Numerical Characteristics of Pollen Assemblages of Surface Samples from the West Kunlun Mountains

A total of 31 suface sediment samples were collected from West Kunlun Mountain in south Xinjiang Autonomous Region in northwest China. These samples are from seven types of vegetation: Picea schrenkiana Fisch. et Mey. forest, Sabina Spach. woodland, sub-alpine steppe, alpine meadow, desert vegetion, cushion-vegetation and vegetation adjancent to glaciers. Pollen percentages and pollen concentrations were calculated in all samples. The dominant pollen types in the region are Chenopodiaceae, Artemisia, Picea, Ephedra, Gramineae, Cyperaceae, Rosaceae, Leguminosae, Compositae etc. In order to reveal the relationship between pollen composition and the vegetation type from which the soil sample was collected, principal component analysis and group average cluster analysis were employed on the pollen data. The results revealed that the major vegetation types in this region could be distinguished by pollen composition: a. Samples from desert vegetation were dominated by pollen of Chenopodiaceae (about 60195%). The percentages of all other pollen types were low. b. Picea forest samples were rich in Picea pollen (about 20%) Sabina forest had more Sabina pollen grains than other vegetation types (about 5%, others <1%). Pollen percentages of Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae and Ephedra were comparatively higher (each about 20%) in these samples from the two types of vegetations. C. Pollen percentages of Artemisia, Cyperaceae, Gramineae and Chenopodiaceae were high in both sub-alpine steppe and alpine meadow. But steppe containal more Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae (steppe 33.75% and 32.30%, meadow 15.57% and 19.48% in average), less Cyperaceae and Gramineae (steppe 2.58% and 7.60%, meadow 22.35% and 12.93% in average) than meadow. d. Samples from cushion-vegetation and vegetation adjacent to glaciers were mainly composed of pollen grains transported from other sites. It was not easy to distinguish them from other vegetation types. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis distinguish samples from Picea forest, Sabina woodland, sub-alpine steppe, alpine meadow and desert vegetation. Therefore we think it will be possible to apply the module to reconstruct past vegetation in this region and other similar regions. Regression analysis was also applied to reveal the relationships between pollen and plant percentages of Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae, Cyperaceae and Gramineae. The results indicated that a linear relationship existed between pollen and plant percentages for Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae and Cyperaeeae.     

Vegetation History of the Southern Loess Plateau of China During the Last 100000 Years Based on Pollen Data

The paper deals with the vegetation history of the southern Loess Plateau, central China, for the last 100 ka based on palynological records from Weinan section. The pollen diagram of the loess-paleosol sequence at Weinan, southern part of the Plateau (109~30rE, 34°24′N), displays a predominence of arid shrubs or herbs (Arternisia, Chenopodiaceae) alternating with the abundance of mesic herbs (Cyperaceae, Ranuculaceae, Liliaceae etc. ) indicating a succession of steppe and meadow-steppe in turn during the last 100 ka BP. Forest vegetation developed only in some comparatively short time intervals e. g. Ulmus forest at ca. 95.1～90.0 ka BP (9. 50～9.32 m); Corylus woodland at ca. 25.0～21.1 ka BP (4.00～3.48 m) and Tsuga stand at ca. 13.7～11.8 ka BP (2.20～1.80 m). So far plant ecologists assinged the southern Loess Plateau to temperate broadleaf deciduous forest zone. Actually there are no forests on. the Plateau surfaces today. The lack of forest from the Plateau surface today is explained as being due to human interferences by plant ecologists. However, in the context of the last 100 ka BP it seems that there has been some nonhuman factors responsible for the treelessness of the Plateau, such as the free-draining nature of loess, which deserves greater consideration.     

样地尺度现代表土花粉与植物群落的定量关系

建立现代植被与表土花粉的精确关系,是基于孢粉记录定量重建古植被与古气候的基础与关键.截止目前,植物群落样方记录较少参与到现代植被与花粉的统计分析中,限制了其精确关系的定量表达.本文通过中国东北样带的森林、草甸草原、典型草原和荒漠草原33个表土样品分析及植被样方调查,基于Bray-Curtis相异系数,研究了东北样带现代...     

中国东北样带(NECT)东部森林区的植被与表土花粉的定量关系

The eastern forest stands of Northeast China Transect (NECT) were chosen to study the quantitative relationships between vegetation and pollen in surface samples. The indices of A (association index),O(over-representation index),U(under-representation index),C(correlation coefficient) and R(representation coefficient) for each pollen type were calculated. The results indicated that the relationships between vegetation and pollen type in surface samples were significant and the correlation coefficients of 70% pollen types were more than 0.5(α=0.05); the similarity between pollen assemblage and plant community was good and coefficient of similarity was more than 50%. 69 pollen types found in the surface samples could be divided into four groups with TWINSPAN classification and PCA ordination according to A,O,U and C. The four groups reflected the pollination characteristic of plants and the state of pollen conserved in soil. Group 1 was the associative group which could accurately reflect the local vegetation; Group 2 was over-representative group which had high pollen percentage outproportional to vegetation; Group 3 was the under-representative group in which the pollen were hardly obtainable from the soil, and Group 4 was also an under-representative group, in which pollen were easily obtainable in soil where plants directly grow from. The study also showed that A was a parameter to rectify pollen data and it was easier to obtain than parameter R. The parameters A and R have close relation and their regression equation was: A=-0.0421R2+0.2425R+0.3926(r2=0.6021). These groups and indices provide a solid foundation for using pollen data in accurately reinstating vegetation.     

西藏扎布耶盐湖晚第四纪孢粉植物群的初步研究

扎布耶盐湖位于西藏青藏高原腹地。通过该湖ＺＫ２钻孔的孢粉分析,揭示了约３６０００ａＢ．Ｐ．以来扎布耶地区的气候和湖盆演变。约在３６０００－３３０００ａＢ．Ｐ．,扎布耶地区为森林草原,气候冷、湿;约３３０００－３００００ａＢ．Ｐ．,为灌丛草原,气候温、干;约３００００－２７５００ａＢ,Ｐ．为干旱草原,气候偏暖、湿;约１８０００－１２０００ａＢ．Ｐ．,为干旱草原,环境寒冷,干燥;约１２０００－４０００ａＢ．Ｐ．,扎布耶地区各类草本植物繁茂,气候偏温、干。另外,根据水生藻类化石群的分析,自３６０００ａＢ．Ｐ以来,扎布耶盐湖有三次湖进、淡水湖期,同时也有三次湖退事件。     

针茅水孔蛋白基因多态性分析及其地理分布

以分布于内蒙古的草甸草原(森林草原)、典型草原、荒漠草原上的7种针茅属植物为材料,利用聚合酶链反应-单链构象多态性(PCR-SSCP)方法,分析了水孔蛋白基因的外显子1和内含子1的遗传多态性.结果表明:外显子1有AA、BB和CC 3种基因型,内含子1有DD、EE、FF和GG 4种基因型;种间存在基因多态性,种内没有多态性,所有种均表现出遗传的单态性和100%的纯合度.从基因型地理分布看,AA基因型在草甸草原、森林草原、典型草原及荒漠草原区的针茅种上均有分布,BB、CC基因型只分布在荒漠草原区的针茅中;DD基因型分布于草甸草原、森林草原及典型草原区的针茅属植物中,荒漠草原区分布有EE、FF、GG等3种基因型.荒漠草原区的植物是旱生程度最强的一类草原群落,该区的3种针茅具有丰富的遗传多态性.     

全新世东北平原森林-草原生态过渡带的迁移

根据先前完成的化石花粉分布图,对我国东北权辽平源过去１万ａ森林－草原生态过渡带的摆动历史进行了重建。这项研究表明,在没在人类活动干扰的条件下,松辽平原森林－草原生态过渡带最偏西的时间既不在早全新世,也不在中全新世,而是在晚全新世;在过去的１万ａ内,森林－草原生态过渡带的最大摆动幅度不超过１５０ｋｍ,其最偏西时的位置距离现代位置约为１００ｋｍ。因此,东北松辽平原的主体部分在全新世中始终是草原,没有发     

A Study on the Quantitative Relationship between Pinus Pollen in Surface Sample and Pinus Vegetation

Based on percentages of Pinus pollen in surface samples and that of Pinto vegetation, the data indicates that, in Pinus forest its pollen is more then 90% of total tree pollen, while in non-pine area it is usually less than 30%. The factors influencing dispersal of the Pinus pollen, besides production, are air currents and landform. In the Pinus mixed forest the behavior of associate tree pollen has great effect on statistical result of Pin,ts pollen percentage. To estimate quantitatively the relationship between Pinus plant and its pollen, two curves are fitted by powet regression. Although Pinus pollen has great productivity and complex dispersal characteristics, the relationships between Pinus trees and Pinus pollen shown in our data are relatively consistant.     

Impact of grazing regime on a Mongolian forest steppe

Question: What is the impact of grazing regime on plant species abundance, plant growth form, plant productivity and plant nutrient concentrations in a forest steppe? Location: Hustai National Park in the forest steppe region of Mongolia. Methods: On the Stipa steppe we applied three different grazing regimes by using; (1) one type of exclosure which excluded grazing by large mammalian herbivores, mainly takh (Przewalski horse), (2) another type of exclosure that excluded both large and small (Siberian marmots) mammalian herbivores, and (3) control plots which were freely grazed. We measured species frequencies, tiller densities, plant biomass and nitrogen concentrations of the vegetation. Results: Exclusion from grazing by takh and marmots significantly increased plant standing crop, but marmot grazing and full grazing did not show significant differences. Protection from grazing decreased forage quality, shown by a lower N-concentration of the standing crop. However, this was solely the result of the lower live-dead ratio of the vegetation. The frequency of the rhizomatous Leymus chinensis decreased under reduced grazing, as did the frequency of the total of rhizomatous species. The frequency of Stipa krylovii increased under reduced grazing, as did its basal areas, tiller density and tussock height. Conclusion: Reduced grazing leads to a lower abundance of rhizomatous species and an increase in tussock species.     

Anthropogenic and climatic impacts on surface pollen assemblages along a precipitation gradient in north‐eastern China

Aim To understand the scenarios of ‘anthropogenic biomes’ that integrate human and ecological systems, we need to explore the impacts of climate and human disturbance on vegetation in the past and present. Interactions among surface pollen, modern vegetation and human activities along climate and land‐use gradients are tested to evaluate the natural and anthropogenic forces shaping the modern vegetation, and hence to aid the reconstruction of vegetation and climate in the past. This in turn will help with future predictions. Location The North‐east China Transect (NECT) in north‐eastern China. Methods We analysed 33 surface pollen samples and 213 quadrats across four vegetation zones along the moisture/land‐use gradients of the NECT. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and redundancy analysis (RDA) of 52 pollen taxa and three environmental variables were used to distinguish anthropogenic and climatic factors that affect surface pollen assemblages along the NECT. Results The 33 surface samples are divided into four pollen zones (forest, meadow steppe, typical steppe and desert steppe) corresponding to major vegetation types in the NECT. Variations in pollen ratios of fern/herb (F/H), Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae (A/C) and arboreal pollen/non‐arboreal pollen (AP/NAP) represent the vegetation and precipitation gradient along the NECT. DCA and RDA analyses suggest that surface pollen assemblages are significantly influenced by the precipitation gradient. Changes in the abundance of Chenopodiaceae pollen are related to both human activities and precipitation. Main conclusions Surface pollen assemblages, fossil pollen records, archaeological evidence and historical documents in northern China show that a large increase of Chenopodiaceae pollen indicates human‐caused vegetation degradation in sandy habitats. The A/C ratio is a good indicator of climatic aridity, but should be used in conjunction with multiple proxies of human activities and climate change in the pollen‐based reconstruction of anthropogenic biomes.     

Present-day and mid-Holocene biomes reconstructed from pollen and plant macrofossil data from the former Soviet Union and Mongolia

Fossil pollen data supplemented by tree macrofossil records were used to reconstruct the vegetation of the Former Soviet Union and Mongolia at 6000 years. Pollen spectra were assigned to biomes using the plant-functional-type method developed by Prentice et al . (1996). Surface pollen data and a modern vegetation map provided a test of the method. This is the first time such a broad-scale vegetation reconstruction for the greater part of northern Eurasia has been attempted with objective techniques. The new results confirm previous regional palaeoenvironmental studies of the mid-Holocene while providing a comprehensive synopsis and firmer conclusions. West of the Ural Mountains temperate deciduous forest extended both northward and southward from its modern range. The northern limits of cool mixed and cool conifer forests were also further north than present. Taiga was reduced in European Russia, but was extended into Yakutia where now there is cold deciduous forest. The northern limit of taiga was extended (as shown by increased Picea pollen percentages, and by tree macrofossil records north of the present-day forest limit) but tundra was still present in north-eastern Siberia. The boundary between forest and steppe in the continental interior did not shift substantially, and dry conditions similar to present existed in western Mongolia and north of the Aral Sea.     

利用孢粉记录定量重建大尺度古植被格局

 古植被定量重建是过去全球变化研究的重点之一, 生物群区化(Biomisation)方法以特征植物功能型来定义生物群区, 通过一种标准化数量方法计算孢粉谱的相似得分, 以此把孢粉谱转变为生物群区类型, 是进行古植被定量重建的一种有效方法。该文在前人综述文章的基础上, 简述了生物群区化方法定量重建古植被格局的发展历史、具体步骤及存在问题, 重点描述了以此方法为基础重建的全新世中期(MH)和末次盛冰期(LGM)的全球古植被分布格局, 以及中国的古植被定量重建工作和古植被格局变化。目前的研究表明, 全新世中期北极森林界线在某些地区有轻微的北移迹象, 北部的温带森林带通常向北远距离迁移, 欧洲的温带落叶林也大范围向地中海地区(向南)和向北扩展, 在北美内陆, 草原侵入到森林生物群区, 但中亚地区却没有此现象, 中国大陆的森林生物群区扩张, 典型撒哈尔植被(如干草原、干旱疏林灌丛和热带干旱森林)进入撒哈拉地区, 而非洲热带雨林却呈减少趋势; 末次盛冰期苔原和草原扩张, 在欧亚大陆北部逐渐混合, 北半球的森林生物群区向南迁移, 北方常绿森林(泰加林)和温带落叶林呈碎片状, 而欧洲和东亚的草原却大范围扩张, 非洲的热带湿润森林(比如热带雨林和热带季雨林)有所减少, 在北美洲的西南地区, 荒漠和草原被开阔针叶疏林所取代。     

Mountain forest islands and Holocene environmental changes in Central Asia: A case study from the southern Gobi Altay, Mongolia

A multi-proxy case study conducted on Central Asia's most isolated mountain forest sheds light on the apparent decline of forest in the Subboreal time period and the incisive environmental changes from dark taiga to steppe in the Gobi Altay of Southern Mongolia over the last 5000 yr.

New vegetation records from the ‘Gobi Gurvan Saykhan’ (43°30′ N/103°10′ E) reveal long distance disjunctions of birch–willow forests as well as a number of herbaceous forest plants. Thus the question arises as to whether long-distance dispersal or fragmentation, following climatic changes and human interference, are more plausible explanations for such a pattern. Analysis of current plant distribution patterns lead to conclusions which are corroborated by zoological surveys of the Gobi Altay: During the Holocene, dark taiga forests apparently existed approximately 600 km to the southeast of their present range, and pollen analysis and charcoal remains provide evidence of a forest decline during the Subboreal time period. The presence of humans during these environmental changes is highly probable as pollen indicating human presence was found. Thus, it is assumed that humans at least contributed to the subboreal forest decline and the spreading of sagebrush and pastures. Moreover we cannot rule out with certainty that disjunctions of forest flora between the Gobi Altay and the forests of north-eastern Tibet are indicative of migration through the present North China desert, as forests may have partly replaced deserts during the moister periods of the Holocene. This multidisciplinary approach implies a mid-Holocene and subboreal scenario, which is new for Central Asia and more in accordance with the environmental history of the Holocene in the western desert belt of the Old World.     

西藏扎布耶盐湖地区现代花粉雨的初步研究

从扎布耶盐湖和藏南地区采集的２１块表土花粉分析结果,提供了花粉与植被,花粉与亚环境之间的定性关系,在扎耶盐湖,ａ泉水沼泽,以莎草科花粉占优势。ｂ．盐盘,藜科和麻黄属花粉含量高。ｃ．山坡,分布变色锦鸡儿灌丛,表土花粉以蒿属和藜科为优势。ｄ．河流沙滩,以蒿属和禾本科花粉为主,ｅ．常年盐湖,以蒿属占优势,松属、云杉属、冷杉属、铁杉属、桦属和桤木属等乔木植物花表土中普遍存在。以松粉百分含量最高（平均２６．     

Interpretation of the last‐glacial vegetation of eastern‐central Europe using modern analogues from southern Siberia

Aim Interpretation of fossil pollen assemblages may benefit greatly from comparisons with modern palynological and vegetation analogues. To interpret the full‐ and late‐glacial vegetation in eastern‐central Europe we compared fossil pollen assemblages from this region with modern pollen assemblages from various vegetation types in southern Siberia, which presumably include the closest modern analogues of the last‐glacial vegetation of central Europe. Location Czech and Slovak Republics (fossil pollen assemblages); Western Sayan Mountains, southern Siberia (modern pollen assemblages). Methods Eighty‐eight modern pollen spectra were sampled in 14 vegetation types of Siberian forest, tundra and steppe, and compared with the last‐glacial pollen spectra from seven central European localities using principal components analysis. Results Both full‐ and late‐glacial pollen spectra from the valleys of the Western Carpathians (altitudes 350–610 m) are similar to modern pollen spectra from southern Siberian taiga, hemiboreal forest and dwarf‐birch tundra. The full‐glacial and early late‐glacial pollen spectra from lowland river valleys in the Bohemian Massif (altitudes 185–190 m) also indicate the presence of patches of hemiboreal forest or taiga. Other late‐glacial pollen spectra from the Bohemian Massif suggest an open landscape with steppe or tundra or a mosaic of both, possibly with small patches of hemiboreal forest. Main conclusions Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that during the full glacial and late glacial, the mountain valleys of the north‐western Carpathians supported taiga or hemiboreal forest dominated by Larix, Pinus cembra, Pinus sylvestris and Picea, along with some steppic or tundra formations. Forests tended to be increasingly open or patchy towards the west (Moravian lowlands), gradually passing into the generally treeless landscape of Bohemia, with possible woodland patches in locally favourable sites.     

Pollen-based biome reconstruction for southern Europe and Africa 18,000 yr bp

Pollen data from 18,000 ¹⁴C yr bp were compiled in order to reconstruct biome distributions at the last glacial maximum in southern Europe and Africa. Biome reconstructions were made using the objective biomization method applied to pollen counts using a complete list of dryland taxa wherever possible. Consistent and major differences from present‐day biomes are shown. Forest and xerophytic woods/scrub were replaced by steppe, both in the Mediterranean region and in southern Africa, except in south‐western Cape Province where fynbos (xerophytic scrub) persisted. Sites in the tropical highlands, characterized today by evergreen forest, were dominated by steppe and/or xerophytic vegetation (cf. today’s Ericaceous belt and Afroalpine grassland) at the last glacial maximum. Available data from the tropical lowlands are sparse but suggest that the modern tropical rain forest was largely replaced by tropical seasonal forest while the modern seasonal or dry forests were encroached on by savanna or steppe. Montane forest elements descended to lower elevations than today.     

Colombian dry moist forest transitions in the Llanos Orientales—A comparison of model and pollen-based biome reconstructions

Colombian vegetation, at the ecological level of the biome, is reconstructed at six sites using pollen data assigned a priori to plant functional types and biomes. The chosen sites incorporate four savanna sites (Laguna Sardinas, Laguna Angel, El Piñal and Laguna Carimagua), a site on the transition between savanna and Amazon rainforest (Loma Linda) and a site within the Amazon rainforest (Pantano de Monica). The areal extent of tropical moist forest, tropical dry forest and steppe have been subject to significant change: differential responses of the vegetation to climatic shifts are related to changes in plant available moisture, duration of dry season and edaphic controls on the vegetation. The record from El Piñal shows that the present-day savanna vegetation, dominated by steppe (Poaceae) with little occurrence of woody savanna taxa (e.g. Curatella, Byrsonima), was present since the last glacial period of the northern hemisphere. Unfortunately, El Piñal is located on an edaphic savanna and is not particularly responsive to registering change. Most records cover the early Holocene; one site records the El Abra stadial (Younger Dryas equivalent), when forest expansion reflects more humid climatic conditions and higher plant available moisture. During the early and middle Holocene, the maximum expansion of steppe and tropical dry forest occurred, indicating that dry climatic conditions continued to around 4000 ¹⁴C BP. The following period, from shortly before 4000 ¹⁴C BP, is characterised by an increase in forest and gallery forests, reflecting a wetter period probably with a shorter annual dry season. Anthropogenic influence on the vegetation is recorded by all the records over the last millennial, particularly characterised by a reduction in forest cover and high amplitude changes in vegetation.Biome transitions from one type to another, and the environmental controls on this shift, are investigated by applying a vegetation model (BIOME-3). The model uses climatic data from six meteorological stations that, encompass a range of environments within lowland Colombia, which are similar to the pollen data. The signals of vegetation change can be translated to the main environmental controls of temperature and moisture to indicate the degree of change needed in these parameters to record the vegetation change depicted by the pollen data. Moisture balance is the dominant control on driving vegetation change whether under seasonal or annual control. The combined reconstruction from pollen data and model output of biome-scale vegetation dynamics for lowland Colombia allows an understanding of the environmental controls to be developed.     

Response of pollen diversity to the climate-driven altitudinal shift of vegetation in the Colombian Andes

Change in diversity of fossil pollen through time is used as a surrogate for biodiversity history. However, there have been few studies to explore the sensitivity of the measured pollen diversity to vegetation changes and the relationship between pollen diversity and plant diversity. This paper presents results of a study to assess the relationship between pollen diversity and relative abundance of pollen from different altitudinal vegetation belts (subandean forest, Andean forest, subparamo and grassparamo) in three records from the tropical Andes in Colombia. The results indicated that plant diversity in the vegetation declined with altitude and pollen diversity is positively correlated to the abundance of pollen from lower altitude vegetation belts and negatively correlated to that from the grassparamo. These results, therefore, suggest that pollen diversity coarsely reflects the diversity of the surrounding vegetation. Using this interpretation, we were able to predict changes in plant diversity over the past 430000 years in the Colombian Andes. Results indicated that under warmer climatic conditions, more species-diverse vegetation of low elevation moved upslope to contribute more pollen diversity to the study sites, and under colder conditions, species-poor grassparamo moved downslope and observed pollen diversity was lower. This study concludes that fossil pollen diversity may provide an important proxy to reconstruct the temporal changes in plant diversity.     

Determinants of pollen dispersal in the East Asian steppe at different spatial scales

Two sites from the East Asian steppe, the Mu Us Sandland as a regional case and the Anguli Nuur catchment as a local one, were chosen to detect roles of vegetation, climate, landform, and human disturbance on pollen dispersal. 1) Vegetation: The semi-arid steppe vegetation is characterized by Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae pollen under various vegetation conditions; however, no evident correlation between pollen percentages and corresponding plant species cover is found. 2) Climate: Samples under different Mean Annual Precipitations (MAPs) clearly distinguish themselves in the Mu Us Sandland, implying MAP-determined surface pollen spectra in regional scale. 3) Landform: Surface pollen assemblages in the azonal psammophytic vegetation and lowland meadow, show insignificant variance from the zonal steppe vegetation. The azonal halophilous vegetation, mostly distributed in the lowland or near the lake shore, leads to higher than average percentages of Chenopodiaceae pollen. Signal of exotic Pinus pollen is also strengthened in the lowland and lake sediment. 4) Human disturbance: The role of human disturbance on surface pollen assemblages is weak, as shown in the Mu Us Sandland.

This study also provides theoretical bases for quantitative reconstructions of palaeoclimate and palaeovegetation based on fossil pollen spectra from lake sediments and lowland soils in the semi-arid East Asian steppe. We suggest that calibration against locally dispersed pollen taxa is necessary to reliably reconstruct changes in vegetation pattern through time, for example, a factor of 1.75 for the widely used A/C (Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae) ratio is suggested according to the pollen assemblages in the surface layers of the lake sediment vs. slope soil in Anguli Nuur. However, uncertainties also exist for such calibration considering the dynamics of local-scale azonal vegetation.     

陕西中部黄土高原地区空气花粉组成及其与气候因子的关系——以洛川县下黑木沟村为例

空气花粉研究是现代孢粉学、植被变迁与预测的重要内容之一.陕西省黄土高原地区洛川县2007-2009连续2a的空气花粉分析表明:空气花粉组成与区域植被分布特征和植物花期一致.与2007—2008年相比,2008-2009年的花粉总通量及蒿属花粉通量明显增加,但木本植物花粉通量降低,这主要与2008-2009年降水明显偏少密切相关.2007-2008年降雨量高于500 mm,花粉组合中乔木花粉百分比高于30％,表现出森林植被特点;2008-2009年降雨量少于450 mm,花粉组合中草本花粉高于80％,乔木花粉低于10％,更多表现出草原植被特点.但从植被观测来看并没有明显的变化,表明花粉组合较植被对气候变化更为敏感.主要花粉类型与气候因子的相关分析表明:气候因子影响空气花粉的组成及数量.栎属、松属、蔷薇科花粉数量主要受春季温度影响,温度越高花粉数量越多;其他季节花粉数量主要受相对湿度影响,湿度越低,花粉数量越大.榆属花粉数量主要与冬季温度有关,温度越高,花粉数量越高.杨属只受春季温度影响,春季温度越低,花粉数量越多.胡颓子科花粉含量主要受春季相对湿度、风速影响,相对湿度越低,风速越大,花粉数量越多.绝大多数草本花粉数量均主要受春、冬季相对湿度及风速影响,相对湿度越低,风速越大,花粉数量越高;此外,禾本科花粉数量还受春季温度影响,温度越高,花粉数量越多;菊科花粉数量在夏秋季节还受温度、湿度和风速的共同影响,温度越低,湿度越低,风速越大,花粉数量越多.这些结果表明,黄土高原中部地区的空气花粉特征能反映区域植被组成,且对气候变化非常敏感,对认识和预测当地气候变化与植被动态等具有重要意义.