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- MARUM Research Seminar 2023
- Christopher A. Kiahtipes
Of Peatlands and Floodplains: Unpacking the Complex Natural History of the Inner Congo Basin’s Fluvial Networks
The vast tropical peatlands of the inner Congo Basin are produced by complex feedbacks between vegetation cover, local geomorphological conditions, and climate. Floodplains and flooded forests cover a significant portion of the Congo basin and are a major fraction of this region’s peatland complex. Atlantic forests and sedimentary records are better sampled and are regularly used as benchmarks for our interpretations of other Congo Basin records. This presentation explores some of the unique aspects of the hydrology, vegetation associations, and climates of the flooded forests of the Congo River and its tributaries. Using a combination of satellite imagery, field sampling, and micro botanical study of sedimentary deposits, I identify associations between paleofloras and hydrological conditions that allow us to unpack the natural history of this critically important region.
