Our PhD candidate, Fatai Ilesanmi, presented results from National Geographic Society-funded speleological expeditions in West/Central African karst landscapes (Nigeria, Cameroon, and Gabon), where 13 caves were explored (4 in Nigeria, 3 in Cameroon, and 6 in Gabon), at the BCRA Cave Science Symposium (11–12 October 2025, University of Bristol, UK). The explorations led to the successful sampling of stalagmites exclusively in Gabon, where 15 specimens underwent Uranium–Thorium (U–Th) dating, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR); stable-isotope analysis is ongoing at Northumbria University, and lamina counts on two specimens provide initial chronological constraints. The Gabonese caves contained well-preserved speleothems, offering high-resolution geochemical archives of past climate variability.

This research underscores the untapped potential of Central and West African karst systems as key palaeoclimate archives and highlights spatial heterogeneity in stalagmite suitability. The findings contribute to the growing body of tropical African palaeoclimate research and support improved calibration and validation of climate models. Integration of these records into modelling frameworks will enhance reconstructions of regional hydroclimatic variability and inform resilience strategies in the face of ongoing global climate risks.

As part of the meeting, Fatai joined a three-hour field visit to GB Cave (near Charterhouse) led by Dr Andy Farrant, who examined passage morphology, stratified sediments, and speleothems to illustrate cave development and how such features inform palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironmental interpretation.

Fatai gratefully acknowledged the BCRA Cave Science Symposium travel grant, which supported his participation and the dissemination of these findings.

Conference and field trip details: BCRA Science Symposium