High-Resolution Study of the Late Holocene from Pollen of a Marine Core in the Gulf of Guinea (Cameroon): Paleoenvironmental and Ecological Dynamics in Central Africa during the Last 2,500 Years

A high-resolution palynological study was conducted on marine core CF collected at 38 m water depth on the Cameroonian continental shelf (Gulf of Guinea). Litho-sedimentary analysis distinguishes two major depositional units, reflecting shifts from dynamic to calmer marine environments. Four radiocarbon dates establish a robust age-depth model spanning the last 2,500 years. Twenty samples were analyzed following standard palynological procedures, with a minimum count of 300 pollen grains per sample. A total of 228 taxa belonging to 90 plant families were identified. Rhizophora pollen dominates the assemblages, followed by spores, Poaceae, Alchornea, Cyperaceae, and Elaeis. Pollen diagrams and correspondence factor analysis reveal three major vegetation phases: 1) a forest-dominated phase, 2) an expansion of herbaceous savannas culminating in a Late Holocene savanna optimum between ~1,600 and 900 cal yr BP, and 3) a phase of forest recovery characterized by pioneer taxa. These vegetation changes reflect the combined influence of regional climatic variability, coastal dynamics, and increasing human pressure. The CF marine record provides a key reference for understanding Late Holocene land-sea interactions and ecosystem sensitivity in Central Africa.