Holocene fire dynamics and their climatic controls at Vankervelsvlei, southern Cape coast, South Africa

In this study we investigate hydroclimatic and fire dynamics on a 9.6 m long sediment core from Vankervelsvlei covering the past 7.2 ka. A reconstruction of hydroclimatic variability through time applies oxygen isotopes from hemicellulose-derived sugars and hydrogen isotopes from leaf wax-derived n-alkanes. Coupling both isotopes enables a robust reconstruct of atmospheric source and seasonality of precipitation as well as local relative humidity. Past trends in fire activity are inferred from macro-charcoal and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) analyses.