Central China as LGM plant refugia: Insights from biome reconstruction for palaeoclimate information.
Sci Total Environ
; 942: 173783, 2024 Sep 10.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38851335
ABSTRACT
The demonstration of survival of forest stands in relatively stable refugia during cold glacial stages has offered an increased understanding of the response of vegetation to climate change, but also provides insight into considerations for the conversation of biodiversity hotspots. However, refugia studies in China remain in question due to the lack of plant macrofossils, especially those of endemic and relict species. Palynology, while more broad brush, provides a method for exploring whether refugia occur, and can provide some details of palaeovegetation composition and temporal dynamics. Here, three pollen records derived from subalpine wetlands in central China, spanning the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), have been coupled with biome and mean annual precipitation (MAP) reconstructions to identify the presence of trees that endured cold climate. The results indicated that some forest, including temperate deciduous broadleaf forest and cool mixed forest, survived the LGM at the three locations, and was thus at odds with the hypothesis that forests were replaced by herbs and grasses in central China at that time. Refugia favored by protection from cold air drainage and the availability of adequate water can explain the survival of the trees during otherwise harsh episodes. Our findings are consistent with other records from central China that argue for tree dominated refugia during the LGM.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Climate Change
/
Refugium
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
Sci Total Environ
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Country of publication:
Netherlands