Book contents
- Only in Africa
- Only in Africa
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- Part I The Physical Cradle: Land Forms, Geology, Climate, Hydrology and Soils
- Chapter 1 High Africa: Eroding Surfaces
- Chapter 2 Climate: Rainfall Seasonality
- Chapter 3 Water in Rivers, Lakes and Wetlands
- Chapter 4 Bedrock Geology: Volcanic Influences
- Chapter 5 Soils: Foundations of Fertility
- Part I Synthesis: Structure of the Physical Cradle
- Part II The Savanna Garden: Grassy Vegetation and Plant Dynamics
- Part III The Big Mammal Menagerie: Herbivores, Carnivores and Their Ecosystem Impacts
- Part IV Evolutionary Transitions: From Primate Ancestors to Modern Humans
- Appendix Scientific Names of Extant Animal and Plant Species Mentioned in the Book Chapters (Ecologically Conservative with Regard to Species Recognition)
- Index
- References
Chapter 4 - Bedrock Geology: Volcanic Influences
from Part I - The Physical Cradle: Land Forms, Geology, Climate, Hydrology and Soils
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 September 2021
Book contents
- Only in Africa
- Only in Africa
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- Part I The Physical Cradle: Land Forms, Geology, Climate, Hydrology and Soils
- Chapter 1 High Africa: Eroding Surfaces
- Chapter 2 Climate: Rainfall Seasonality
- Chapter 3 Water in Rivers, Lakes and Wetlands
- Chapter 4 Bedrock Geology: Volcanic Influences
- Chapter 5 Soils: Foundations of Fertility
- Part I Synthesis: Structure of the Physical Cradle
- Part II The Savanna Garden: Grassy Vegetation and Plant Dynamics
- Part III The Big Mammal Menagerie: Herbivores, Carnivores and Their Ecosystem Impacts
- Part IV Evolutionary Transitions: From Primate Ancestors to Modern Humans
- Appendix Scientific Names of Extant Animal and Plant Species Mentioned in the Book Chapters (Ecologically Conservative with Regard to Species Recognition)
- Index
- References
Summary
This chapter describes how the geological firmament of Africa was formed and the contributions by volcanic intrusions. Eastern and southern Africa’s eroding surface exposing bedrock influences on soils. Mafic rocks generate fertile clay-rich soils, while felsic granite or sandstone produces sandy soils with lower nutrient-holding capacity. Volcanism is widespread through eastern Africa and persists in South Africa as dolerite feeders to the surface basalt eruptions associated with the breakup of Gondwana. Sediments accumulated in the Karoo and Kalahari basins.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Only in AfricaThe Ecology of Human Evolution, pp. 39 - 48Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021
References
Suggested Further Reading
McCarthy, T; Rubidge, BS. (2005) The Story of Earth and Life. A Southern African Perspective on a 4.6-Billion-Year Journey. Struik, Cape Town.Google Scholar
References
Scoon, RN, et al. (2018) Geology of National Parks of Central/Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Springer, Cham.Google Scholar
Macgregor, D. (2015) History of the development of the East African Rift System: a series of interpreted maps through time. Journal of African Earth Sciences 101:232–252.Google Scholar
Partridge, TC. (2010) Tectonics and geomorphology of Africa during the Phanerozoic. In Werdelin, L; Sanders, WJ (eds) Cenozoic Mammals of Africa. University of California Press, Berkeley, pp. 3–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Asrat, A. (2016) The Ethiopian highlands. In Viljoen, R (ed.) Africa’s Top Geological Sites. Struik, Cape Town, pp. 197–205.Google Scholar
Asrat, A. (2016) The Danakil depression of Ethiopia. In Viljoen, R (ed.) Africa’s Top Geological Sites. Struik, Cape Town, pp. 189–196.Google Scholar
Haddon, IG. (2004) The Sub-Kalahari Geology and Tectonic Evolution of The Kalahari Basin, Southern Africa. University of the Witwatersand, Johannesburg.Google Scholar