Unveiling 4500 years of environmental dynamics and human activity at Songo Mnara, Tanzania

• DOI: 10.1016/j.qsa.2024.100192
• Publication Date: 2024-05-03T16:07:17Z
• Authors: Apichaya Englong; Paramita Punwong; Tosak Seelanan; Rob Marchant; Stephanie Wynne-J...; Akkaneewut Jirapi...; Jeffrey Fleisher
• Keywords: Phytolith

Coastal East Africa has undergone massive transformations through the Late Holocene, with a combination of changes in sea level, increasing human settlement, and ensuing use coastal resources. A comprehensive multi-proxy analysis, including pollen, phytolith, charcoal, stratigraphy, particle size, geochemical data from sedimentary cores extracted mangrove ecosystems combined soils archaeological contexts, provided valuable insights into vegetation dynamics, environmental changes, interactions within ecosystem Songo Mnara Island, Tanzania over last 2590 BCE (4540 cal yr BP). The bottommost layers indicate lack vegetation, as deduced presence coral rags high calcium carbonate content, possibly due to mid-Holocene sea-level. Evidence taxa suggests decrease enabling establishment mangroves around BCE. brief period sea-level rise occurred between 90 320 CE before fell until 1570 CE. Significant evidence activity is recorded 1400 indicated by increased crop phytoliths, marine resource utilisation. timing this human-environment interaction also linked time lower level. However, there was suggesting abandonment island 1500 This coincided subsequent levels potentially prolonged drought conditions spanning 1700 These factors likely contributed shortage food resources area, impacting both agricultural practices scarcity natural freshwater accessibility From present, fluctuations level have been observed, signal recent tandem shifts mangrove, terrestrial herbaceous fire activity. low sedimentation rates areas suggest that on Island may not keep pace current rate rise.