Anthrosols of the Bale Mountains: Archives for the reconstruction of the chronology and intensity of human occupation and possible interactions with fire history and the destruction of Erica stands at the Sanetti Plateau

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Subproject P2 (Human impact on fire history and destruction of Erica vegetation at the Sanetti Plateau (Bale Mountains, Ethiopia) as assessed by biogeochemical proxies of Anthrosols and depression sediments) investigates (1) Anthrosols developed below shelters and in caves, documenting the chronology and intensity of human occupation since 10 and between 25 - 45,000 years, but not during the global Last Glacial Maximum. A detailed chronology of human occupation is still lacking. (2) Erica fragments are mainly restricted to boulder-rich sites, assuming that boulders improve temperatures controlling the upper treeline. (3) Sediments in depressions and lakes document disturbances (fire, climate, vegetation) in their catchments. Up to now fire proxies (black carbon, charcoal) and Erica pollen showed diverging maxima, deposited during different periods and documenting a regionally diverging landscape history. The goals of Phase 2 are (1) the reconstruction of the chronology and intensity of human occupation by analysing Anthrosols older than 10 ka BP, and regional up-scaling and temporal integration of human impact by analysing human biomarkers in lake and depression sediments (with C2 and P1). (2) evaluation of the temperature regime (with P3 and P6), the nutrient and water supply of Erica fragments. (3) identification of unambiguous molecular Erica markers. (4) reconstruction of temporal and spatial distribution of Erica by analysing molecular Erica markers in soils and sediment archives (with C2, P3, P4, P5 and P7).