This book is the first comprehensive account of the modern Kenya Rift Valley lakes and their precursor lakes preserved in the sedimentary record. The first part gives the broad geological and environmental background to the Kenya Rift and a history of research. In the second part, each modern lake is described from perspectives of geology, limnology, ecology, sedimentology and late Quaternary history. The fossil lake sediments, some linked to hominin sites, and their paleoenvironmental history are considered in the third part. In the fourth section, the global tectonic, volcanic and climate controls of lake evolution in continental rifts are examined, with a synthesis of the chemistry and evolution of Kenya Rift waters. The last section discusses the resource potential of the lakes and their sediments, and the environmental issues that currently affect the modern lakes. This research-level book (geology, paleoecology) will be illustrated throughout by original figures and photographs.

InhaltsangabePreface.- Introduction.- History of research on the geology and biology of the Kenya Rift lakes.- Geology of the Kenya Rift Valley.- Environmental setting of the Kenya Rift Valley.- Limnology and sedimentology of tropical lakes - a short introduction.- The Northern Kenya Rift.- The Central Kenya Rift.- Lake Victoria.- The Southern Kenya - Northern Tanzania Rift.- Small lakes and wetlands of the Kenya Rift.- Paleogene lake basins.- Miocene and Mio-Pliocene lake basins.- Pliocene and Plio-Pleistocene lake basins.- Pleistocene lake basins.- Paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic history of the Kenya Rift lakes.- Controls of lacustrine sedimentation - climate vs tectonics, and the impacts of volcanism.- Hydrochemistry of the Kenya Rift lakes.- The Kenya Rift lakes and lake sediments as economic resources.- Environmental issues.- Future outlook.- Concluding statements