Abstract
We conducted a detailed field vegetation investigation combined with the collection of surface soil samples for pollen analysis in the alpine meadow and steppe vegetation zones (30 sites in each zone) in the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau. Our objectives were to determine the source area of exotic pollen, the relationship between pollen percentages and the cover of the major plant taxa, and the characteristics of the pollen assemblages from surface soils and lake sediments and their vegetation significance. Our principal findings are: (i) the two vegetation zones are herbaceous although arboreal pollen types are present in the related pollen assemblages (2 and 16.8% in the alpine meadow and steppe zones, respectively); (ii) arboreal pollen is assumed to be transported mainly by the Indian monsoon from the forests of the southern Himalayan foothills or river valleys – the spatial distribution of the percentages and concentrations of arboreal pollen in the study sites shows that pollen concentrations have the strongest correlation with the Indian monsoon's variations; (iii) there are regional differences in (a) the relationship between pollen percentages and the cover of the main plant taxa and (b) the indicator plant taxa representative of pollen assemblages and vegetation types zones – the regional vegetation of the study region and pollen productivity variations between plant taxa are likely to be the main causes behind these differences; and (iv) the pollen assemblages from surface soils and lake sediments have similar characteristics and correspond well to the regional vegetation of the alpine meadow zone. In the alpine steppe zone, the pollen assemblages from surface soils and lake sediments are quite different, caused mainly by the over‐representation of Artemisia. Our study supplies a detailed description of pollen–vegetation relationships on the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau and provides scientific references for interpreting stratigraphic pollen assemblages and reconstructing regional vegetation.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.