@article{fdi:010095336,
  title = {{T}wo contrasting swamp forest succession pathways in central {C}ongo {B}asin peatlands},
  author = {{H}awthorne, {D}. and {L}awson, {I}. {T}. and {D}argie, {G}. {C}. and {G}irkin, {N}. {T}. and {C}rezee, {B}. and {H}iles, {W}. and {B}iddulph, {G}. {E}. and {B}ocko, {Y}. {E}. and {B}oom, {A}. and {E}wango, {C}. {E}. {N}. and {G}arcin, {Y}annick and {G}ulliver, {P}. and {I}fo, {S}. {A}. and {K}anayama, {J}. {T}. and {K}iahtipes, {C}. {A}. and {P}age, {S}. {E}. and {R}oucoux, {K}. {H}. and {M}orris, {P}. {J}. and {S}chefuss, {E}. and {L}ewis, {S}. {L}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he central {C}ongo {B}asin ({CCB}) contains one of the world's most extensive regions of tropical peat swamp forest, occupying interfluves and floodplains surrounding the {C}ongo {R}iver and its tributaries. {T}he region is dominated by hardwood and {R}aphia-palm forests. {L}ittle is known about how and when these forests developed. {W}e investigate peatland ecosystem and forest development via pollen and delta 13{CTOC} analysis on peat cores from four study sites, two on floodplains to the east of the {C}ongo {R}iver, and two on interfluves to the west of the {C}ongo {R}iver. {W}e present 81 14{C} dates on bulk peat samples from four peat cores to show that peat initiation and forest establishment occurred at three sites before or during the {L}ast {G}lacial {M}aximum ({LGM}), at 26,750 calendar years before present (cal yr {BP}) ({B}olengo), 19,600 cal yr {BP} ({E}kolongouma) and 19,400 cal yr {BP} ({B}ondamba), and later at 13,350 cal yr {BP} ({B}oboka) at a fourth site. {T}he three oldest dates support earlier hypotheses that the {CCB} may have been a dynamic refuge for rainforest taxa during the {LGM}. {T}he pollen records from the four sites show two contrasting patterns of vegetation succession following peat initiation: the interfluvial peatlands developed from an open herbaceous wetland; the river floodplain peatlands developed from a hardwood swamp forest. {A}ll four sites eventually transitioned to a mixed swamp forest containing {R}aphia and {U}apaca trees. {D}ifferences in the timing of vegetation transitions between sites suggest that autogenic (within-site) processes are important drivers of vegetation succession in these peatlands, overlain to varying degrees by allogenic (climatic) drivers. {O}verall, the comparative analysis of pollen records from four sites within the {CCB} reveals two contrasting trajectories of forest development-one associated with interfluves and the other with river floodplains-driven by a combination of autogenic and allogenic processes. {O}ur findings highlight the biological diversity and complexity of the {CCB} peatlands, and their sensitivity to climatic change. {R}educed precipitation in the {L}ate {H}olocene affected peat accumulation and forest composition at all sites, with some sites being more sensitive than others. {T}his study provides important context for efforts to protect and conserve the {CCB} peat swamp forests by demonstrating their sensitivity to environmental stress in the past.},
  keywords = {{S}wamp forest ; {C}ongo basin ; {V}egetation succession ; {H}olocene ; {R}efugia ; pollen ; {CONGO} {BASSIN}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{Q}uaternary {S}cience {R}eviews},
  volume = {369},
  numero = {},
  pages = {109637 [13 ]},
  ISSN = {0277-3791},
  year = {2025},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.quascirev.2025.109637},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010095336},
}