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Arid Land Geography >

2025 , Vol. 48 >Issue 1: 53 - 62

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2024.059

Plant Ecology

Distribution characteristics and its influencing factors of surface soil pollen in the marginal monsoon region of China

  • WU Siqi ,
  • WEI Haiqin ,
  • CHEN Chunzhu ,
  • WEI Lisi ,
  • ZHAO Wenwei ,
  • LI Huan ,
  • SUN Yi ,
  • JIANG Qingfeng ,
  • ZHANG Xiaojian ,
  • ZHAO Yan
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  • 1. School of Geographic Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, China
    2. Shanwang National Nature Reserve Management and Conservation Center at Linqu, Weifang 262617, Shandong, China
    3. School of Geography and Ocean Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
    4. Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, Beijing, China

Received date: 2024-01-26

  Revised date: 2024-05-30

  Online published: 2025-01-21

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Abstract

Studying the distribution characteristics of surface soil pollen in the marginal monsoon region of China and the factors influencing this distribution improves the reliability of reconstructing regional vegetation and paleo-monsoon evolution based on fossil pollen data. Through surface soil pollen analysis of 38 sampling sites with annual precipitation ranging from 30-650 mm in the marginal monsoon region of China, this study investigates the relationships among surface pollen assemblages, climate, and human activities. The results reveal that: (1) In low-altitude temperate steppe regions with a relatively warm and dry climate, Amaranthaceae and Artemisia dominate the pollen assemblages, and the ratio of Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae (A/C ratio) generally aligns with average annual precipitation. (2) In high-altitude alpine steppe and meadow regions with a relatively cold and humid climate, pollen assemblages are dominated by Cyperaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae. The summed percentages of Artemisia and Amaranthaceae pollen average 25.8%, and no distinctive correlation exists between the A/C ratio and average annual precipitation in these regions. (3) The total tree and shrub pollen percentages exhibit a stronger correlation with average annual temperature and the temperature of the warmest month compared to average annual precipitation. (4) These pollen assemblage characteristics reflect the vegetation distribution and hydrothermal conditions at varying altitudes in the marginal monsoon region of China. Redundancy analysis (RDA) of the pollen data also reveals the distribution of pollen assemblages and major pollen types along gradients of the warmest month temperature and altitude. In addition, the high abundance of fungal spores on the soil surface in the alpine region reflects environmental characteristics associated with significant grazing intensity and a subsequent high soil erosion rate.

Key words： marginal monsoon region; surface soil pollen; vegetation; climate; grazing intensity

Cite this article

WU Siqi , WEI Haiqin , CHEN Chunzhu , WEI Lisi , ZHAO Wenwei , LI Huan , SUN Yi , JIANG Qingfeng , ZHANG Xiaojian , ZHAO Yan . Distribution characteristics and its influencing factors of surface soil pollen in the marginal monsoon region of China[J]. Arid Land Geography, 2025 , 48(1) : 53 -62 . DOI: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2024.059

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