Neogene spore-pollen assemblages and paleovegetation succession of Borehole ZKA02 in Beihai, Guangxi

Abstract

The history of vegetation and climate change during the Cenozoic has been reconstructed by systematically analyzing the sporopollen assemblage from Borehole ZKA02 in Beihai, Guangxi. Through the analysis of spore-pollen data, four sporopollen assemblages can be recognized. From the Early Miocene to the Middle Miocene, this area was covered mainly by deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest–wet meadow vegetation, with a mild and semi-humid climate. From the end of the Middle Miocene to the early Late Miocene, the study area was dominated by coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest-wet meadow vegetation, with mild and semi-humid. The middle Late Miocene was a mixed deciduous broad-leaved forest–wet meadow vegetation, with increasing conifers and ferns, and the climate was warm and humid. In the late Late Miocene to Pliocene, it was deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest–wet meadow vegetation. The species of evergreen broad-leaved trees in tropical rain forests and subtropical low mountains increased obviously, and the fern molecules decreased obviously. The climate in the Late Pliocene was warm and semi-arid, drier than the previous three stages. Spore-pollen assemblages reflected the climate change characteristics during the Neogene, which have good comparability with the trend of global climate change.

Keywords

• spore-pollen assemblage
• neogene
• paleo-vegetation
• paleoclimate
• beihai