Characterization of the quaternary mountain flora based on palynological studies of the Foz do Amazonas Basin, Brazil

Authors

  • Alessandra da Silva dos Santos
  • Marcelo de Araujo Carvalho
  • Thiago Macedo dos Santos
  • Aline Gonçalves de Freitas

Keywords:

Palynology, Paleoclimate, Quaternary, Foz do Amazonas Basin

Abstract

Quaternary mountain flora was characterized based on palynological study of 38 samples of a well drilled in the Foz do Amazonas Basin. Five genera of the mountain flora were recognized: Podocarpus, Alnus, Hemitelia, Nothofagus, cf. Myrica. The genera recorded are related to the mountain flora of the Andean cordillera and allow inferring about the paleoclimate of the region. The high abundance of the mountain flora in detriment of the typically tropical flora possibly denotes low temperatures related the glacial periods during the Quaternary. These data disagree of the refuge theory, which suggests an increase of the typical savannah vegetation resulting in the confinement of the tropical flora.

Published

2021-12-13

Issue

Section

CONTENTS