Yu. V. Novoselova, S. A. Gorbarenko

Spatial distribution of pollen in the Sea of Japan’s modern bottom sediments

Abstract. The paper reveals pollen and spore findings from the Sea of Japan’s bottom sediments, namely the Tartary Trough, continental slope of Primorye, Russian Far East, as well as Northern Yamato and Pervenets rises in 2010. The Tartary Trough sediments contain a high percentage of pine, birch, and spruce pollen. Dominance of coniferous (spruce and pine) pollen is associated with the widespread distribution of the species as well as ability of this pollen to be aerially dispersed for hundreds of kilometers. Coniferous pollen (pine, spruce, and fir amount to approximately 90 %) and oak pollen (up to 20 %) dominate in the Pervenets Rise sediments. Pine and oak pollen prevail in the Northern Yamato Ridge sediments. Oak pollen presence in marine sediments increases from north to south, consistent with its range in the Sea of Japan region. The obtained data are likely to contribute to interpreting pollen records of marine sediments and paleoreconstruction of environmental conditions and climate.

Keywords: Sea of Japan region, Sakhalin Island shelf, marine bottom sediments, pollen analysis, pollen spectrum, sea currents