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Pollen catalog of a pleistocene dated core of the Sempre-Vivas mire in the Tropical Savanna Biome, Brazil

ABSTRACT

This study presents the pollen analysis of a peatland from the Parque Nacional das Sempre-Vivas (PNSV), Serra do Espinhaço Meridional, Diamantina municipality, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in order to provide reference material for the identification of pollen grains preserved in Cerrado soil during Pleistocene and Holocene. The analysis involved 16 stratigraphic levels from a core of 162 cm in lenght, corresponding to the last 32.800 years cal BP. The chemical preparation consisted of acid wash with HCl, HF, acetolysis, ultrasonic bath, and mounting of the pollen residue in microscopic slides with glycerin gelatin. The analyses were carried out based on morphological observation using light microscopy and pollen grains illustration from the specialized literature. The identification of 116 pollen types was related to forest phytophysionomies, of PNSV represented by the semideciduous and mountain forest, and the Cerrado (latu senso), forest areas and grassland formations. Pollen grains morphological characteristics were greatly variable and may be used as indicators for the palaeoenvironmental reconstructions of the Tropical Savanna biome (Cerrado) succession of vegetation and paleoclimatic conditions.

Keywords:
Cerrado; Minas Gerais State; Quaternary palynology; Parque Nacional das Sempre-Vivas; paleoenvironmental reconstruction

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