PNNL

Abstract

Turbidites, deposited by sub-aqueous gravity flows, are common in sedimentary archives worldwide and present a unique challenge and opportunity for reconstructing past vegetation through pollen analysis. When sampling a sediment core for pollen for paleovegetation records, it is common practice to target background sedimentation and avoid sampling turbidites, as they are presumed to portray a misleading picture of past vegetation. However, this assumption stems from a limited understanding of pollen abundance and distribution through turbidites, meaning that palynologists overlook deposits that could potentially tell a vital story in the reconstruction of past vegetation and climate. We present pollen assemblage and sedimentological data from four recent (