Palynological and paleoecological investigations in the Vosges (France): a research project

Abstract

In order to reconstruct the Late- and Post-glacial vegetation development of a west-eastern belt in the Vosges (France) palynological and paleo-ecological investigations were made. One map and five simplified diagrams are shown and will be discussed. The map shows the area in study. On basis of differences in geology and relief the area has been divided into five regions. In this paper the central region receives most interest. A diagram of surface samples taken on a mountain summit, shows the local and/or regional deposition of several pollentypes. These results are used for the interpretation of pollendiagrams and it is possible to base a zonation on regional pollentypes as far as late Post-glacial pollendiagrams are concerned. In two diagrams the trends in the curves of some regional pollentypes have been correlated to historical events and it also seems possible to reconstruct fluctuations of the upper forest limit. Figure 6 shows differences in pollen percentages in profiles of two bogs, which may be due to the existence of a vegetation zonation in the older Post-glacial.