environmental indices obtained from muhivariate analysis ofpalynological and palaeontological data are associated with temperature. The rate of increase in temperature during a period of post glacial warming in South Africa is relatively high. but the rate of increase during recent decades is at least 10 times greater. Implications of an increase in temperature are discussed.