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Journal Article

Ecological stability of Late Pleistocene-to-Holocene Lesotho, southern Africa, facilitated human upland habitation

MPS-Authors
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Patalano,  Robert
isoTROPIC Independent Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Max Planck Society;

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Carleton,  W. Christopher
Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Max Planck Society;
Extreme Events Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Max Planck Society;

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Gayantha,  Kasun
Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Max Planck Society;

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Ilgner,  Jana
Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Max Planck Society;

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Lucas,  Mary
Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Max Planck Society;

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Marzo,  Sara
Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Max Planck Society;

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Roberts,  Patrick
Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Max Planck Society;
isoTROPIC Independent Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Max Planck Society;

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Supplementary Discussion, Figures S1 to S5, Table S1, Replication for Age-Depth Model of Ha Makotoko and Figure S6, SI References
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Citation

Patalano, R., Arthur, C., Carleton, W. C., Challis, S., Dewar, G., Gayantha, K., et al. (2023). Ecological stability of Late Pleistocene-to-Holocene Lesotho, southern Africa, facilitated human upland habitation. Communications Earth & Environment, 4(1): 129. doi:10.1038/s43247-023-00784-8.


Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-000D-104A-E
Abstract
Investigation of Homo sapiens’ palaeogeographic expansion into African mountain environments are changing the understanding of our species’ adaptions to various extreme Pleistocene climates and habitats. Here, we present a vegetation and precipitation record from the Ha Makotoko rockshelter in western Lesotho, which extends from ~60,000 to 1,000 years ago. Stable carbon isotope ratios from plant wax biomarkers indicate a constant C3-dominated ecosystem up to about 5,000 years ago, followed by C4 grassland expansion due to increasing Holocene temperatures. Hydrogen isotope ratios indicate a drier, yet stable, Pleistocene and Early Holocene compared to a relatively wet Late Holocene. Although relatively cool and dry, the Pleistocene was ecologically reliable due to generally uniform precipitation amounts, which incentivized persistent habitation because of dependable freshwater reserves that supported rich terrestrial foods and provided prime locations for catching fish.