Pollen spectra of Polar Ural glaciers

Abstract

The subject of this article is the pollen spectra of the samples from the surface of Romantic's Glacier, located in the Polar Urals in the Rai-Iz mountain range, as well as generalization of the results of published studies dedicated to glaciers of the Urals. The author also examines the pollen spectra of massive ice, which can be attributed to ice of atmospheric origin on the basis of similarity with the pollen spectra obtained from the surface of the glacier. The article reviews climatic peculiarities of the Polar Urals due to the existence of glaciers below the snow line, namely the landscapes of the Polar Urals, including vegetation as a source of pollen and spores falling onto the surface of glaciers of the Polar Urals, as well as possibility of distant pollen drift to the surface of Romantic’s Glacier. The main result consists in the conclusion that the composition pollen spectra of the Romantic’s Glacier in the Rai-Iz mountainous area is mainly determined by the long-range transport of pollen and spores from the western and south-western regions in a latitude direction. The pollen spectra obtained from the surface of the Romantic’s Glacier are characterized by significant presence of various pollen from broad-leaved rocks of lip, maple, oak, and hazel. Pine pollen and high forest birch are prevalent. Local vegetation is very poor. However, the pollen spectra indicates pollen of heath and crowfoot family, and grasses.