Pollen and spores morphology from the Holocene of the Iberá Wetlands in northeastern Argentina

Abstract

Background and aims: Taxonomic works of the modern pollen grains from the vegetation of the Iberá Wetlands from northeastern Argentina, and other areas of the Corrientes province, have mostly been carried out in last decade. However, very few of these taxonomic works include illustration of palynomorphs. The objective of this contribution is to provide the first morphological records of palynomorphs of angiosperms, ferns, lycophytes and bryophytes from sediments from the Holocene of the Iberá Wetlands. M&M: Core samples obtained by mean of a Livingston-type sampler from six lakes in their central and deepest parts on the western margin of the Iberá Wetlands were analyzed. Results: Fifty-five types of palynomorphs are described and illustrated: 46 pollen types correspond to 27 families of angiosperms and nine trilete spore-types to ferns, lycophytes and bryophytes. Information to differentiate local (species that form part of the natural vegetation of the Iberá Wetlands) and extra-local taxa (those that do not belong to the Iberá), that achieved to depocenters mostly by means of wind currents coming from farther regional vegetation, was included. Conclusions: Pollen grains and spores identifications up to species level enhances paleoenvironmental reconstructions based on more accurate ecologic information and geographical distribution. This work broadens the knowledge of the palynological flora of northeastern Argentina and it will contribute to differentiate the local vegetation from the extra-local in future paleocological and paleoenvironmental interpretations.