Modern pollen-rain data from South and Central America: a test of the feasibility of fine-resolution lowland tropical palynology

Abstract

Modern pollen rain data from a suite of sites in lowland South and Central America are analysed by means of detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN), and are shown to have discernible characteristics for major vegetation types: varzea, igapo, semi-deciduous, cerrado and terra firme forest. Data analysis demonstrates the potential for detailed palaeoclimatic reconstructions of lowland tropical environments, but also demonstrates the danger of making generalizations about palaeoecosystems based on few palaeoecological records.