Spatial distribution of pollen grains and spores in surface sediments of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

Aiming to investigate the deposition of pollen grains and spores in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro State, 61 surface sediment samples were analyzed. The results showed that the current deposition of palynomorphs in surface sediments of Guanabara Bay represents the regional vegetation of this hydrographic basin. The differential distribution of palynomorphs followed a pattern influenced by bathymetry, tidal currents speed, discharge of numerous rivers, and by human activity. The dominance of representatives of Field Vegetation reflects the changes of the original flora caused by intense human activities in the region. The continued presence and richness of pollen types of rain forest in the samples indicates that their source area might be the vegetation from riparian border of rivers in the western sector of the Bay, where the mangrove vegetation is being preserved. The large amount of damaged palynomorphs may be related to abrasion that occurs during river transport, indicating removal or reworking from their areas of origin.

Urban rivers as conveyors of hydrocarbons to sediments of estuarine areas: Source characterization, flow rates and mass accumulation

“…Although conifers are not native in the region it has been used in reforestation in mountain areas included in the Guanabara Basin. Barreto et al (2012) report pollen from Pinus in sediments sampled at the entrance of the Guanabara Bay and in minor amounts in the western portion of the bay characterizing the presence of the alien species in the basin. BbCh has been considered a product of gasoline combustion (Rogge et al, 1993).…”

Paleoenvironmental Records Influenced by Sea Level Variations During the Holocene in the Vitória Bay Region, Espírito Santo State, Brazil

“…Bays are considered to be environments that are favorable to the deposition and preservation of the sedimentary record (Figueiredo et al 2014), supporting studies focusing on the evolution and paleoenvironmental reconstruction of these areas. The sediment transported by the rivers is deposited according to local hydrodynamics (Barreto et al 2012; Luz 2012). Studies of these environments, with a focus on microfossil analyses, are still rare when it comes to the Brazilian coast.…”

Palynological Investigations on Some Selected Bee Forage Plants of Family Fabaceae Using Light and Scanning Electron Microscopy From Himachal Pradesh, India

“…These particles, though very small act as an important marker in various studies. When they become suspended in air they give an idea about the local flora (Randall et al, 1986;Savelieva et al, 2000).When become deposited in strata/sediments of any time period they indicate past flora and climate (Barreto et al, 2012;Zhang et al, 2017).When studied in honey they demonstrate its geographical and botanical origin (Moar, 1985;Bibi et al, 2008) When pollen stick to the body parts, clothes, shoes or any other article of a suspect, they become evidence in forensic analysis (Mildenhall, 2008, Morgan et al, 2014. When inhaled pollens can cause allergy (Chatterjee, 2016) and also reveal adulteration.…”