CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND HUMAN IMPACT IN MOROCCO: INSIGHTS FROM THE HOLOCENE ERA

Holocene climate variations have significantly impacted global climatic conditions. Given Morocco's vulnerability to climate changes, it is crucial to thoroughly investigate climate dynamics in both middle and southern Morocco. This study provides an overview of two important Holocene eras of change: prominent climatic changes in and out of the African Humid Period and the demographic and cultural change during Morocco’s Arabization.

Using high-resolution records from pollen, leaf-wax δD, and leaf wax isotopes, we gain comprehensive insights into historical climates. Indications of early Holocene greening between ca. 14,500 and 5,000 y ago, in the Sahara, which affected vegetation and precipitation patterns, are commonly known as the African Humid Period. The African Humid Period shaped ecological dynamics, human dispersal, and cultural adaptations. among other aspects of human-environment interactions. The most relevant results are a drastic increase in anthropogenic influence following the Arabization of Morocco around ~700 CE, particularly through intensified agricultural use. This period marked a significant shift in human activity and land use, leading to a notable impact on hydrological and vegetation signals over the last three millennia. The study provides evidence of anthropogenic influence during this historical period, signifying the substantial environmental imprint resulting from human activities. By connecting human activities, climate fluctuations, and environmental changes during the Holocene, this study provides valuable insights contributing to a deeper understanding of the environmental imprint of human demography changes in Morocco.