Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2011, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (5): 67-73.doi: 10.11978/j.issn.1009-5470.2011.05.067cstr: 32234.14.j.issn.1009-5470.2011.05.067

• Marine Geology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

High-resolution palynological record and evolution of vegetation and climate in the low latitude of the South China Sea since 15 kaBP

ZHANG Yu-lan1, PENG Xue-chao2, ZHAO Jing1   

  1. 1. School of Ocean & Earth Science, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China ; 2. Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, Guangzhou 510760 , China
  • Received:2011-11-01 Revised:2011-11-01 Online:2011-11-01 Published:2011-11-01
  • Contact: 张玉兰 E-mail:zhangyl@tongji.edu.cn

Abstract: Based on the high resolution pollen record at the Core SA09-090, which was in the low latitude of the South China Sea, four pollen zones are distinguished in an ascending order. According to the pollen composition in each zone, the vegetation evolution and climate change since 15kaBP is reconstructed. The research shows that at the stage of 15.0 - 12.5kaBP, the pollen in the research area mainly came from the continental shelf when it was above the sea level. This indicates that the vegetation on the continental shelf that was above the sea level was mainly tropical low-mountain rainforest and lowland rainforest. Many mangroves lived in the coastal area. The temperature was a little lower than today’s, but there was no clear evidence of aridity. At the stage of 12 - 10kaBP, the amount of pollen from lowland rainforest increased, and the amount of pollen from the mangroves decreased. This indicates that the sea level rose in that period, and the temperature rose, too. The pollen source became far away. At the Holocene (10kaBP to now), the pollen mainly came from Borneo and the islands around it. The concentration of the pollen decreased significantly. That suggests that the sea level kept rising, the study area is even far away from the pollen resource. It was hot and wet in the middle of the Holocene, and remained so in the late period of the Holocene.

Key words: South China Sea, low latitude area, sporopollen, vegetation, climate

CLC Number: 

  • P736.221