Reconstruction of Paleovegetation and Paleoclimate in Eastern Tigray, Gulo-Mekeda District rnTsegay Kahsay Gebrekidan rnAddis Ababa University, 2018 rnPaleovegetation reconstruction by analyzing natural proxies provides basic understanding about historical changes of the environment and vegetation during times before instrument measures were possible. Northern Ethiopia has long been highly sensitive to a wide range of environmental problems. Until recently, however, no means had been developed to reconstruct paleovegetation; one of the most basic sources of inferences about two of the most fundamental aspects of paleoenvironment: climate and land cover. This study expands a recent pioneering effort in northern Ethiopia to reconstruct the paleovegetation and paleoclimate from charcoal fossil archives in gully sediments and then carries the climate record to the present day using meteorological data. Soil samples were taken from three exposed sections and the charcoal there in examined at intervals of 10cm for fuel source (arboreal for trees, non-arboreal for herbaceous and shrub) and 30cm for identification of tree species, and implications from these factors about the climate condition. Radiocarbon dates ranged from 4683 Cal yrs B.P to modern times (-55 Cal yrs BP). A total of 36 prepared thin section samples with 271 pieces of macrofossil charcoal (â‰¥0.5 mm) were analyzed for woody plant group and 15 tree species were identified. Based on this result, except Mz-II that was the wetland and protected/pasture land with rich grass, in all sample sites, the youngest soil horizon was fully dominated by arboreal vegetation (Acacia types). Arboreal charcoal was present in the youngest soils of two of the sections but was absent in much of the section bordering Mezber-II. The Region had dry and less humid climate starting around 2420Cal yrs BP-up to now. Whereas, from around 3306Cal yrs BP-2570Cal yrs BP, non-arboreal was more prevalent than arboreal fuel sources, it had been wet climate with few dry and drought sub-periods. Around that period, non-arboreal vegetation was dominant with broad-leaved evergreen angiosperms and some gymnosperms of arboreal. This period was the transitional periods, most of the humid climate and environment was changed. Moreover, about 4683 Cal yrs BP-3308Cal yrs BP (to the early Holocene) was the moist and humid climate that was dominated with non-arboreal vegetation and gymnosperm woody plant with some broad-leaved evergreen angiosperms of arboreal. Overall, the climate and environment was seriously changed through the mid and late Holocene due to the agricultural needs of human civilization starting around 800BCE (2750Cal yrs BP) in the region. This agriculture depend human activities were the main causes of land use change and the basis for highly sensitive environmental problems in the region. Moreover, there were statistically significant variations on the seasonal and annual climate variables (temperature & rainfall) in the last 47 years Therefore, this study is an icebreaker to reconstruct Paleovegetation and paleoclimate, but further research needs on other proxies to improve our understanding on paleoenvironment.