Pollen spectra of surface samples from mires in the Konsen District, eastern Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract

Pollen spectra from Sphagnum-polster samples at six mires in the Konsen District, eastern Hokkaido, Japan, are compared. Pollen spectra at the Yururi-toh mire on an unforested island showed high ratios of pollen tranported long-distance, with 20% of tree pollen from areas southern than southern Hokkaido. Pollen spectra at the Habomai and the Toyosato mires in an unforested area were qutie similar to that of the Yururi-toh mire. The tree pollen ratio at the Cape Ochiishi mire were higher than at the Yururi-toh mire, but long-distance transported pollen occurred similarily as at the above three mires. Here Picea pollen occupied 16% of tree pollen, reflecting the existence of surrounding Picea glehnii mire forest. The tree pollen ratio at the Kiritappu and the Bekanbeushi mires near large woodland were less than at other mires, because herb pollen is supplied more from within these wide mires than tree pollen from outside. At these two mires pollen from areas southern than southern Hokkaido occurred slightly less than at other mires. Thus, within unforested areas, long-distance transported pollen occur more and percentages of respecitve tree pollen types vary less between study sites, and estimation of these may allow demarcation between woodlands and meadows.