Vegetation changes during the Holocene in the North Ibera, Corrientes, Argentina

Vegetation changes during the Holocene in the North Ibera, Corrientes, Argentina. Wetlands are very important sites for palynological studies, since they represent one of the most suitable environments for fossil pollen preservation. The aim of this work was to determine, by palynological analysis of lacustrine sediments, the vegetal communities and the predominant environment during the Holocene in NW of Ibera. Two lagoons were studied: San Sebastian and San Juan Poriahu. Sediment samples were obtained with witness using a "Levingstone square-rod sampler". processed with Faegri e Iversen techniques and dated a with C-14. The palynological graphs were divided in zones using the Tilia program. The palynological analysis allowed visualizing diverse changes in the vegetation: from 6 140 +/- 50 to 5 170 +/- 100 a. C., the NW of Ibera was characterized by marsh-herbaceous vegetation and arboreal vegetation typical of dry vegetation. From 5 170 +/- 100 to 3 460 +/- 60 a. C., a decrease in the species frequency, typical of wet environments, is produced, and the clogging of the waterbody, from 3460 +/- 60 a. C. onwards, while continuing the dominance of herbaceous vegetation typical of these environments, the arboreal pollen, indicates the beginning of a hygrophilous forest development. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (1): 103-112. Epub 2011 March 01.