Transport of airborne Picea schrenkiana pollen on the northern slope of Tianshan Mountains (Xinjiang, China) and its implication for paleoenvironmental reconstruction

A five-year study on the northern slope of China's Tianshan Mountains reveals that Picea schrenkiana (spruce) pollen disperses extensively and transports widely, even in extreme arid regions. The research found that pollen dispersal peaks between mid-May and July, with sudden increases in desert areas likely due to wind re-suspending deposited grains. This phenomenon complicates paleoenvironmental reconstructions by introducing pollen concentration spikes unrelated to natural deposition processes. Additionally, the study links earlier pollen seasons and longer durations to climate change, noting a positive correlation between May-June temperatures and pollen production. The findings underscore the importance of accounting for wind-induced pollen resuspension in interpreting fossil records from arid regions.

Pan, Y., Yan, S., Behling, H., & Mu, G. (2012). Transport of airborne Picea schrenkiana pollen on the northern slope of Tianshan Mountains (Xinjiang, China) and its implication for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Aerobiologia, 29(2), 161–173. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-012-9270-2