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Preliminary study on pollen distribution in the surface soil of the Turpan region in the southern slope of Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang, China

2017; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Volume: 41; Issue: 7 Linguagem: Inglês

10.17521/cjpe.2017.0019

1005-264X

Li Wang, Yun Zhang, Kong Zhaochen, YANG Zhen-Jing, Yan Shun, and LI Yue-Cong,

Lichen and fungal ecology

AimsOur main purposes were to analyze the relationship between vegetation and pollen in the surface soil of the Turpan region, which is located in the southern slope of the eastern Tianshan Mountains, and to compare different pollen assemblages between the Turpan region and the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains. MethodsWe collected 36 modern pollen samples and carried out modern vegetation survey in the Turpan region along an altitudinal gradient from 2 000 m to -154 m.Detrended correspondence analysis and Redundancy analysis were applied to analyze the distribution pattern of pollen in surface soils. Important findingsWe divided the pollen spectra into four pollen assemblage zones (mountain desert-steppe and desert, Gobi gravel, typical desert and salt mash vegetation), corresponding to the major vegetation types in the Turpan region.When compared with the northern slope, the characteristics of pollen assemblages in the mountain desert-steppe and desert were similar to those in the forest-steppe on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains; the pollen assemblages in the Gobi gravel and the typical desert seemed to be more consistent with those in the typical desert on the northern slope; however, no analogue was found in the salt mash vegetation.Obviously, the vertical pollen spectra in Turpan region were incomplete, lacking typical forest and Artemisia desert pollen zones.Besides, similar pollen zones in the Turpan region were found at an elevation of about 300 m higher than those in the northern slope.It is remarkable that the typical tree pollen, such as Picea and Pinus, showed their extra representation in the Turpan region.On one hand, the valley forest on the southern slope of the Tianshan mountains played an important role in pollen dispersal.On the other hand, with the cold air on the