Staubsedimentation im nordafrikanischen Sahel - Herkunft und Auswirkung auf die Landschaftsokologie eines semiariden Grossraumes

Two sedimentary cycles are documented for the southern Sahara zone of the Republic of Niger. Existing regional differences of the dust sediments in the northern Sahel argue against a supra-regional transportation. On the otherwise bare rock of the south Saharan high plateaus, the dust sediments allowed the formation of soils now bearing a loose wood and grass vegetation. Between the ancient dunes of the Sahel, (para-) Vertisols having formed on aeolian very fine-grained sediments as well, already occur in the scope of the 300mm-isohyetal line. Due to their water-retaining capacity, these soils provide the only locations at the agronomic dry margin where the cultivation of vegetables is possible. -from English summary