@article{fdi:010013166,
  title = {{T}he {A}frican rain forest : main characteristics of changes in vegetation and climate from the {U}pper {C}retaceous to the {Q}uaternary},
  author = {{M}aley, {J}ean},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}his chapter sets out to give a historical overview of the {A}frican rain forest from its origins, towards the end of the {C}retaceous period. {T}he areas around the {G}ulf of {G}uinea, in particular from {I}vory {C}oast to {N}igeria and especially {C}ameroon, {G}abon and {C}ongo, appear to have been already occupied at this time by wet tropical forest formations mainly composed of {A}ngiosperms which were then becoming established. {I}n the course of the {T}ertiary period the combined effect of the equator being situated further north than now and the development of the {A}ntarctic ice cap favoured the development of wet tropical conditions over a large part of {N}orth {A}frica which in turn led to the extension of tropical forest to various sites on the shores of the {T}ethys {S}ea. {T}here were probably at this time common taxa and similar vegetation patterns stretching from the {G}ulf of {G}uinea to the {T}ethys {S}ea. {T}owards the end of the {T}ertiary, the equator reached its present position and the northern hemisphere ice caps appeared, and these phenomena resulted in the disappearance of the forest formations spread across the north of {A}frica, and the concentration of these formations near the equatorial zone around the {G}ulf of {G}uinea and in the {C}ongo-{Z}a{\¨ie}re basin. {F}rom 800 000 years ago onwards the marked glacial variations at middle and high latitudes in both hemispheres, with a periodicity of about 100 000 years determined by the orbital variations of the earth around the sun, lowered temperatures in equatorial areas and brought arid climates at times of maximum glacial extension. {T}he most arid periods resulted in the fragmentation of the forest cover, and the forest biotopes and their biodiversity were preserved in a series of refugia. {T}he lowering of temperatures also resulted in the extension of montane flora to low altitudes, with migration of montane flora and fauna between main mountain ranges... ({D}'apr{\`e}s r{\'e}sum{\'e} d'auteur)},
  keywords = {{PALEOENVIRONNEMENT} ; {CRETACE} ; {QUATERNAIRE} ; {FORET} {DENSE} ; {PALEOCLIMAT} ; {PALYNOLOGIE} ; {FLORE} ; {PHYTOGEOGRAPHIE} ; {COTE} {D}'{IVOIRE} ; {NIGERIA} ; {CAMEROUN} ; {GABON} ; {CONGO}},
  booktitle = {{E}ssays on the ecology of the {G}uinea-{C}ongo rain forest},
  journal = {{P}roceedings of the {R}oyal {S}ociety of {E}dinburgh.{S}ection {B}},
  volume = {104},
  numero = {},
  pages = {31--73},
  year = {1996},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010013166},
}