Pollen indication to source plants in the eastern desert of China

In order to investigate the indication of major pollen types to source plants, 39 surface pollen samples are collected from 39 plant communities. The results show that diversity of pollen assemblages presents in different communities. Chenopodiaceae pollen percentages are highest in Kalidium communities and Ceratoides communities (higher than 45%, average is 63.4%), but high Ephedra pollen percentages (higher than 3.3%, average is 16.5%)in Ceratoides communities make it distinguished from Kalidium communities. Artemisia pollen percentages (more than 50%) are much higher than Chenopodiaceae (less than 35%) in Artemisia Communities. Nitraria pollen percentages (higher than 2%, average is 13.6%) are highest in Nitraria communities compared with those in other community patterns. Tamariceae pollen percentages (higher than 2%, average is 8.6%) are highest both in Tetraena and Reaumuria communities compared with those in other community patterns. But in Reaumuria communities, Artemisia pollen percentages are higher than Chenopodiaceae with some other pollen types such as Gramineae, Compositae, Leguminosae; on the contrary, in Tetraena communities, Artemisia pollen percentages are less than Chenopodiaceae with few other pollen types. Calligonum pollen only appears in Calligonum communities (higher than 2%, average is 5%). The results of cluster analysis (CLA) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) show that the pollen indication to source plants can be reflected by association indices (A), over-representation indices (O), under-representation indices (U), R-value, the average pollen percentages where parent plants are absent (X-a) and the average pollen percentages where parent plants are present (X-P). Zygophyllum, Calligonum, Tetraena, Tribulus and Tamariceae can indicate source plants very well, owing to high A scores. Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae and Gramineae have high R-values, and Nitraria, Cruciferae and sedum have high O scores, so they are over-represented types, but the higher X-P and the lower X-a values make that these pollen types can also indicate source plants moderately. Allium, Leguminosae, Roseceae, Pedicularis and Compositae have low A scores (less than 0.5), high O and/or U scores, so they cannot indicate source plants clearly. Some other pollen types, such as Pinus, Picea, Betula, Quercus, Ulmus, Ephedra, Elaegnaceae, Ranunculaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Polygonaceae, Saxifragaceae, only appear in pollen assemblages, so their indication cannot be decided. Just like the pollen percentage ratios of Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae (A/C), the ratios of Ephedra and Artemisia (E/A), Nitraria and Ephedra (N/E) can also indicate the aridity of environment. In typical desert communities, A/C ratios are less than 0.5, E/A ratios are more than 0.1, and N/E ratios are less than 1. In steppe desert, A/C ratios are 0.5 - 2, E/A ratios are less than 0.1, and N/E ratios are more than 1.