@article{fdi:010078191,
  title = {{T}he origin of the forest-grassland mosaic of central {C}ameroon : what we learn from the isotopic geochemistry of soil organic matter},
  author = {{D}esjardins, {T}hierry and {T}urcq, {B}runo and {L}ezine, {A}. {M}. and {N}guetnkam, {J}. {P}. and {M}andeng {Y}ogo, {M}agloire and {C}etin, {F}ethiye and {A}choundong, {G}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he end of the {H}olocene {H}umid {P}eriod was characterized by the massive collapse of forest ecosystems in central {A}frica. {W}as this large-scale environmental crisis dated between 3300 and 2500 years {BP} at the origin of the present-day wooded-grassland/forest mosaic of central {C}ameroon? {H}ere we present carbon isotope data on soil organic matter collected from 29 sites from this area, including the {G}rassfield plateaus, with the aim of characterizing this environmental crisis and discussing the origin of the present-day landscape.{C}-14 data on total soil organic matter and charcoal fragments show that the organic matter in these soils originates from the {H}olocene. {I}n our forest sites, the delta {C}-13 profiles do not show any marked alteration of the forest cover throughout the {H}olocene. {D}iscrete traces of forest expansion or retreat are observed only punctually at the forest margins. {I}n the wooded-grassland/forest mosaic zone, the environmental crisis was of reduced amplitude. {I}n the present grassland and wooded grassland areas, there was no true forest during the lower to middle {H}olocene, but a markedly more tree-covered landscape. {T}he timing of this crisis revealed by our(14){C} measurements, although only indicative at this stage, suggests that it occurred earlier at higher altitudes than in the lowlands due to marked topographic relief favoring drainage along the slopes. {T}hese results fit a climatic rather than anthropogenic origin of the vegetation opening in this region.},
  keywords = {{C}ameroon ; {H}olocene ; isotope ; organic matter ; soils ; wooded grasslands ; {CAMEROUN}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{H}olocene},
  volume = {30},
  numero = {10},
  pages = {1391--1399},
  ISSN = {0959-6836},
  year = {2020},
  DOI = {10.1177/0959683620932963},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010078191},
}