Abstract
Western and Van Praet1 have convincingly suggested that losses of yellow fever-trees in the Maasi Ambolesi are not due to over-population by cattle or elephants but to a climatic change causing a shift in the salt table. They assume that the change is part of a cycle, though of a much smaller range than has occurred in the past 10,000 yr. Perhaps inadvertently, they seem to suggest that the cycle producing the present vegetation change lasts about a century. Much shorter cycles than this may, however, be usual in the region, as evidence from further south suggests. It is important that this should be appreciated because, as the authors state, investment by governments on developments to accommodate tourists may be wasted if the climate is wrongly forecast.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Western, D., and Van Praet, C., Nature, 241, 104 (1973).
Butzer, K. W., Isaac, G. L., Richardson, J. L., and Wasbourn-Kamau, C., Science, 175, 1069 (1972).
Gunn, D. L., Tanganyika Notes and Records, 42, 1 (1956).
Symmons, P. M., Bull. Ent. Res., 50, 507 (1959).
Annual Reports of the International Red Locust Control Service, Abercorn, Northern Rhodesia (Mbala, Zambia).
Gunn, D. L., and Symmons, P. M., Nature, 184, 1425 (1959).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
GUNN, D. Consequences of Cycles in East African Climate. Nature 242, 457 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/242457a0
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/242457a0
This article is cited by
-
Diversity and fine-scale spatial genetic structure of Cyperus papyrus populations in Lake Naivasha (Kenya) using microsatellite markers
Hydrobiologia (2014)
-
The sponge Dosilia brouni (Spongillidae) in Lake Baringo, Gregory Rift, Kenya
Hydrobiologia (1991)
-
Vegetation changes in a shallow African Lake: Response of the vegetation to a recent dry period
Hydrobiologia (1975)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.