1993 Volume 1 Issue 2 Pages 49-57
The frequency and spatial distribution of past plants at a small site were reconstructed from the spatial distribution of fossil pollen and spores in a local area. Samples were taken from peat of the Last Glacial just below the Aira-Tn ash at the ItaiTeragatani Site. Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. From the frequencies of 26 major pollen types at 29 points, maximum, minimum, average values and coefficients of variation (standard deviation/average) were obtained and the pollen types' distributions were mapped. Based on their abundance and coefficients of variation, pollen types could be classified into five groups : arboreal groups A-I, A-II and A-III and herbaceous groups H -I and H - II. A-I, A-II and H-I were local elements that had high coefficients of variation ; whereas, A-III and H-II were regional elements that had low coefficients of variation. Based on the distribution patterns of the local pollen types (A- I, A-II and H -I), a distribution of the plants in a local area were reconstructed. The site was an open forest with Picea, Salix, Betula, Fraxinus and Alnus shrubs and local herbs such as Lysichiton, Ranunculus, Gentiana, etc.
