ibclogo XVI International Botanical Congess


Abstract Number: 3205
Session = 4.9.4


ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS


G.J. Bredenkamp University of Pretoria, South Africa


Temperate grasslands in North America have few endemics suggesting that they are recent. Great Plains grasslands developed since the last glacial. Recontruction of Pleistocene vegetation in Eurasia shows grassland in their present day locations though extending further in Siberia and China. In Southern Africa it was 8 C colder at the last glacial maximum than present resulting in grasslands cover over the interior plateaux. The origin of grassland is often associated with forest clearing by humans. However grasslands have been prominent in Southern Africa since before permanent occupation by people. Southern African high altitude grasslands, rich in endemics are primary and climatically induced. The lack of trees is explained by environmental changes of the late Quaternary. The role of people shaping the vegetation have been limited to lower altitudes and more recent times.


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