The Vegetational and Environmental History at the West Foot of Changbai Mountain,Northeast China During the Last 10,000 years

Two cores from Sandao Swamp and 18 surface samples from different vegetational zones and different parts of Sandao Swamp were used to reconstruct the history of vegetation and environment at west foot of Changbei Mountain, Northeast China. Pollen influx and R-value as well as P-value were used to interpret the pollen data besides the pollen percentage. The history of this area can be divided into four stages as follows: 1. Stage Ⅰ(10,300–10,000 yrs. B. P.): The shallow lake was surrounded by fir-spruce woodland. The climate was cold and humid. 2. Stage Ⅱ(10,000–9,000 yrs. BP): The birch forest replaced fir-spruce woodland. Instead of the shallow lake, low level bog consisted of sedge and intermediate bog composed of larchmoss were formed and spreaded gradually. The climate became a little warmer. 3. Stage Ⅲ(9,000–4,000 yrs. BP): The deciduous forest began to flourish with mixed pine deciduous forest existing at the uppermost of the surrounding mountains. The bog of larch-moss was prosperous. The climate was warm. 4. StageⅣ (4,000–0 yrs. BP): Vegetation was composed of mixed pine-deciduous forest and pine-boreal forest. The bog developed into moor of larch- peat moss at the beginning, then evolved into intermediate bog of sedge moss. The climate was cool and humid.