Search results for "PALYNOLOGY"
showing 10 items of 57 documents
Neoendemic ground beetles and private tree haplotypes: two independent proxies attest a moderate last glacial maximum summer temperature depression o…
2011
Abstract Previous findings regarding the Last Glacial Maximum LGM summer temperature depression (maxΔT in July) on the Tibetan Plateau varied over a large range (between 0 and 9 °C). Geologic proxies usually provided higher values than palynological data. Because of this wide temperature range, it was hitherto impossible to reconstruct the glacial environment of the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we present for the first time data indicating that local neoendemics of modern species groups are promising proxies for assessing the LGM temperature depression in Tibet. We used biogeographical and phylogenetic data from small, wingless edaphous ground beetles of the genus Trechus , and from private junip…
The palaeoecoloical potential of pollen records in caves: the case of Mediterranean Spain
1999
Abstract Important palynological sequences are reviewed from caves with archaeological interest in Mediterranean Spain. Upper Pleistocene sites include Abric Romani and Abric de l’Arbreda in NE Spain, and in SE Spain Cueva de la Carihuela, Cova Beneito, Cueva de Perneras, Cueva del Algarrobo and the Holocene Cova de l’Or and Cova de les Cendres. Carihuela has the longest sequence, starting in the last interglacial and covering most of the last glaciation. A pre-Wurm phase was followed by two glacial maxima separated by an interpleniglacial phase, and in the Lateglacial the Younger Dryas seems present. Whereas at Carihuela harsh pleniglacial conditions caused Mediterranean associations to di…
New human remains of Archaic Homo sapiens and Lower Palaeolithic industries from Visogliano (Duino Aurisina, Trieste, Italy).
2000
New human remains have been found during recent excavations conducted in the lower section of Visogliano dolina (Trieste, Italy). They are represented by teeth and a fragment of particularly robust mandible that for their morphological and morphometrical characters can be generically attributed to archaic Homo sapiens. The lithic industry is formed by flakes, carinated points, scrapers, choppers and chopping tools and is characteristic of the Italian Pebble Culture. Sediments, pollen and faunal remains indicate that this part of the deposit was formed during interglacial climatic conditions in the early, but not initial phase of Middle Pleistocene (isotopic stadium 13 or 11).
Prehistoric land use at an archaeological hot-spot (the rock art park of Campo Lameiro, NW Spain) inferred from charcoal, synanthropic pollen and non…
2013
Pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs and charcoal from a colluvial soil surrounded by prehistoric petroglyphs (Campo Lameiro, NW Spain) were studied in order to assess the nature of human activities and their impact on Holocene vegetation patterns. Several phases of anthropogenic impact were observed. (i) Between 7.6 and 6.5 ka cal BP, synanthropic taxa (Urtica dioica type, Plantago lanceolata type) and coprophilous fungi (e.g. Sporormiella-type) are indicative of early (pre-agricultural) creation of small patches of pasture using fire, possibly for incipient animal husbandry or as part of a deliberate strategy to improve game availability. Such activities only had a minor effect on the deciduou…
Quaternary pollen analysis in the Iberian Peninsula: the value of negative results
2009
Most unsuccessful palynological work is never published. As a consequence, pollen analysts waste time re-processing sterile sediments, and the available literature exhibits a uniformly positive record of success in pollen extraction. Here we report failures with Quaternary pollen analyses in the Iberian Peninsula; that is, case studies where it was not possible to extract palynomorphs for pollen counting. Both totally sterile and partially sterile sites are considered. Sites and perspectives for future studies are suggested. The majority of the failed studies are openair archaeological and palaeontological sites, caves and rockshelters, but there are prominent cases of success. Peat bogs ha…
A Palaeoenvironmental Study in Semi-arid Southeastern Spain: the Palynological and Sedimentological Sequence at Perneras Cave (Lorca, Murcia)
1995
Abstract Results are presented of palynological and sedimentological research at the Palaeolithic site of Perneras Cave (coastal Murcia, southeastern Spain). Sedimentological features point to a warm, somewhat humid phase corresponding with the lowermost part of the Mousterian sequence, which was followed by a climatic deterioration which lasted throughout the later Mousterian and Upper Palaeolithic. The palynological study described here barely allows palaeoclimatological inferences to be drawn, but it does highlight interesting paleobotanical data, namely, the presence of Ibero-Maghrebian and Mediterranean elements, which suggest that the site was an important refuge for thermophilous tax…
POLLEN MORPHOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCES IN OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA (L.) MILL.
2015
The fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., the most worldwide cultivated species of Cactaceae family, contain viable seeds (100-250) of large size. This characteristic influences the commercial quality of the fruit. The study of floral biology in Opuntia allows to understand the behaviour of the plant during reproductive phase and perhaps to distinguish clones with different fruits behaviour (with seed and seedless). The study resulted in a palynological characterization by optical and scanning microscopy (SEM), followed by a qualitative analysis on the male line with pollen viability and in vitro germination tests, in addition to a pollen-pistil interaction survey. The plant material c…
Upper Pleistocene biostratigraphy and traces of glaciotectonics at the Satiki site, western Latvia
2007
Structural, lithological, palynological and plant macroremain investigations of test-boring cores and gravel pit walls at the Satiki site suggest that gyttja and sandy gyttja units of basin sediments were deposited during the Felicianova (Eemian) Interglacial. A pollen diagram reflects the characteristic forest succession of the Eemian Interglacial: Betula, Pinus, Ulmus, Corylus, Quercus, Fraxinus, Tilia, Carpinus, Picea and Pinus. Forests of broadleaved trees and thermophilous plants dominated in the surroundings of the lake during the interglacial climatic optimum. The basin sediments contain a large number of warmth-demanding water plants such as Salvinia natans and Trapa sp. Paleobotani…
Palynology and lithostratigraphy of Late Elsterian to Early Saalian aquatic sediments in the Ziemupe–Jūrkalne area, western Latvia
2000
Abstract This study is based upon lithological and palynological investigation of test-drilling cores along the Baltic Sea coast. Three intertill units of basin sediments are underlain by a thin layer of Lētiža (Elsterian) till and overlain by glaciotectonically deformed Kurzeme (Saalian Complex) till. The Kurzeme till differs from the Lētiža till by higher contents of limestone clasts and rounded hornblende grains. The lowermost intertill unit consists of glaciolacustrine to glaciomarine laminated clay of the Sudrabi member, a late glacial deposit of the Lētiža glaciation. Treeless vegetation covered the adjoining land. Next is the marine to brackish Akme n rags formation, deposited during…
Dinosauroid footprints of French Upper Triassic. Discrimination, interpretation and comparison
2005
Abstract Dinosauroid tracks are common in France. They are mainly tridactyl II–IV feet tracks, sometimes with those of hands. A lot of these latter Coelurosaurichnus grancieri Courel & Demathieu, 2000 was discovered by MG near the village of Payzac (Ardèche department) in beds belonging to the “Ensemble gréso-dolomitique gris” (= EGDG) (fig. 1. 2). They are dated Carnian from palynological data [Fauconnier et al., 1996]. C. grancieri are tracks of feet and hands respectively 10 cm and 2.5 cm long (fig. 1. 3–5, 7–21; tabl. I-1, tabl. II). From the trackways characters, it was inferred that trackmakers were long legged, bipedal-quadrupedal reptiles, 1–2 m long. New discoveries made by M…