Doctoral Dissertation Research: Vegetation Change and Land Degradation in the Lake Baringo Ecosystem, Kenya, East Africa: Evidence from the Paleorecord.

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Palynology is a useful tool for the reconstruction of environmental changes due to both natural and anthropogenic causes during geological and historical times. This project will study the history of vegetational changes and land degradation in the Lake Baringo ecosystem, Kenya, East Africa, during the Holocene through the examination of fossil pollen, phytoliths, and microscopic charcoal in lake-sediment cores. The Lake Baringo ecosystem, a critical habitat for more than 500 avifaunal species and a source of livelihood for humans, is threatened by land degradation as a result of mounting population pressure in East Africa. Although some studies have used pollen to reconstruct the paleovegetation and paleoclimate of East Africa, very few palynological studies have focused on land degradation or desertification, considered one of the most serious environmental problems in Africa. The researchers will travel to Kenya and collect a series of long and short cores and surface sediment samples from Lake Baringo. These cores and surface samples will yield an extended chronology and also provide information on the spatial variations of pollen deposition and sedimentation rates within this large lake. A key objective of the research is to determine how recent changes in land-use and increased land degradation are reflected in the lake-sediment records. The researchers will analyze the sediment stratigraphy, microscopic charcoal, and pollen and phytolith assemblages to document the history of land degradation, climatic and vegetational changes, and variations in fire regimes in the Lake Baringo ecosystem. Satellite imageries of the lake catchment area have been obtained and, to enhance accuracy in classification, GPS points will be obtained during fieldwork for ground truthing. The study will produce a high-resolution Holocene pollen record from the semi-arid region of Kenya and one of only a handful from East Africa in general. It will contribute to knowledge on the role of natural versus anthropogenic causes for environmental changes in a critical environmental zone in East Africa during the late Holocene. Its findings will have significant policy implications on the conservation of biodiversity, lake restoration, land-use planning, and environmental management in the semi-arid regions of East Africa.