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Palynological Investigation of Holocene Climatic and Oceanic Variability in South Africa and the Southern Benguela Upwelling System

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Palynological Investigation of Holocene Climatic and Oceanic Variability in South Africa and the Southern Benguela Upwelling System Palynological investigation of Holocene climatic and oceanic variability in South Africa and the southern Benguela upwelling system Dissertation for the Doctoral Degree in Natural Sciences Dr. rer. nat in the Faculty of Geosciences at the University of Bremen submitted by Xueqin Zhao Bremen, February, 2017 PRÜFUNGSAUSSCHUSS Gutachter Herr Prof. Dr. Dr. Gerold Wefer Herr Prof. Dr. Hermann Behling Tag des Prüfungskolloquiums 04 May 2017 Mitglieder der Kommission Herr Prof. Dr. Dr. Gerold Wefer Herr Prof. Dr. Hermann Behling Herr Prof. Dr. Michal Kucera Frau Dr. Lydie Dupont Frau Dr. Annette Hahn Herr Oliver Helten Versicherung an Eides Statt gem.§ 5 Abs. 5 der Promotionsordnung vom 15.07.2015 Ich, Xueqin Zhao Anschrift: Carl-Severing-Str. 40, 28329, Bremen Matr.-Nr.: 2973412 Versichere an Eides Statt durch meine Unterschrift, dass ich die vorstehende Arbeit selbständig und ohne fremde Hilfe angefertigt und alle Stellen, die ich wörtlich dem Sinne nach aus Veröffentlichungen entnommen habe, als solche kenntlich gemacht habe, mich auch keiner anderen als der angegebenen Literatur oder sonstiger Hilfsmittel bedient habe, und die zu Prüfungszwecken beigelegte elektronische Version der Dissertation mit der abgegebenen gedruckten Version identisch ist. Ich versichere an Eides Statt, dass ich die vorgenannten Angaben nach besten Wissen und Gewissen gemacht habe und dass die Angaben der Wahrheit entsprechen und ich nichts verschwiegen habe. Die Strafbarkeit einer falschen eidesstattlichen Versicherung ist mir bekannt, namentlich die Strafandrohung gemäß § 156 StGB bis zu drei Jahren Freiheitsstrafe oder Geldstrafe bei vorsätzlicher Begehung der Tat bzw. gemäß § 161 Abs. 1 StGB bis zu einem Jahr Freiheitsstrafe oder Geldstrafe bei fahrlässiger Begehung. Ort, Datum Unterschrift Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................... I Zusammenfassung .................................................................................................. III Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 1 1.1 Holocene climate variations in South Africa ................................................................. 1 1.2 Scientific objectives ...................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Regional setting ........................................................................................................... 4 1.3.1 Oceanic circulation ................................................................................................ 4 1.3.2 Climate and vegetation .......................................................................................... 5 1.3.3 Orange River and Olifants River ............................................................................ 8 1.4 Materials and methods ................................................................................................. 8 1.4.1 Marine sediment samples ...................................................................................... 8 1.4.2 Palynological preparation ...................................................................................... 9 1.4.3 Terrestrial palynomorphs ....................................................................................... 9 1.4.4 Microcharcoal .......................................................................................................10 1.4.5 Marine palynomorphs ...........................................................................................10 1.5 Thesis Outline .............................................................................................................11 Chapter 2 Pollen distribution in the marine surface sediments of the mudbelt along the west coast of South Africa .................................................................... 13 2.1 Abstract ......................................................................................................................13 2.2 Introduction .................................................................................................................14 2.3 Regional setting ..........................................................................................................15 2.3.1 Oceanic circulation ...............................................................................................17 2.3.2 Climate and vegetation .........................................................................................17 2.4 Materials and methods ................................................................................................18 2.5 Results ........................................................................................................................19 2.5.1 Results of marine surface sediments ....................................................................19 2.5.2 Pollen records of Holocene sequences .................................................................25 2.6 Discussion ..................................................................................................................27 2.6.1 Pollen assemblages in marine surface sediments ................................................27 2.6.2 Dispersal of pollen over the mudbelt .....................................................................31 2.6.3 Pollen representation in late Holocene marine sediments .....................................34 2.7 Conclusions ................................................................................................................35 2.8 Acknowledgements .....................................................................................................36 Chapter 3 Holocene vegetation and climate variability in the winter and summer rainfall zones of South Africa ................................................................................ 38 3.1 Abstract ......................................................................................................................38 3.2 Introduction .................................................................................................................39 3.3 Regional setting ..........................................................................................................44 3.4 Materials and methods ................................................................................................46 3.5 Results ........................................................................................................................47 3.5.1 Chronology ...........................................................................................................47 3.5.2 Pollen and microcharcoal .....................................................................................48 3.6 Discussion ..................................................................................................................54 3.6.1 Interpretation of the pollen record .........................................................................54 3.6.2 Holocene climate history and regional comparison ...............................................56 3.6.3 Climate variations as deduced from two sites for the last 2200 years ...................61 3.6.4 Holocene vegetation and climate dynamics of South Africa ..................................63 3.7 Conclusions ................................................................................................................66 3.8 Acknowledgements .....................................................................................................67 Chapter 4 Palynological evidence for Holocene climatic and oceanographic changes off western South Africa ......................................................................... 69 4.1 Abstract ......................................................................................................................69 4.2 Introduction .................................................................................................................70 4.3 Modern climatic and oceanographic systems ..............................................................73 4.4 Materials and Methods ................................................................................................75 4.4.1 Materials ...............................................................................................................75 4.4.2 Organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst analysis ...........................................................76 4.4.3 Statistical methods ...................................................................................................79 4.5 Results ........................................................................................................................79 4.5.1 Marine surface sediments .....................................................................................79 4.5.2 Sediment core GeoB8331-4 .................................................................................82 4.6 Discussion ..................................................................................................................89 4.6.1 Modern dinocyst distributions in relation to environmental factors ........................90 4.6.2 Holocene oceanic environmental changes ...........................................................93 4.7 Conclusions ................................................................................................................98
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