Pollen dispersal and deposition characteristics of Abies alba, Fagus sylvatica and Pinus sylvestris, Roztocze region (SE Poland)

Abstract

Pinus sylvestris L., Abies alba Mill. and Fagus sylvatica L.—the significant forest forming tree species in Europe are important for palaeoecological interpretations based on the results of pollen analysis of fossil deposits. The potential pollen loading for Pinus sylvestris, Abies alba and Fagus sylvatica was modelled using simulated and actual vegetation maps, measured fall-speed values and pollen productivity estimates from the literature. The influx of fir pollen drops sharply with distance from the pollen source due to the high fall speed and moderate pollen productivity. The vast majority of Abies alba pollen is deposited within less than 50 m of the sampling site and a major proportion within 100 m. For beech the corresponding numbers would be 300 and 1,800 m, and for pine 1,000 and 4,500 m. The observed mean pollen accumulation rate (PAR) values for Pinus and Fagus were ca. 5,800 and 1,100 grains cm⁻² year⁻¹, respectively. In the case of Abies, the mean annual PAR for the whole region is ca. 700 grains cm⁻² year⁻¹. In SE Poland the regional signal is represented by PARs of Abies alba <200 grains cm⁻² year⁻¹ and of Fagus sylvatica <500 grains cm⁻² year⁻¹. The local presence/absence threshold values for Abies alba, Fagus sylvatica and Pinus sylvestris are >1,000 grains cm⁻² year⁻¹, >2,000 grains cm⁻² year⁻¹ and >3,500 grains cm⁻² year⁻¹ respectively.