Scribd
Upload
114 views

Non-Marine Paleoclimate Records: Pollen Data

This document discusses the use of pollen analysis to study past vegetation and climate changes. Key points include: - Pollen grains can be used to identify plant species due to their resistance to decay and abundance in sediments. - Pollen analysis involves isolating and identifying pollen grains from sediment cores to reconstruct changes in vegetation over time. - Factors like pollen production rates, dispersal mechanisms, and taphonomy can bias pollen records, requiring consideration of individual plant ecology and modern analogs for interpretation.

Uploaded by

Abdullah Omer
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
114 views

Non-Marine Paleoclimate Records: Pollen Data

This document discusses the use of pollen analysis to study past vegetation and climate changes. Key points include: - Pollen grains can be used to identify plant species due to their resistance to decay and abundance in sediments. - Pollen analysis involves isolating and identifying pollen grains from sediment cores to reconstruct changes in vegetation over time. - Factors like pollen production rates, dispersal mechanisms, and taphonomy can bias pollen records, requiring consideration of individual plant ecology and modern analogs for interpretation.

Uploaded by

Abdullah Omer
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 39

Non-marine paleoclimate records

Pollen Data

Basis for Pollen Studies


Pollen grains can
directly identify plant
species.
Pollen is widely
present and
abundantly produced.
Pollen grains are
resistant to decay.
Alnus

Pollen Studies
Palynology is the study of pollen
Pollen grains can be found in caves, lake
sediments, soils, peat deposits, marine
sediments, glacial deposits.
Pollen data provides information of changes
in vegetation, climate, and human
disturbance of terrestrial ecosystems.

Pollen Production
Pollen production is inversely proportional to the
probability of fertilization.
Authogamous plants < Entomophilous < Anemophilous
(self-fertilizing)

(insect-fertilizing)

(wind-dispersed)

Pollen can be produced during different seasons by


different plants.
How representative are pollen grains of species
distribution and abundance?

Genus

Pollen
Production
Grain/flower

Rate of Fall
(cm/sec)

Pinus

>15 million

Picea

200,000

Abies

100

40

Poacea

90,000

10

Betula

10,000

Quercus

9,000

15

Acer

8,000

Tilia

20,000

18

Fagus

Pollen Production
Pollen production is speciesspecific. Whereas some plants
can produce 70,000 grains per
anther, others produce up to 100
grains per anther.
The pollen record is biased
towards wind-pollinated plants
(all gymnosperms and most
angiosperms) because these
plants need to produce vast
quantities of pollen.

Pollen Production
Anemophilous plants
(wind-pollinated) produce
light, aerodynamically
shaped pollen.
Pollen deposition depends
on grain shape and weight,
wind velocity, wind
direction, canopy cover

Pollen dispersal
Travel distance is inversely proportional to
pollen-grain size.
Pollen grains are filtered as they move
through the canopy.
Some light pollen grains can be transported
long-distances in the upper atmosphere.
In general, pollen from low-standing plants
have low probability of dispersal.

Pollen dispersal
Meteorological conditions control pollen
dispersal.

Pollen and vegetation

Ponds: local vegetation

Lakes: regional vegetation

Pollen percentages in surface samples from eastern Canada.

Pollen and Vegetation


Surface pollen composition is different than
vegetation composition and abundance.
Pollen composition at a given point within an
ecosystem is fairly consistent.
But, pollen compositions at different sites within the
same ecosystem are slightly different.
However, the difference between pollen
composition among sites in different ecosystems is
far greater than the difference between sites within a
single ecosystem.

Pollen Analysis
Sediments are collected
Pollen grains are isolated
from the sediment matrix
via chemical treatments.
Isolated pollen grains are
mounted onto a glass
slide, and they are
identified and quantified
under a microscope.

Pollen Analysis
Pollen counts in each
slide are reported in
percentages of the total
pollen count (excluding
wetland or rare species).
Changes in the % of one
species are interpreted to
reflect a similar change in
the composition of
vegetation.

Pollen Analysis

Y-axis: Time

Problem: % of pollen
counts could give
unrealistic information
of vegetation
composition if, for
instance, a plant
species is replaced by
an abundantly pollenproducing plant.
X-axis: % pollen grains

Pollen Analysis
To circumvent biases associated with pollen
production, one could use pollen flux density
values (pollen grain/yr-cm2).
However, accurate and numerous dates are
needed. Because this is rare, pollen fluxes are
not used very often.

Pollen Interpretation
Pollen diagrams are
usually divided into
zones to facilitate
interpretations.
Changes in pollen
composition are
interpreted to indicate
changes in climate or
human disturbance.
St. Paul, MN (Matsch, 1976).

Pollen Interpretation
Two general interpretative approaches exist:
Individualistic Approach: Past environmental
conditions are reconstructed on the basis of
present-day ecology and environmental
tolerance and optima of a plant species.
Assemblage Approach: Past environmental
conditions are reconstructed on the basis
modern plant associations in climate/
biogeographical regions.

Pollen Interpretation
Individualistic approach
(Midwest):
Decline in hardwood species
(beech, maple, oak, hickory)
and/or increase in conifer species
(spruce, fir, pine) indicates
cooling.
Increase in ash and/or elm
indicates wet environments.
Decline in trees and increase in
grasses indicates drier conditions.

Pollen record for Money Creek and Pine Creek in southeastern Minnesota
(Baker et al., 2002).

Pollen Interpretation
Assemblage Approach:
Modern Analog Technique (MAT): Central
assumption: If two assemblages contain a similar
mixture of pollen grains, then the communities that
produced those assemblages must also have been
similar.
Another assumption: Plant composition in an
ecosystem is at equilibrium with the environment.

Pollen Interpretation
MAT: relies on the dissimilarities of modern
and fossil assemblages.
To determine if they are the same, the
threshold of relatedness is based on
statistical comparisons between paired
populations within and between
ecosystems.

Pollen Interpretation
Hierarchical Analog Approach: Based on
functional analogs rather than on plant
associations.
First level of analyses: similar to MAT
Second level: based on plant functional
types.
Third level: based on plant life forms.

Williams, 2003.

Williams, 2003.

Pollen Interpretation
Transfer Functions: A polynomial equation
is fitted to observed pollen data.
Not often used because these functions
assume that only one parameter controls the
distribution of vegetation (pollen).
Particularly problematic for ecosystems
with no modern analog.

Macrofossils
Plant remains (leaves, fruits,
flowers, roots, etc) are preserved
in some particular environments
(e.g., swamps).
Advantage: species can readily
be identified, provides good
radiocarbon dates.
Disadvantage: Few locations are
available and modern analogs
are difficult to established.

Tree-line (Ecotone)
Gradual transition from mature dense forest
through open, discontinuous woodland, to isolated
trees or grasslands.
Artic Ecotone: Boreal forest/tundra

Plant macrofossils are collected from soils.


Soil type changes as vegetation changes.
Tree line coincides with July temperature
Tree line also coincides with mean summer position of
the Arctic front.

Caveats of the record:


Trees invades grasslands at a faster pace
than grasses colonize forests.
Trees live longer than grasses, but grasses
grow faster than trees.
Fire frequency affects tree line.
Invasion of new species.
Records are usually incomplete.
Are modern tree lines at equilibrium?
What is the lag time?

You might also like