Differences in values of pollen types originating from upland tree species in two neighbouring and partly synchronous sections, located in the residual channel and the flood basin of a former Rhine distributary in the central Netherlands, reveal the species composition of an alluvial hardwood forest under natural conditions. Natural levees carried a forest with a high species diversity including Fagus sylvatica, Corylus ave/lana, Tilia cordata, Betula sp., Acer sp., Carpinus betulus, Fraxinus excelsior and Pinus sylvestris. These results embody the first aimed palaeo-reference system for nature development projects currently in progress on embanked floodplains in The Netherlands.
Palynological study of deposits in the residual channel and flood basin of a former Rhine distributary reveals the species composition and development of natural wetland vegetation prior to major human interference. Flood-basin vegetation resembled a Typho-Phragmitetum thelypteridetosum vegetation during river activity. After this, vegetation succession shows a terrestrialization pattern, although duration of terrestrialization phases suggests continuous rising water levels in the flood basin. Grazing of wetland mammals is suggested by a sample probably representing a fossil excrement. During minor river activity reed marshes were present along the margins of the active channel, with Typha angustifolia and Sparganium in the deeper parts. After river activity ended a Bidentetea-vegetation originated on the lower clayey parts of the natural levees, succeeded by an extension of reed marshes. There are traces of fire, which temporarily disturbed the vegetation. Vegetation succession ended with the development of alder carr.
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