Preliminary study on pollen distribution in the surface soil of the Turpan region in the southern slope of Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang, China

A preliminary study on pollen distribution in the Turpan region, located on the southern slope of the Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang, China, reveals distinct pollen assemblages that correspond to major vegetation types. The research identified four pollen assemblage zones—mountain desert-steppe and desert, Gobi gravel, typical desert, and salt mash vegetation—with notable differences compared to the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains. Unlike the northern slope, the Turpan region lacks typical forest and Artemisia desert pollen zones, with similar pollen zones found at elevations approximately 300 meters higher. The study also highlights the significant presence of tree pollen such as Picea and Pinus, suggesting that valley forests on the southern slope play a crucial role in pollen dispersal. This research employed modern pollen samples collected along an altitudinal gradient from 2,000 meters to -154 meters, using detrended correspondence analysis and redundancy analysis to examine distribution patterns.

Li, W., Yun, Z., Zhao-Chen, K., Zhen-Jing, Y., Shun, Y., & LI Yue-Cong, a. (2017). Preliminary study on pollen distribution in the surface soil of the Turpan region in the southern slope of Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang, China. Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology, 41(7), 779–786. https://doi.org/10.17521/cjpe.2017.0019