A LATE-GLACIAL LATE HOLOCENE POLLEN RECORD FROM A HIGHLAND PEAT AT TAMSAA, BALE MOUNTAINS, SOUTH ETHIOPIA

Pollen analysis of a 1 m 80 core, taken from Tamsaa swamp at 3000 m on the northern side of the Bale Mountains, southern Ethiopia, shows, fr om ca. 13,000-10,000 C-14 year BP, Apiaceae-dominated pioneer toeless vegetation on the deglaciated landscape. A rise in Chenopodiaceae/Amar anthaceae around 10,000 year BP may indicate a change to a drier clima te. A hiatus in peat accumulation occurred during the early to mid Hol ocene. This may be related to the destruction of organic matter during dry intervals of the early Holocene and during the mid-Holocene aridi ty. Late Holocene peat accumulation is thought to be related to the on set of a moist phase around 2500 year BP. During the same period, poll en from the present day forest limit taxa, namely Juniperus and Hageni a, which presently grow around the studied site, began to rise. (C) 19 98 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.