Selected pollen grains from tropical Hainan Island, south China: an identification key to Quaternary pollen

Author(s): S. Yang, L.-M. Mao, Z. Zheng, David-Kay Ferguson, K.-Y. Huang, B.-S. Chen, P.S. Ranhotra
Abstract: Pollen keys are essential for accurate and consistent identification of Quaternary pollen, as well as pre-Quaternary fossil pollen, which in turn enables a better understanding of past biodiversity and vegetation changes. Here, we present a pollen key to 52 species of arboreal and liana plants from 26 families on tropical Hainan Island, covering representative pollen types identified in tropical Chinese Quaternary deposits. Such a pollen key along with detailed descriptions and illustrations should enable fossil pollen to be accurately identified. Nevertheless, the key is open for future improvement, so that pollen of other plants from the same study area can be accommodated when specimens become available. In their present state they should, however, aid palynological analyses of Quaternary deposits, particularly in tropical south China. Pollen identification as well as the palaeoecological and palaeobiogeographical significance of the key representative communities along the altitudinal gradient in our study area (i.e., coastal mangroves, tropical rainforest and montane rainforest) are also discussed in this paper.
Organisation(s): Department of Palaeontology
External organisation(s): China Geological Survey, Ministry of Land and Resources of China, Sun Yat-sen University, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany
Journal: Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology
Volume: 222
Pages: 84-103
No. of pages: 20
ISSN: 0034-6667
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.revpalbo.2015.07.011
Publication date: 11-2015
Peer reviewed: Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012: 105117 Palaeobotany
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Palaeontology
Portal url: https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/7686f375-6808-4172-9fe4-7c0c9cdc7c1a

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