Alluvial Pollen on the North China Plain

Abstract

Mordern alluvial pollen varies with geomorphic setting and depositional facies in sediments of the Yellow, Hutuo, and Luan rivers and in Baiyangdian and Hengshuihu lakes. Most of the arboreal pollen is derived from the mountains, whereas most of the nonarboreal pollen is derived from the plain itself. Alluvium dominated by Pinus pollen and Selaginella spores was deposited during a flood. Hydrodynamic sorting of alluvial pollen exists in the sediments of floodplain, central bar, natural levees, and point bar. In reconstructing the ancient vegetation and past climate based on pollen in alluvium, it is important to consider sedimentary facies and geomorphologic setting.