Abstract
Sedimentological and geochemical analyses and 14C dating were performed for a sedimentary core sample from the Lopé 2 marsh in the northern zone of Gabon’s Lopé National Park. The results produced a division of the core sample into three main units. The basal part of the core sample was dated to 2,320 years cal BP. At this time, the Lopé 2 marsh was a topographic hollow that flooded sporadically during the rainy season. This unit corresponds to a soil formation of clay, quartz and highly decomposed organic matter. The upper boundary of this unit corresponds to the end of the climatic deterioration that affected central Africa around 2,500 years BP. The second unit represents the period from 2,320 to 585 years cal BP. This shows a gradual decrease in the flow of quartz that reflects the increasing relative density of the marsh vegetation as the climate became more humid. The organic matter in this unit is of mixed origin, relatively abundant and with a high content of refractory material. The third unit, representing the period from 585 years cal BP to the present, shows plant cover associated with developing marshland (whichbegan in unit 2) that was sustained by the humid climate. The organic matter here is rich in biological material.