Palaeobiology of the South African savanna and lessons for modern ecologists

Abstract

This paper focuses on the work of Louis Scott and co-workers on the palynology of present-day and past savanna fossil-pollen sites in southern Africa. Evidence for the persistent though fluctuating presence of the pollen of extant species of trees indicates species survival under marked variations in climate over the past 200 ka, but variable assemblage of communities over time, at any one site. This, with contemporary information on the genetics and demographics of savanna tree species, requires that ecologists today must see the savanna as an individualistic, ecogenetic or eco-evolutionary community. Further, present-day savanna communities are the outcome of recent and older history, requiring that ecology must encompass the methods of historical science.

Keywords:

• palaeoecology
• savanna
• tree community
• range shifts
• Kruger National Park

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I thank the University of the Free State Centre for Environmental Management for the opportunity to attend the July 2014, Bloemfontein conference in tribute to Louis Scott, which gave the stimulus for this paper; to Salomon Joubert for drawing my attention to the extent of dead leadwoods on the Lindanda flats; to SANParks for access to remote parts of the Kruger National Park; and Louis Scott for fruitful discussions. Comments from Greg Barton, Brett Bennett and two reviewers, Izak Smit and an anonymous second, helped to substantially improve the draft.