Here we present the AMS dating results of three large African baobabs, namely Holboom (Nyae Nyae Conservancy, Namibia), Luna tree (Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa) and the baobab of Samba Dia (Senegal).The age sequences of samples collected from all these individuals show the characteristic anomalies of baobabs with false inner cavities.
Ocean sediment C-14 data The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University has compiled 974 C-14 dates from 309 ocean sediments cores, covering the period from 40,000 years BP to the present worldwide. The USGS Bear Lake Project aims to create records of past climate change for the Bear Lake region,including changes in precipitation patterns during the last 10,000 years and how the size of Bear Lake has varied in the past, to assess the possibility of future flooding and drought.
Several chronological anomalies were observed for the first time in the radiocarbon investigation of wood samples collected from the large inner cavity and from the outer part of an old African baobab (Adansonia digitata L.), i.e., the Lebombo Eco Trail tree (Mozambique).
The existence of growth rings in African baobabs has generated much controversy.
We used AMS radiocarbon dating to determine age sequences along wood samples collected from large and old African baobabs, which were compared against growth ring counts.
For such trees, the growth may stop for the oldest stems, usually around the age of 1,000 yr.
We exemplify our statement by presenting the growth stop for several old specimens: Lebombo Eco trail baobab, Dorslandboom and Chapman baobab.If you would like to set up information regarding a project in which radiocarbon dating illuminated or solved a problem or in which C14 played a central role, please contact [email protected] The Origins of Angkor Archaeological Project From the University of Otago (New Zealand) and the Fine Arts Department of Thailand, the project is concerned with investigating archaeology of pre-formative Angkorean society of South East Asia.Radiocarbon dating underpins the chronological aspects of the investigation.Such results show that baobab stems may stop growing due to old age or to stress factors.The Pafuri Outpost baobab is located in the Pafuri Outpost area of Kruger National Park, Limpopo Province, South Africa (GPS coordinates 22º26.647' S, 031º04.745' E, altitude 200 m, annual rainfall 434 mm).According to radiocarbon dating results, the 3 investigated baobabs are multi-stemmed; their trunks consist of fused stems belonging to several generations.