GLORIA

GEOMAR Library Ocean Research Information Access

X

Your email was sent successfully. Check your inbox.

An error occurred while sending the email. Please try again.

Proceed reservation?

Export
  • 1
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Radiocarbon Investigation of the Historic African Baobabs of Omusati, Namibia
    MDPI AG ; 2022
    In:  Forests Vol. 13, No. 11 ( 2022-11-11), p. 1899-
    Details
    In: Forests, MDPI AG, Vol. 13, No. 11 ( 2022-11-11), p. 1899-
    Abstract: The Omusati region belongs to historic Ovamboland, an area of northern Namibia populated by tribes of the Ovambo group. Four very large African baobabs of Omusati played an important role in historic events of the area, such as the tribal wars and the Namibian War of Independence. The four historic baobabs are the Ombalantu baobab (8 stems; circumference 24.50 m), Okahao baobab (4+ stems; around 25 m), Amadhila baobab (12 stems; 25.35 m) and Sir Howard baobab (9 stems; 31.60 m). Two historic baobabs collapsed totally or partially. The stems of the Amadhila baobab toppled and died in 2021, while 3 stems of the Okahao baobab collapsed a long time ago, but are still alive. Our research aimed to determine the architecture and age of these baobabs. Three baobabs (Ombalantu, Amadhila, Sir Howard) exhibit a closed ring-shaped structure, with a false cavity inside. One baobab (Okahao) had an open ring-shaped structure, before its collapse. Several wood cores were extracted from the baobabs and investigated by radiocarbon dating. The dating results indicate ages of 770 ± 50 years for the Ombalantu baobab, 650 ± 50 years for the Okahao baobab, 1100 ± 50 years for the Amadhila baobab and 750 ± 50 years for the Sir Howard baobab.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1999-4907
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.3390/f13111899
    Language: English
    Publisher: MDPI AG
    Publication Date: 2022
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2527081-3
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    Online Resource
  • 2
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Investigation of the Architecture and Age of Superlative Adansonia grandidieri from the Andombiry Forest, Madagascar
    MDPI AG ; 2021
    In:  Forests Vol. 12, No. 9 ( 2021-09-16), p. 1258-
    Details
    In: Forests, MDPI AG, Vol. 12, No. 9 ( 2021-09-16), p. 1258-
    Abstract: Over the past years, our research on baobabs mainly focused on the largest Malagasy species, namely the Reniala or Grandidier baobab (Adansonia grandidieri Baill.). The biggest A. grandidieri are located in the Morombe area, especially in the so-called Andombiry Forest. This giant forest of Reniala hosts well over 6000 mature individuals, out of which more than 30 have very large sizes, i.e., circumferences over 20 m. We investigated, measured and dated by AMS radiocarbon the largest specimens. We found that all large Grandidier baobabs are multi-stemmed. They mostly exhibit a closed ring-shaped structure, with a false cavity inside. In this architecture, which enables Grandidier baobabs to reach very large sizes, the stems that build the ring typically have similar ages. Here we present the AMS radiocarbon investigation of two large baobabs, A 215 (girth 21.50 m) and A 257 (girth 25.70 m). According to dating results, the baobab A 215 has an age of only 375 years. It consists of four fused stems and has a closed ring-shaped structure. The baobab A 257 has the second largest trunk of all known live Reniala trees. It also exhibits a closed ring-shaped structure, with five fused stems around a false cavity, which has an opening toward the exterior. The dating results indicate that A 257 is around 900 years old.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1999-4907
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.3390/f12091258
    Language: English
    Publisher: MDPI AG
    Publication Date: 2021
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2527081-3
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    Online Resource
  • 3
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    Age, Growth and Death of a National Icon: The Historic Chapman Baobab of Botswana
    MDPI AG ; 2019
    In:  Forests Vol. 10, No. 11 ( 2019-11-05), p. 983-
    Details
    In: Forests, MDPI AG, Vol. 10, No. 11 ( 2019-11-05), p. 983-
    Abstract: The year 2016 witnessed the fall of a symbol of the botanical world: the historic Chapman baobab of Botswana. This article presents the results of our investigation of the standing and fallen tree. The Chapman baobab had an open ring-shaped structure composed of six partially fused stems. Several wood samples collected from the stems prior and after their collapse were analysed by using radiocarbon dating. The radiocarbon date of the oldest sample was 1381 ± 22 BP, which corresponds to a calibrated age of 1345 (+10, −15) calendar years. The dating results show that the six stems of the Chapman baobab belonged to three different generations, which were 1350–1400, 800–1000 and 500–600 years old. The growth rate variation of the largest and oldest stem is presented and correlated with the climate evolution in the area over the past 1000 years. The factors that determined the sudden fall and death of the Chapman baobab are also presented and discussed.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1999-4907
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.3390/f10110983
    Language: English
    Publisher: MDPI AG
    Publication Date: 2019
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2527081-3
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    Online Resource
  • 4
    Online Resource
    Online Resource
    A 900-Year Isotopic Proxy Rainfall Record from Northeastern Botswana
    MDPI AG ; 2023
    In:  Forests Vol. 14, No. 9 ( 2023-09-20), p. 1917-
    Details
    In: Forests, MDPI AG, Vol. 14, No. 9 ( 2023-09-20), p. 1917-
    Abstract: A high-resolution climate archive was reconstructed based on carbon isotope analysis and radiocarbon dating of the Chapman baobab in northeastern Botswana. The Chapman baobab, which exhibited an open ring-shaped structure composed of six stems, collapsed in January 2016 during an intense El Niño event. Two samples belonging to the oldest stems were investigated in order to obtain a proxy rainfall record, which provides insight into the precipitation regime over the last millennium, evincing centennial and decadal scale variability. The results indicate that the Medieval Warm Period was marked by relatively stable precipitation, whereas rainfall variability and drought frequency increased during the Little Ice Age. The investigated area has experienced both wetter and drier conditions in the past. The wettest conditions of the last millennium were registered before 1450 while the driest period occurred in 1835. For southern Africa, inter-annual rainfall variability is mainly associated with sea surface temperatures in the Agulhas Current core region, which determine the east–west displacement of tropical temperate troughs. Previous studies suggested that positive sea surface temperature anomalies in the Mozambique Channel led to an eastward movement of the troughs but the Chapman record demonstrates a westward displacement in the past, causing drought in northeastern South Africa and wetter conditions in the central part of southern Africa. The positive rainfall correlation with SST anomalies reversed after 1900, causing a gradual decrease in precipitation and confirming the current aridity trend for Botswana. The results contribute to a better understanding of the past climate of southern Africa for which paleoclimate reconstructions remain scarce.
    Type of Medium: Online Resource
    ISSN: 1999-4907
    URL: Article
    DOI: 10.3390/f14091917
    Language: English
    Publisher: MDPI AG
    Publication Date: 2023
    detail.hit.zdb_id: 2527081-3
    Location Call Number Limitation Availability
    BibTip Others were also interested in ...
    Online Resource
Close ⊗
This website uses cookies and the analysis tool Matomo. More information can be found here...