Life cycle of pollen grains in mormoder humus forms of young acid forest soils: a micromorphological approach

Horizons of humus profiles contain pollen and spores. The palynological information of pollen spectra of terrestrial humus forms must be validated by micropedological knowledge of the processes of infiltration, incorporation, conservation, transport and decay of pollen grains in the soil system. This study presents the results of combined palynological and micromorphological analyses of two mormoder humus forms, sampled in the Forestry Gieten, The Netherlands. The aim of this study was to establish the distribution pattern and life cycle of pollen grains in mormoders. The first step of this cycle of pollen grains in the humus profile is eolian deposition on the soil surface. The second step is incorporation of the grains in organic aggregates in the upper part of the F horizon. In ‘acid’ mormoders, grains are embedded by ageing small excrements of micro-arthropods and incorporated in the resulting organic aggregates. In ‘mild’ mormoders, the same process is observable, but additional pollen grains are also directly incorporated (and slightly transported) in medium excrements of small earthworm. The third step in the cycle is release by microbial attack of the aggregates in the lower part of the F horizon and the H and Ah horizons. The fourth step is re-incorporation of the released grains in organic aggregates of ageing small sized excrements of micro-arthropods, which consume decaying root tissue. Not re-incorporated grains will finally mineralise by microbial consumption. Mineralising of released pollen grains is the main process in the mineral AE horizon. Based on knowledge of the distribution pattern and life cycle of pollen grains in mormoders, pollen diagrams can be used for the reconstruction of the forest development.     

The use of micromorphology in soil pollen analysis: The interpretation of the pollen content of slope deposits in Galicia, Spain

Humic horizons of soil profiles often contain pollen and spores. Comparison of the sequence of pollen associations of soil profiles with pollen zones of reference diagrams offers palyno-ecological information, relevant for reconstruction of landscape ecological development. In palynological studies of semiterrestrial and aquatic deposits, pollen is considered to be part of the sediment and anaerobic conditions in water-saturated deposits promote its conservation. This is not true for pollen in soils. Aerobic conditions in drained soils result in bio-oxidation of unprotected pollen grains. Interpretation of soil pollen associations requires knowledge of the processes of infiltration and conservation of pollen grains in the soil material. Micromorphology is an important technique to investigate these processes. This is demonstrated in a case study of polycyclic slope deposits in Galicia (Spain). The buried cambisols, in pleistocene solifluction deposits, contain post-sedimentary infiltrated pollen. The pollen associations reflect successive phases in soil ecological development. The holocene colluvial deposits contain syn-sedimentary incorporated pollen. The pollen associations reflect environmental conditions during the deposition of colluvial layers.