Spatio-temporal forest cover characterisation of mascareignite zones of reunion Island

The endo-soils of the reunion island often present a particularity: the presence of a light soil level on surface, of vegetable composition, the mascareignite. In the framework of this study, mascareignite soils have been localized on the wet face of the island and have been compared with those of the dry face. The floristic past of these soils has been reconstituted with the pedo-anthracology tool (charcoal dating and identification). Ages given by the 14C measures show that the mascareignite genesis is anterior to the human being presence in the island. The study of the actual vegetable cover distribution has been realized by satellite data. (A.L.B.)