Abstract
Spores of ferns and allied plants, and micro-algae frequently occur in abundance in Quaternary deposits, but their palaeoenvironmental significance is seldom evaluated. This paper presents morphological descriptions of spores of Selaginella sinensis (Desv.) Spring, 1843 (Selaginellaceae) and Ceratopteris cf. thalictroides (L.) Brongniart, 1821 (Parkeriaceae) and the algae Pediastrum boryanum (Turpin) Meneghini, 1840, P. simplex Meyen, 1829, P. integrum Nägeli, 1849 (all Hydrodictyaceae), Spiniferites Mantell, 1850, emend. Sarjeant, 1970 (Spiniferitaceae) and Concentricystes Rossignal, 1962, emend. Jiabo, 1978 (systematic position unclear), and discusses their occurrence in mostly Quaternary sedimentary successions. All are closely associated with aquatic habitats. Extant Selaginella sinensis often colonizes fairly wet hillsides and gaps between rocks, and shady sides of ravines and slopes; it is also found within thickets of trees and shrubs (boscages) and in forests with calcareous soils. Ceratopteris thalictroides, Pediastrum and Concentricystes inhabit freshwater lakes and both natural and artificial wetlands, such as paddy fields and ditches. Spiniferites is a salt-water genus and usually associated with the marine realm. Fossil and subfossil representatives of all of these taxa can be useful proxies of biodiversity and, therefore, also important for determining environmental conditions during the Quaternary period.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Kong Z C, Du N Q, Wu Y S, et al. Discussion on the evolution of the natural environment around the Zhoukoudian Homo erectus pekinensis’ living period based on pollen analysis (in Chinese). Chin Sci Bull (Chin Ver), 1981, 26: 1065–1067
Zhu H R, Zeng Z Q, Zhang Z Y. Fossil Pediastrum algae from the Dainan Formation (lower Tertiary) of northern Jiangsu with a note on their sedimentary conditions (in Chinese). Acta Palaeontol Sin, 1978, 17: 233–243
Wang K F, Zhang Y L. Climatic change in the Shanghai-Hangzhou area since 10 ka based on pollen analysis (in Chinese). Hist Geog, 1981, 1: 126–131
Wang K F, Zhang Y L, Jiang H, et al. Pediastrum assemblages from late Pleistocene peat layers on the seafloor of the East China Sea and sea-level change (in Chinese). Chin Sci Bull (Chin Ver), 1981, 26: 109–112
Wang K F, Han X B. Study on the Cenozoic fossil Concentricystes in East China (in Chinese). Acta Palaeontol Sin, 1983, 22: 468–473
Mao L M, Wang W M, Shu J W, et al. Holocene spores and microscopic algae from the Yangtze Delta, East China (in Chinese). Acta Palaeontol Sin, 2011, 50: 154–165
Liu M, Du N Q, Kong Z C. Palynological analysis of the late Cenozoic and its significance in Fula’erji, Heilongjiang (in Chinese). J In tegr Plant Biol, 1990, 32: 307–316
Jia C H, Yu L, Du N Q, et al. Changes of vegetation and climate in Qian’an County, Jilin since the late Tertiary (in Chinese). Sci Geog Sin, 1988, 9: 274–282
Kong Z C, Du N Q. Sporo-pollen analysis of some archaeological sites and preliminary discussion on the past flora and climate of Nei-Monggol Zizhiqu (Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region) (in Chinese). Acta Phytoecol Sin, 1981, 5: 193–204
Kong Z C, Du N Q, Xu Q H, et al. Paleoclimate fluctuations reflected in the flora of the Holocene Megathermal in the northern part of China (in Chinese). In: Shi Y F, ed. The Climates and Environments of the Holocene Megathermal in China. Beijing: China Ocean Press, 1992. 48–65
Kong Z C, Du N Q. Preliminary study on Holocene vegetation for high-temperature times and climate in some areas of China (in Chinese). Mar Geol Quat Geol, 1990, 10: 99–102
Du N Q, Kong Z C. Palynoflora of the Qarhan Saline Lake and its significance in geography and botany—the sporopollen assemblages from the CK2022 drill core at Bieletan (in Chinese). J Integr Plant Biol, 1983, 25: 275–282
Du N Q, Kong Z C. A preliminary investigation of the vegetational and climatic changes since 11000 years in Qinghai Lake-An analysis based on palynology in core QH85-14C (in Chinese). J Integr Plant Biol, 1989, 31: 879–891
Zhang J, Kong Z, Du N. Reconstruct[ion of] history [of] vegetation and environmental changes, Late Pleistocene in Beijing. Open IGBP/BHAC-LUCC Joint Inter-core Projects Symposium. Kyoto, Japan, November, 1996. 38–41
Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Pteridophyte Spore Flora of China (in Chinese). Beijing: Science Press, 1976. 1–41
Xu Q H, Wu C, Wang Z H. Approach to palaeo-environment in the west coast of Bohai Bay since 25000 a.B.P. Acta Phytoecol Sin, 1993, 17: 20–32
Qu X Y, He H, Zhuang Y, et al. Research on Holocene environmental change of the Dalianhua section in the Dalian area (in Chinese). In: Zhang L S, ed. Research on the Past Life-supporting Environmental Change of China. Beijing: China Ocean Press, 1993. 214–217
Xu Q H, Chen S Y, Kong Z C, et al. Preliminary discussion of vegetation succession and climate change since the Holocene in the Baiyangdian Lake district (in Chinese). Acta Phytoecol Sin, 1988, 12: 143–151
Han Y S, Meng G L. Changes in palaeogeographical environment of the Qingdao coast during the past 20000 years (in Chinese). Oceanol Limnol Sin, 1986, 17: 196–206
Li W Y, Liang Y L. Vegetation and environment of the hypsithermal interval of the Holocene in the eastern Hebei Plain (in Chinese). J Integr Plant Biol, 1985, 27: 650–651
Lu H Y. The sporo-pollen assemblages in sediments in the southern Bohai Sea since the late Pleistocene and their palaeoenvironmental analysis (in Chinese). Adv Mar Sci, 1989, 7: 11–26
Guan X T, Tian X M, Sun X H. Spore and pollen assemblages and their significance in Tertiary Bohai (in Chinese). In: Palynological Society of China, ed. The First Academic Conference Papers, Selections of the Palynological Society of China (1979). Beijing: Science Press, 1982. 64–70
Wang Y J, Li S W. Palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate in the past 20,000 years in Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao District (in Chinese). J Integr Plant Biol, 1983, 25: 385–392
Liang Y L, Wang X C, Kong Z C, et al. The application of step-by-step discrimination analysis in reconstructing past climate (in Chinese). Chin Sci Bull (Chin Ver), 1991, 22: 1731–1734
Kong Z C, Du N Q. Dramatic changes in vegetation and climate since the late Pleistocene in eastern China (in Chinese). In: Liang M S, Zhang J L, eds. Comparison Research on Onshore and Offshore Quaternary in China. Beijing: Science Press, 1991. 165–172
Li Z R, Xu J R, Meng Q L, et al. Pollen assemblage and its stratigraphic significance for the Mesozoic in the Yellow Sea Basin (in Chinese). Mar Geol (Special Issue), 1984, 1: 1–32
Zhang Y Y. Tertiary spores and pollen grains from the Leizhou Peninsula (in Chinese). Acta Palaeontol Sin, 1981, 20: 449–458
Hou Y T, Li Y P, Jin Q H. Tertiary Palaeontology Atlas of Continental Shelf in Northern Part of South China Sea (in Chinese). Guangzhou: Guangdong Science and Technology Press, 1981. 1–58
Ma Y Z, Zhang H C, Li J J, et al. On the evolution of the palynoflora and climatic environment during late Pleistocence in Tengger Desert (in Chinese). J Integr Plant Biol, 1998, 40: 871–879
Wan W H, Tang L Y, Zhang H C, et al. Pollen record reflects climate changes in eastern Qaidam Basin during 36-18 ka BP (in Chinese). Chin Quat Sci, 2008, 28: 112–121
Zhao Y, Yu Z C, Chen F H, et al. Holocene vegetation and climate history at Hurleg Lake in the Qaidam Basin, northwest China. Rev Palaeobot Palynol, 2007, 145: 275–288
Lü X M, Zhu L P, Nishimura M, et al. A high-resolution environmental change record since 19 cal ka BP in Pumoyum Co, southern Tibet. Chin Sci Bull, 2011, 56: 2931–2940
Tang L Y, Shen C M, Li C H, et al. Pollen-inferred vegetation and environmental changes in the central Tibetan Plateau since 8200 yr BP. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2009, 52: 1104–1114
Shen C M, Liu K B, Morill C, et al. Meadow-steppe ecotone shift and major central-scale droughts during the mid-Holocene in the central Tibetan Plateau. Ecology, 2008, 89: 1079–1088
Herzschuh U, Katia W, Bernd W, et al. A general trend on the central Tibetan plateau throughout the Holocene recorded by the Lake Zigetang pollen spectra. Quat Int, 2006, 154-155: 113–121
Liu X Q, Herzschuh U, Shen J, et al. Holocene environmental and climatic changes inferred from Wulungu Lake in northern Xinjiang, China. Quat Res, 2008, 70: 412–425
Xiao X Y, Jiang Q F, Liu X Q, et al. High resolution sporopollen record and environmental change since the Holocene in Wulungu Lake, Xinjiang (in Chinese). Acta Micropalaeontol Sin, 2006, 23: 77–86
Chen F H, Huang X Z, Yang M L, et al. Westerly dominated Holocene climate model in arid Central Asia-Case study on Bosten Lake, Xinjiang (in Chinese). China Quat Sci, 2006, 26: 882–887
Zhang Y L, Zhang M B. Discovery of freshwater algae in marine sediments and palaeoenvironmental significance (in Chinese). Mar Sci Bull, 2002, 21: 36–40
Wang K F, Zhang Y L, Sun Y H. The spore-pollen and algae assemblages from the surface layer sediments of the Yangtze River Delta (in Chinese). Acta Geogr Sin, 1982, 37: 261–271
Sun X J, Wu Y S. Distribution and quantity of sporopollen and algae in surface sediments of Dianchi Lake, Yunnan (in Chinese). Mar Geol Quat Geol, 1987, 7: 81–92
Zheng Z, Wang J H, Wang B, et al. High-resolution records of Holocene from the Shuangchi Maar Lake in Hainan Island. Chin Sci Bull, 2003, 48, 497–502
Lu H Y, Liu J Q, Chu G Q, et al. A study of pollen and environment in the Huguangyan Maar Lake since the last glaciation (in Chinese). Acta Palaeontol Sin, 2003, 42: 284–291
Zhen Y H, Zhou S F, Liu X Q, et al. Neogene sporo-pollen grains from northern Jiangsu and South Yellow Sea Basin (in Chinese). Monogr Nanjing Inst Geol Palaeontol (CAS), 1981, 3: 29–90
Bohai Petroleum Company of Chinese Offshore Petroleum Corporation, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology (CAS). Study on Late Cenozoic Palynology of Bohai (in Chinese). Nanjing: Nanjing University Press, 1989. 25–48
Petroleum Research Institute of Exploration, Development and Programming of Petrochemical Industry Ministry, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology (CAS). The Paleogene Dinoflagellates and Acritarchs from the Coastal Region of Bohai (in Chinese). Beijing: Science Press, 1978. 1–90
Offshore Geology Integration Research Department, Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources, Bohai Petroleum Company of Chinese Offshore Petroleum Corporation, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology (CAS). Research on Cenozoic Palynology of the Longjing Structural Area in the Shelf Basin of the East China Sea Region (in Chinese). Hefei: Anhui Science and Technology Press, 1985. 1–209
Yu J X. Dinoflagellates (in Chinese). In: Research party of Marine Geology, Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources, Institute of Geology Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, ed. Cenozoic Palaeobiota of the Continental Shelf of the East China Sea (Donghai) (Micropalaeobotanical Volume). Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 1989. 112–159
Zhu Y H. Late Pleistocene marine dinoflagellate from Dongying Depression, Shandong (in Chinese). Acta Micropalaeontol Sin, 2004, 21: 174–182
Ke M H. Discovery and significance of Concentricystes fossils on the loess plateau (in Chinese). J Xi’an Coll Geol, 1995, 17: 90–93
Song Z C, Wang K F. Sporo-pollen complex from the Quaternary littoral deposits in Nantung, Kiangsu (in Chinese). Acta Palaeontol Sin, 1961, 9: 234–252
Wang S L, Xu Q Z, Zheng T. Quaternary sporopollen assemblage and palaeoclimate of Ducum Jiangsu (in Chinese). J Lanzhou Univ (Nat Sci), 1988, 24: 92–99
Wang K F, Zhang Y L. Palynological assemblages from late Quaternary sediments of the Ningbo Plain in Zhejiang and their palaeogeography (in Chinese). Sci Geog Sin, 1985, 5: 145–152
Wang K F. Palynological analysis of peat-bogs of Siyao Lake, Mount Hsishan, Nanchang, Kiangsi Province (in Chinese). J Integr Plant Biol, 1974, 16: 83–93
Tang L Y, Li Q W. Late Pleistocene spore and pollen in Hongkong (in Chinese). In: Li Z M, Chen J H, He G X, eds. Paleontology and Stratigraphy in Hongkong (Volume 2). Beijing: Science Press, 1998. 184–191
Wu Z J, Yu J F. An investigation of pollen-spore assemblage in the peat bed of the Mid-Epi-Pleistocene in Houhai, Shenzhen (in Chinese). Nanhai Stud Mar Sci, 1987, 8: 95–102
Wang X M, Sun X J, Wang P X, et al. Palynology and algae records and their palaeoenvironmental significance on Sunda Shelf since the last deglaciation (in Chinese). Acta Palaeontol Sin, 2008, 47: 313–318
Wu Y S. Studies on the spore morphology of Selaginella sinensis and its ecological significance (in Chinese). J Integr Plant Biol, 1989, 31: 77–80
Zhang J H, Kong Z C. Significance on ecological indication of Selaginella sinensis in reconstructing past environment (in Chinese). Acta Bot Boreal-Occid Sin, 1999, 19: 530–537
Krutzsch W, Sporen- und Pollengruppen aus der Oberkreide und dem Tertiär Mitteleuropas und ihre stratigraphische Verteilung. Z Angew Geol, 1957, 3: 509–548
Müller H. Palynological investigations of Cretaceous sediments in northeastern Brazil. In: Van Hinte J E, ed. In: Proceedings of the Second West African Micropaleontological Colloquium, Ibadan, 1965. Brill, Leiden, 1966. 123–136
Drugg W S. Palynology of the Upper Moreno Formation (Late Cretaceous-Paleocene), Escarpado Canyon, California. Palaeontogr B, 1967, 120: 1–71
Germeraad J H, Hopping C A, Muller J. Palynology of Tertiary sediments from tropical areas. Rev Palaeobot Palynol, 1968, 6: 189–348
Liu J L, Ye P Y. Studies on the Quaternary sporo-pollen assemblage from Shanghai and Zhejiang with reference to its stratigraphic and palaeoclimatic significance (in Chinese). Acta Palaeontol Sin, 1977, 16: 1–10
Ching R C. Flora Republicae Popularis Sinicae (Volume 2). Beijing: Science Press, 1959. 1–406
Evitt W R. Occurrence of fresh-water algae Pediastrum in Cretaceous of marine sediments. Am J Sci, 1963, 261: 890–893
Batten D J, Lister J K. Evidence of freshwater dinoflagellates and other algae in the English Wealden (Early Cretaceous). Cretaceous Res, 1988, 9: 171–179
Zhang H, Zheng Z, Wang J H, et al. Climate changes for the last 2500 years a based on Pediastrum record from Hainan Island (in Chinese). Trop Geog, 2004, 24: 109–112
Zamaloa M C, Tell G. The fossil record of freshwater micro-algae Pediastrum Meyen (Chlorophyceae) in southern America. J Paleolimn, 2005, 34: 433–444
Bujak J P. Cenozoic dinoflagellate cysts and acritarchs from the Bering Sea and northern North Pacific, DSDP Leg 19. Micropaleontology, 1984, 30: 180–212
Rossignol M. Hystrichosphères du Quaternaire en Méditerranée orientale, dans les sédiments pléistocènes et les boues marines actuelles. Rev Micropaléont., 1964, 7: 83–99
Wolff V H. Mikrofossilien des pliocanen Humodils der Grube Freigericht bei Dettingen a. M. und Vergleicht mit alteren Schichten der Tertiar sowie posttertiaren. Ablangerungen. Inst Paläobot Petrogr Brennsteine, Arbeit., 1934, 5: 55–101
Downie C, Williams G L, Sarjeant W A S. Classification of fossil microplankton. Nature, 1961, 192: 471
Rossignol M. Analyse pollinique de sediments marins quaternaires en Israel. 11. Sediments Pleistocènes Pollen Spores, 1962, 4: 121–148
Medeanic S. Freshwater algal palynomorph records from Holocene deposits in the coastal plain of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Rev Palaeobot Palynol, 2006, 141: 83–101
Kong Z C, Du N Q, Zhang Z B. Vegetational development and climatic changes in the last 10,000 years in Beijing (in Chinese). J Integr Plant Biol, 1982, 24: 172–181
Hu H J, Li R Y, Wei Y X, et al. Freshwater Algae in China (in Chinese). Shanghai: Shanghai Science and Technology Press, 1980. 246–327
Boudreau R, Galloway J, Patterson R, et al. A paleolimnological record of Holocene climate and environmental change in the Temagami region, northeastern Ontario. J Paleolimn, 2005, 33: 445–461
Head M J, Marit-Solveig S, Janczyk-Kopikowa Z, et al. Last Interglacial (Eemian) hydrographic conditions in the southeastern Baltic Sea, NE Europe, based on dinoflagellate cysts. Quat Int, 2005, 130: 3–30
Chepstow-Lusty A, Bush M B, Frogley M R, et al. Vegetation and climate change on the Bolivian Altiplano between 108000 and 18000 years ago. Quat Res, 2005, 63: 90–98
Limaye R B, Kumaran K P N, Nair K M, et al. Non-pollen palynomorphs as potential palaeoenvironmental indicators in the Late Quaternary sediments of the west coast of India. Curr Sci, 2007, 92: 1370–1382
Tang L Y, Shen C M, Liu K B, et al. Climatic changes in the southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau during the Last Glacial Maximum — Pollen records from southeastern Tibet. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2004, 34: 436–442
Sarmaja-Korjonen K, Seppanen A, Bennike O. Pediastrum algae from the classic late glacial Bolling So site, Denmark: response of aquatic biota to climate change. Rev Palaeobot Palynol, 2006, 138: 95–107
Costa L I, Downie C. Cenozoic dinocyst stratigraphy of Sites 403 to 406 (Rockall Plateau), IPOD, Leg 48. In: Montadert L, Roberts D G, eds. Init Repts Deep Sea Drilling Project, 1979, 48: 513–529
Downie C, Hussain M A, Williams G L. Dinoflagellate cyst and acritarch associations in the Paleogene of southeast England. Geosci Man, 1971, 3: 29–35
De Vernal A, Mudie P J. Pliocene and Quaternary dinoflagellate cyst stratigraphy in the Labrador Sea: Paleoenvironmental implications. In: Head M J, Wrenn J H, eds. Neogene and Quaternary Dinoflagellate Cysts and Acritarchs. Amer Ass Stratigr Palynol Found, Dallas, 1992. 329–346
Edwards L E, Anderle V A S. Distribution of selected dinoflagellate cysts in modern sediments. In: Head M J, Wrenn J H, eds. Neogene and Quaternary Dinoflagellate Cysts and Aacritarchs. Amer Ass Stratigr Palynol Found, Dallas, 1992. 259–288
Wall D. Fossil microplankton in deep-sea core from the Caribbean Sea. Palaeontology, 1967, 10: 95–123
Huang T C. Miocene palynomorphs of Taiwan (VI). Miscellaneous spores and pollen grains. Taiwania, 1981, 26: 45–57
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
Rights and permissions
This article is published under an open access license. Please check the 'Copyright Information' section either on this page or in the PDF for details of this license and what re-use is permitted. If your intended use exceeds what is permitted by the license or if you are unable to locate the licence and re-use information, please contact the Rights and Permissions team.
About this article
Cite this article
Tang, L., Mao, L., Lü, X. et al. Palaeoecological and palaeoenvironmental significance of some important spores and micro-algae in Quaternary deposits. Chin. Sci. Bull. 58, 3125–3139 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-013-5747-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-013-5747-9