Pollen-based reconstruction of vegetation patterns of China in mid-Holocene

Biomization provides an important way to assign pollen taxa to biomes and to simulate palaeo-vegetation patterns, so that pollen data can be mapped to reconstruct biogeography and climate. The authors have tested the applicability of this procedure to assign modern pollen surface samples from China to biomes. The procedure successfully delineated the major vegetation types of China. When the same procedure was applied to 6 ka B. P. fossil pollen samples, the reconstructions showed that the forest zones were systematically shifted northwards ca. 300–500 km beyond their present northern limits in eastern China; the area of desert and steppe vegetation was reduced compared to the present in northwestern China; the area of tundra was reduced largely on the Tibetan Plateau. This research is a contribution to the project of BIOME 6000 in Pacific-Asian regions. Project supported by the Funding for Returned Students from the Overseas of the State Education Commission of China, the Postdoctoral Station, and State Pilot Laboratory of Coast & Island Development of Nanjing University, Financial support has also been provided by European Community (EV5V-CT95-0075) and by the Swedish Natural Science Research Council (G-AA/GU 09334-321).