Modern pollen samples provide an invaluable research tool for helping to interpret the quaternary fossil pollen record, allowing investigation of the relationship between pollen as the proxy and the environmental parameters such as vegetation, land-use, and climate that the pollen proxy represents. The European Modern Pollen Database (EMPD) is a new initiative within the European Pollen Database (EPD) to establish a publicly accessible repository of modern (surface sample) pollen data. This new database will complement the EPD, which at present holds only fossil sedimentary pollen data. The EMPD is freely available online to the scientific community and currently has information on almost 5,000 pollen samples from throughout the Euro-Siberian and Mediterranean regions, contributed by over 40 individuals and research groups. Here we describe how the EMPD was constructed, the various tables and their fields, problems and errors, quality controls, and continuing efforts to improve the available data

Pollen monitoring has become a standard investigation method for researchers in several disciplines; among them are Quaternary palynologists, who conduct experiments in order to gain insights that will help to interpret the content of pollen in sediments. A review of the literature shows how these experiments diversified during the 1920s and 1930s with an array of different research questions, ranging from pollination biology to hay fever studies. Quaternary palynologists gained renewed interest with the possibility of radiocarbon dating late Quaternary sediments and obtaining accumulation rates. Also, the comprehensive model of pollen deposition and the pollen budget studies by H. Tauber encouraged researchers to conduct similar experiments using the same type of pollen trap, which became the main trapping device for Quaternary palynologists. The high precipitation in the tropics inspired the development of alternative designs. The equipment used to assess the pollen content in the air has evolved from simple gravity devices to different types of apparatus using a vacuum pump or revolving rods that collect the pollen on impact. Silicone impregnated filters exposed perpendicularly to the wind can also yield a volumetric assessment and have proven useful in areas with a low content of pollen in the air. The literature review is followed by a brief account of the developments which established the basis for the formation of a group of scientists monitoring the pollen deposition at a network of sites using standard pollen traps, the Pollen Monitoring Programme (PMP). Over the last 15 years the network has collected a large dataset, which is now available to answer a number of research questions. A summary of selected regions and environments, for which pollen monitoring results are available, is provided to serve as a complement to the investigations mentioned above and to provide an overview that may stimulate new research.

This paper compares pollen spectra derived from modified Tauber traps and moss samples from a selection of woodland types from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Greece, Poland, Switzerland and Wales. The study examines the representation of individual taxa in the two sampling media and aims to ascertain the duration of pollen deposition captured by a moss. The latter aim was pursued through the calculation of dissimilarity indexes to assess how many years of pollen deposited in a pollen trap yield percentage values that are most similar to those obtained from the moss. The results are broadly scattered; the majority of moss samples being most similar to several years of pollen deposition in the adjacent trap. 123Veget Hist Archaeobot (2010) 19:271-283 DOI 10.1007/s00334-010-0258-y 2 years of pollen deposition in the trap also revealed large differences. There is a tendency for bisaccate grains such as Pinus and Picea to have a higher representation in moss than in traps but there is considerable regional variation. The results indicate that pollen proportions from moss samples often represent the pollen deposition of one area over several years. However, bisaccate pollen grains tend to be over-represented in moss samples compared to both pollen traps and, potentially, lake sediments.

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Annual PAR (pollen accumulation rates; grains cm -2 year -1 ) were studied with modified Tauber traps situated in ten regions, in Poland (Roztocze), the Czech Republic (two regions in Krkonoše, two in Š umava), Switzerland (4 regions in the Alps), and Georgia (Lagodekhi). The time-series are 10-16 years long, all ending in 2007. We calculated correlations between pollen data and climate. Pollen data are PAR summarized per region (4-7 traps selected per region) for each pollen type (9-14 per region) using log-transformed, detrended medians. Climate data are monthly temperature and precipitation measured at nearby stations, and their averages over all possible 2-to 6-month windows falling within the 20-month window ending with August, just prior to the yearly pollen-trap collection. Most PAR/climate relationships were found to differ both among pollen types and among regions, the latter probably due to differences among the study regions in the habitats of plant populations. Results shared by a number of regions can be summarized as follows. Summer warmth was found to enhance Communicated by F. Bittmann.the following year's PAR of Picea, Pinus non-cembra, Larix and Fagus. Cool summers, in contrast, increase the PAR of Abies, Alnus viridis and Gramineae in the following year, while wet summers promote PAR of Quercus and Gramineae. Wetness and warmth in general were found to enhance PAR of Salix. Precipitation was found to be more important for PAR of Alnus glutinosa-type than temperature. Weather did not have an impact on the PAR of Gramineae, and possibly of Cyperaceae in the same year. Care is advised when extrapolating our results to PAR in pollen sequences, because there are large errors associated with PAR from sediments, due to the effects of taphonomy and sedimentation and high uncertainty in dating. In addition, in pollen sequences that have decadal to centennial rather than near-annual resolution, plant-interaction effects may easily out-weigh the weather signal.

The relationship between vegetation and surface pollen deposition is examined at Storbreen glacier foreland where a clear plant succession exists. The aim is to determine whether the distinct plant communities present produce characteristic pollen assemblages. The influence of environmental factors is also considered. Pollen assemblages from moss polsters, collected from 22 paired sampling sites across the foreland, are compared with local vegetation. Two-way indicator species analysis and detrended correspondence analysis are employed to identify clusters and sequences, initially in the vegetation data and subsequently in the pollen data sets. Vegetation and pollen data are compared simultaneously using canonical correspondence analysis. Three main plant communities are distinguished: pioneer, heath and snowbed. Broadly, each community produces characteristic pollen assemblages. Boundaries between groups are not clear-cut, reflecting the mosaic of plant communities present. Recognition of distinct plant communities is hampered by the prevalence of long-distance arboreal pollen and poor representation of entomophillously pollinated taxa. Late in the succession up to 78% of pollen could originate locally. Use of the non-arboreal pollen sum significantly improves correspondence with vegetation. The importance of indicator taxa is considered and both Salix and Empetrum are found to distinguish successfully early phases of succession from later phases. Strong correlations exist between the primary ordination axes of vegetation and pollen and with terrain age and altitude (for example, the correlation between altitude and total land pollen Axis 1 is r= -0.76). The surface data add new information to the interpretation of tree colonization in the area during the Holocene.

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SUMMARYFew studies have examined patterns of pollen deposition or the relationship between vegetation and pollen assemblages at the small scale. This paper examines the representation of both individual taxa and whole plant communities in modern pollen spectra. Micro-scale variations in modern pollen deposition were studied in three alpine plant communities on Storbreen glacier foreland, southern Norway: a pioneer community; a 5a/ij:-shrub community; and an ericaceous heath community. The relationships between vegetation and modern pollen deposition and the variability of these relationships at the local scale were investigated within 16 >: I m^-quadrats. The data were classified using two-wa}-indicator-species ana]>'sis (TWINSPAN) and ordinated usin^ dftrendedcorrespondence analysis (DCA). In addition, the pollen and vegetation data were ordinated simultaneously, using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The efTect of removing arboreal pollen from the pollen sum was examined. The three plant communities were distinguished successfully by multivariate statistical techniques, using both pollen data and vegetation data. However, within the communities there was high variability in pollen deposition, which was most pronounced in the 5i3//s'-shrub community. The abundance of indi\ idual taxa in the vegetation was compared with their representation in the pollen spectra. The strongest relationships were shown by Salix, Ericales, Empetritm and Lycopodium. Certain taxa showed consistent, reproducible patterns of behaviour. These patterns provided valuable evidence for separating contrasting plant communities. Comparison of modern poiien-vegetation relationships of this kind with pollen data from Holocene and Pleistocene sites is important to improve the reconstruction of past plant communities. Statistical analyses showed that for the majority of taxa a moss polster consisting of 20 subsamples was necessary to reduce the effect of microscaie variability in this environment to acceptable levels.