524
Dupont
have been made to the study of plant evolution,
particularly in the angiosperms (Muller 1970; Friis
and Pedersen 1996) and the geographical and evolutionary development of dinoflagellates (Stover et
al. 1996).
After the pioneering work of Iversen (1941),
palynology - later in combination with
archaeobotany - became well embedded in many
archaeological studies (Behre 1986; Bryant and
Holloway 1996). Melissopalynology, which examines the pollen content of honeys, is becoming increasingly important in monitoring the production,
analysis, and sale of commercial honey (Jones and
Bryant 1996). Aeropalynology investigates the pollen and spore content ofthe air and has prominent
medical applications in hay-fever forecasting
(O'Rourke 1996). In addition, modem pollen distribution studies form the base at the interpretation
of the sedimentary record.
Pollen data derived from the deep-sea and lower
continental slope sediments integrate palynological
information over a large area, but often miss considerable detail. They are suitable for the investigation of large shifts in vegetation over long periods. In contrast, pollen data from terrestrial deposits give much more detailed information oflocal or
regional vegetation patterns. Marine diagrams, however, cover often more than one climatic cycle
which makes them suitable for tracing large-scale
climatically-induced vegetation change. They normally have a firm stratigraphy provided, in the
majority of cases, by oxygen isotope measurements
on foraminifers from the same sediments. Careful
interpretation of marine pollen diagrams places
emphasis on transport and sedimentation processes,
as these have a strong impact on the results. Marine pollen data can be compared globally and are
a valuable addition to other climate proxies. By their
nature they allow a direct land-sea correlation.
Pollen grains can also be used as tracers for the
origin of organic matter (Wagner and Dupont this
volume).
Jan Muller was probably the first to link the pollen and spore distribution in marine surface sediment samples to the modem vegetation by his study
sediments of the Orinoco delta (Muller 1959).
In later years, numerous studies have used
marine palynology as a tool in Quaternary paleoclimatology. For instance, studies on Mediterranean
sediments showed the influence of Nile discharge
and monsoonal precipitation in tropical Africa on the
circulation of the Mediterranean Sea (RossignolStrick 1983, 1985). Monsoonal variation as reflected by the vegetation of East Africa was studied by Van Campo et al. (1982,1990) on cores from
the Indian Ocean. Heusser and Morley (1985) and
Heusser (1989) related the last glacial-interglacial
vegetation history of Japan and Northeast Asia to
the paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic change in
the northwestern Pacific. Direct land-sea correlation of the pollen content in sediments from the
northwestern Pacific with that ofthe adjacent continent elucidated the stratigraphical position ofterrestrial pollen sequences of Stage 5 and older periods (Heusser and Shackleton 1979; Heusser and
Heusser 1990). Other land-sea comparisons were
carried out in Baffin Bay, where the combined
study of pollen, spores, and dinoflagellate cysts provided data on the climatic and oceanographic history of eastern Canada (De Vernal and HillaireMarcel 1986; DeVernaletal. 1987; Hillaire-Marcel
and De Vernal 1989). Changes in the compositon
of the vegetation on New Zealand during the last
350 ka reflecting regional climatic variation in
concordance with global climatic change are represented in marine sediments of DSDP Site 594
(Heusser and Van de Geer 1994). The late
Quaternary vegetation history ofIndonesia, New
Guinea, and northern Australia including the Sahul
shelf during low sea-level stands was studied by
Van der Kaars (1991) using marine piston cores
from the eastern Indonesian seas.
In particular, the East Atlantic along the
West African margin has been systematically
investigated. Results of surface sediment samples
(Hooghiemstra and Agwu 1986; Hooghiemstra et
al. 1986; Dupont and Agwu 1991), of time slices
(Hooghiemstra 1988a; Hooghiemstra et al. 1987),
and of time series covering at least the glacialinterglacial transition on a transect of deep-sea
cores from 37°N to 12°S (Caratini et al 1979;
Rossignol-Strick and Duzer 1979; Agwu and Beug
1982; Hooghiemstra 1988b; Fredoux and Tastet
1988; Hooghiemstra and Agwu 1988; Dupont et al.
1989; Lezine and Hooghiemstra 1990; Lezine 1991;
Bengo and Maley 1991; Lezine and Vergnaud-
Dupont
have been made to the study of plant evolution,
particularly in the angiosperms (Muller 1970; Friis
and Pedersen 1996) and the geographical and evolutionary development of dinoflagellates (Stover et
al. 1996).
After the pioneering work of Iversen (1941),
palynology - later in combination with
archaeobotany - became well embedded in many
archaeological studies (Behre 1986; Bryant and
Holloway 1996). Melissopalynology, which examines the pollen content of honeys, is becoming increasingly important in monitoring the production,
analysis, and sale of commercial honey (Jones and
Bryant 1996). Aeropalynology investigates the pollen and spore content ofthe air and has prominent
medical applications in hay-fever forecasting
(O'Rourke 1996). In addition, modem pollen distribution studies form the base at the interpretation
of the sedimentary record.
Pollen data derived from the deep-sea and lower
continental slope sediments integrate palynological
information over a large area, but often miss considerable detail. They are suitable for the investigation of large shifts in vegetation over long periods. In contrast, pollen data from terrestrial deposits give much more detailed information oflocal or
regional vegetation patterns. Marine diagrams, however, cover often more than one climatic cycle
which makes them suitable for tracing large-scale
climatically-induced vegetation change. They normally have a firm stratigraphy provided, in the
majority of cases, by oxygen isotope measurements
on foraminifers from the same sediments. Careful
interpretation of marine pollen diagrams places
emphasis on transport and sedimentation processes,
as these have a strong impact on the results. Marine pollen data can be compared globally and are
a valuable addition to other climate proxies. By their
nature they allow a direct land-sea correlation.
Pollen grains can also be used as tracers for the
origin of organic matter (Wagner and Dupont this
volume).
Jan Muller was probably the first to link the pollen and spore distribution in marine surface sediment samples to the modem vegetation by his study
sediments of the Orinoco delta (Muller 1959).
In later years, numerous studies have used
marine palynology as a tool in Quaternary paleoclimatology. For instance, studies on Mediterranean
sediments showed the influence of Nile discharge
and monsoonal precipitation in tropical Africa on the
circulation of the Mediterranean Sea (RossignolStrick 1983, 1985). Monsoonal variation as reflected by the vegetation of East Africa was studied by Van Campo et al. (1982,1990) on cores from
the Indian Ocean. Heusser and Morley (1985) and
Heusser (1989) related the last glacial-interglacial
vegetation history of Japan and Northeast Asia to
the paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic change in
the northwestern Pacific. Direct land-sea correlation of the pollen content in sediments from the
northwestern Pacific with that ofthe adjacent continent elucidated the stratigraphical position ofterrestrial pollen sequences of Stage 5 and older periods (Heusser and Shackleton 1979; Heusser and
Heusser 1990). Other land-sea comparisons were
carried out in Baffin Bay, where the combined
study of pollen, spores, and dinoflagellate cysts provided data on the climatic and oceanographic history of eastern Canada (De Vernal and HillaireMarcel 1986; DeVernaletal. 1987; Hillaire-Marcel
and De Vernal 1989). Changes in the compositon
of the vegetation on New Zealand during the last
350 ka reflecting regional climatic variation in
concordance with global climatic change are represented in marine sediments of DSDP Site 594
(Heusser and Van de Geer 1994). The late
Quaternary vegetation history ofIndonesia, New
Guinea, and northern Australia including the Sahul
shelf during low sea-level stands was studied by
Van der Kaars (1991) using marine piston cores
from the eastern Indonesian seas.
In particular, the East Atlantic along the
West African margin has been systematically
investigated. Results of surface sediment samples
(Hooghiemstra and Agwu 1986; Hooghiemstra et
al. 1986; Dupont and Agwu 1991), of time slices
(Hooghiemstra 1988a; Hooghiemstra et al. 1987),
and of time series covering at least the glacialinterglacial transition on a transect of deep-sea
cores from 37°N to 12°S (Caratini et al 1979;
Rossignol-Strick and Duzer 1979; Agwu and Beug
1982; Hooghiemstra 1988b; Fredoux and Tastet
1988; Hooghiemstra and Agwu 1988; Dupont et al.
1989; Lezine and Hooghiemstra 1990; Lezine 1991;
Bengo and Maley 1991; Lezine and Vergnaud-