Geological Society of America

T230 Dating the Quaternary: Development and Application of Geochronological Tools in Geomorphology and Archaeology

Wednesday, 25 September 2024
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
212A

CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND HUMAN IMPACT IN MOROCCO: INSIGHTS FROM THE HOLOCENE ERA

Paper number: T230-4
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:35 AM – 8:50 AM

Authors

Asmae Baqloul Presenting Author
Faculty of sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Agadir
Enno Schefuß
MARUM-Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen
Martin Kölling
MARUM-Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen
Jeroen Groeneveld
Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei
Hanane Reddad
Faculty of sciences Ain Chock, Hassan II University, Casablanca
Lhoussaine Bouchaou
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Benguerir
Lhoussaine Bouchaou
Faculty of sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Agadir
Ilham Bouimetarhan
University Ibn Zohr of Agadir, Agadir

Abstract

Holocene climate variations have significantly impacted global climatic conditions. Given Morocco's vulnerability to climate changes, it is crucial to thoroughly investigate climate dynamics in both middle and southern Morocco. This study provides an overview of two important Holocene eras of change: prominent climatic changes in and out of the African Humid Period and the demographic and cultural change during Morocco’s Arabization.

Using high-resolution records from pollen, leaf-wax δD, and leaf wax isotopes, we gain comprehensive insights into historical climates. Indications of early Holocene greening between ca. 14,500 and 5,000 y ago, in the Sahara, which affected vegetation and precipitation patterns, are commonly known as the African Humid Period. The African Humid Period shaped ecological dynamics, human dispersal, and cultural adaptations. among other aspects of human-environment interactions. The most relevant results are a drastic increase in anthropogenic influence following the Arabization of Morocco around ~700 CE, particularly through intensified agricultural use. This period marked a significant shift in human activity and land use, leading to a notable impact on hydrological and vegetation signals over the last three millennia. The study provides evidence of anthropogenic influence during this historical period, signifying the substantial environmental imprint resulting from human activities. By connecting human activities, climate fluctuations, and environmental changes during the Holocene, this study provides valuable insights contributing to a deeper understanding of the environmental imprint of human demography changes in Morocco.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 56, No. 5

doi: 10.1130/abs/2024AM-400832

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