Acta Palaeobotanica 33(1): 347-360, 1993

On the interpretation of subfossil spore-pollen spectra in the mountains.

Summary: The results of the analysis of spore-pollen spectra of more than 600 surface samples taken from the mountain systems of the Caucasus, the Ukrainian Carpathians and the Khibini Mountains have been presented. It is established that in the upper mountain belt the wind regime and, in particular, its average velocity and duration, is the most important factor of spectrum formation which determined the amount of transferred pollen of arboreal plants framed the alpine and subnival belts where pseudo-forest spectra can be fored. This process is most pronounced in the spectra of glacial lakes. It is also established that the pollen spread by air depends not only on the wind velocity, but, to a great extent, on air humidity. Of special interest is the fact that even within the Caucasus the same plants produce different quantities of pollen and spores.

Keywords: subfossil pollen spectra, Caucasus, Carpathians