Quaternary EnvironmentsQuaternary EnvironmentsPollen AnalysisPollen Analysis

Pollen AnalysisPollen Analysis

Millions of tons of organic material is dispersed Millions of tons of organic material is dispersed into the atmosphere by flowering plants and into the atmosphere by flowering plants and cryptogams every yearcryptogams every year

Sedimentation rate is important for fine Sedimentation rate is important for fine resolutionresolution

Basis of Pollen AnalysisBasis of Pollen Analysis

Distinct morphology of pollen grainsDistinct morphology of pollen grains Produced in vast quantities by wind-pollinated Produced in vast quantities by wind-pollinated

plantsplants Extremely resistant to decayExtremely resistant to decay Reflect natural vegetation Reflect natural vegetation

PollenPollen

10 – 150 microns10 – 150 microns Exine – Chemically resistant outer layerExine – Chemically resistant outer layer MorphologyMorphology

ShapeShape SizeSize SculpturingSculpturing Number of aperturesNumber of apertures

TreatmentTreatment

Hydrochloric AcidHydrochloric Acid Sulfuric AcidSulfuric Acid Hydrofluoric AcidHydrofluoric Acid Acetic AnhydrideAcetic Anhydride Pollen SolutionPollen Solution Lycopodium ControlLycopodium Control

Pollen Prep and Pollen Prep and Microscope WorkMicroscope Work

Pollen MorphologyPollen Morphology

CatchmentCatchment

Preservation sitesPreservation sites LakesLakes BogsBogs EstuariesEstuaries Alluvial depositsAlluvial deposits Marine sedimentsMarine sediments Glacial iceGlacial ice Archaeological sitesArchaeological sites Packrat middensPackrat middens CoprolitesCoprolites

ScaleScale

Basin size determines catchment areaBasin size determines catchment area Based on dispersal distanceBased on dispersal distance Based on pollen productivityBased on pollen productivity Different spatial and temporal scales of pollen Different spatial and temporal scales of pollen

change are driven by different processeschange are driven by different processes

Lake CoringLake Coring

Sediment CoreSediment Core

Other Factors that Affect Pollen Other Factors that Affect Pollen DispersalDispersal

FireFire Insect infestationInsect infestation Plant successional changesPlant successional changes Season of pollination Season of pollination Interference by humansInterference by humans

Under and Over Represented Under and Over Represented Pollen TypesPollen Types

Dispersal ModelDispersal Model

ProblemsProblems

Differential productionDifferential production Wind versus insect or animal pollinatedWind versus insect or animal pollinated

Differential preservationDifferential preservation Populus pollen disintegrates easilyPopulus pollen disintegrates easily

Number of pollen grains to countNumber of pollen grains to count Greater than 200Greater than 200

BioturbationBioturbation

Biostratigraphic ZonesBiostratigraphic Zones

Biostratigraphic ZoneBiostratigraphic Zone: ": "A biostratigraphic zone is defined solely by the fossils it contains, without reference to lithology, inferred environment, or concepts of time." Code of Stratigraphic Nomenclature. Bull.Amer.Assoc.Petrol.Geol. 45(5):645-665.

Vegetation versus Modern Pollen Vegetation versus Modern Pollen

Hickory Oak

Elm Ash

CallibrationCallibration

Compare pollen assemblages to known Compare pollen assemblages to known temperature and precipitationtemperature and precipitation

Develop transfer functions to reconstruct Develop transfer functions to reconstruct past climatepast climate

Pollen DiagramPollen Diagram

Pollen Diagram from Carp Lake, Pollen Diagram from Carp Lake, OregonOregon

Temporal Reconstruction of Temporal Reconstruction of Temperature and PrecipitationTemperature and Precipitation

Spatial Reconstruction of VegetationSpatial Reconstruction of Vegetation

Isochrones of Vegetation MigrationIsochrones of Vegetation Migration

Altitudinal Changes in vegetation zones Altitudinal Changes in vegetation zones in the Eastern Cordillera of Columbiain the Eastern Cordillera of Columbia