Vegetation and Climate History of the Harenna Forest (Bale Mountains, Ethiopia) in the Holocene

A new study reveals that bamboo-dominated forests have thrived at altitudes of 2700–2800 meters in the Harenna Forest (Bale Mountains National Park, Ethiopia) for at least 6500 years. However, these ecosystems have been declining due to climate aridization over the past 5000 years. Human influence on these forests began around 1000 years ago, marking a significant shift in their ecological history. The research used spore-pollen analysis and non-pollen palynomorphs from the Katcha zoogenic deposit to reconstruct vegetation and climate changes during the Holocene.

Kuzmicheva, E. A., Khasanov, B. F., Krylovich, O. A., Debella, H. J., Worku, W. G., Yirga, S., & Savinetsky, A. B. (2018). Vegetation and Climate History of the Harenna Forest (Bale Mountains, Ethiopia) in the Holocene. Biology Bulletin, 45(6), 537–548. https://doi.org/10.1134/s1062359018060067