Estudio fitolítico preliminar de un histosol del NO de la Península Ibérica

FERNÁNDEZ, M.G.; PATTERER, N.I.; SOUTO, M.; PONTEVEDRA-POMBAL, X.; FRAGA, M.I.; ARRIAGA, M.O.; ZUCOL A.F.

Spanish Journal of Rural Development

AGAIDERU

Lugar: Madrid; Año: 2010 vol. I p. 1 - 10

2171-1216

Phytoliths are microscopic structures of biogenic silica from organic tissues,product of cellular metabolism, when the plant dies, are preserved in the soiland can be used as local signals for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Thehistosols are particularly suitable for conservation of phytoliths, and thus havebeen used in studies of environmental change throughout the NorthernHemisphere, and only exceptionally in the Iberian Peninsula. Here, we presentthe analysis of phytolith associations found in selected samples of a HemicOmbric Histosol of Serras Septentrionais of Galicia, developed over apaleosol (10,720 yr cal. BP). Phytolith record was compared withgeochemical, pollen and botanical previous information. We extracted andidentified phytoliths in samples from three depths: 10 cm (159 yr cal. BP) 120cm (2430 yr cal. BP) and 230 cm (5403 yr cal. BP). We have seen anexclusive presence of graminoid morphotypes, mainly related to panicoidbilobated short cells and truncated cone with danthoniod affinity, in theanalyzed samples. Based on our findings, we associate the presence ofmegathermal vegetation in the deeper peat with warmer and drier climaticconditions than today, where microthermal vegetation dominates.