Late Holocene Pollen Grains of Lake Van

Abstract

This study includes the classification of pollen grains belonging to steppe-forest vegetation prevailing surrounding of Lake Van during the Late Holocene. Late Holocene temperate mixed forest vegetation consists ofwoody plants such as evergreen and deciduous Quercus, Fraxinus, Ulmus, Carpinus, Corylus, Juglans and Vitis. Steppe vegetation is characterized by open vegetation steppe elements such as Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae, Compositeae (Ligulifloreae-type and Tubulifloreae-type), Apiaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Rubiaceae, Plantago, Centaurea, Brassicaceae and Poaceae. Abundantly presence of cereal pollen grains (Cerealia) at the end of Late Holocene indicates human impact on plant cover development especially in open lowlands. Pollen grains have been classified according to morphological features; 1. Vesiculate 2. Poliplicate 3. Inaperturate 4. Monoporate 5. Monocolpate 6. Tricolpate 7. Triporate 8. Tricolporate 9. Stephanocolpate 10. Stephanoporate 11. Periporate and 12. Fenestrate. Their botanical affinities have been referred.