Figure 7: Conceptual model showing the role of springs across various climate scenarios.
From: Modelling the role of groundwater hydro-refugia in East African hominin evolution and dispersal
Under the drier scenario (a) hominin survival is focused on single springs (or spring clusters) and movement between springs (or spring clusters) is limited. As climate improves (b) the availability of water sources increases particularly as the water table intersects rift flank rivers. Springs high on the rift sides may act to link rift flank rivers with water sources in the rift facilitating transverse rift movement. As water becomes widely available (c) hominin movement occurs in all directions including along the rift axis.
