RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Modern pollen rain in Canary Island ecosystems and its implications for the interpretation of fossil records
A1 Nascimento Reyes, Lea de
A1 Nogué, Sandra
A1 Fernández Lugo, Silvia
A1 Méndez, Javier
A1 Otto, Rüdiger
A1 Whittaker, Robert J.
A1 Willis, Kathy J.
A1 Fernández-Palacios, José María
K1 Canary Islands
K1 Elevation gradient
K1 Laurel forest
K1 Palaeoecology
K1 Pollen
K1 Vegetation
AB Vegetation history in the Canary Islands, one of the most biodiverse regions within Europe, has recently and forthe first time, been the subject of palaeoecological studies. The interpretation of fossil records may be limited byseveral uncertainties regarding howwell the different vegetation types are represented in the pollen rain. In thisstudy we address this key knowledge gap within Canarian vegetation science, taking the island of Tenerife as amodel. Based on quantitative and qualitative data we analysed pollen–vegetation relationships to test whetherdifferent vegetation types can be discriminated by means of their pollen rain composition, to identify underandover-represented taxa, and to test the match between modern pollen rain and fossil pollen assemblages.We found clear differences in pollen composition and abundance among major Canarian vegetation types. Wealso identified good indicator taxa of the local occurrence of their source plants by their high fidelity and lowdispersibility index scores. Extra-regional types (taxa without potential source plants in the Canary Islands)were not detected in our traps. However, several important floristic elements are either over-represented(Pinus, Morella and Ericaceae trees, Chenopodiaceae, Poaceae, Rumex and Urticaceae herbs and shrubs) orunder-represented (Lauraceae trees, Fabaceae and Euphorbia shrubs). Results indicate that pollen compositionis a good reflection of vegetation in Canarian ecosystems and can be used effectively to reconstruct pastenvironments.
SN 0034-6667
YR 2015
FD 2015
LK http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/17692
UL http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/17692
LA en
DS Repositorio institucional de la Universidad de La Laguna
RD 19-nov-2024