Holocene pollen and spores variability derived from marine sediment analysis from the Adriatic Sea. Roman Climate Optimum, Industrial Revolution and present day under scope.

Abstract

This thesis comprises a study on pollen and spores found in marine sediments from the Adriatic Sea, Ionian Sea and the Gulf of Taranto at present time, the Post Industrial Revolution and the Roman Climate Optimum. A first approach to the current pollen and spore distribution in the region was conducted by studying marine sediments in combination with river samples from selected Italian rivers, including the Po River, in order to detect riverine provenance for the pollen and spores found in marine sediments. As shown by the results, riverine imprint is still recognizable in the nearby marine sediments, being even more important due to the high water and sediment discharge of the Po River, whose signal is still recognizable in the Gulf of Taranto. The pollen and spores spectrum for the Roman Climate Optimum and the Post Industrial Revolution do not reflect big changes in the vegetation, being dominated by arboreal species. An event is detected during the Roman Climate Optimum around 79 AD, year of the eruption of the Mount Vesuvius, characterized by a sharp decrease in arboreal pollen types and an increase in herbal pollen types. According to the results obtained, the Po River has the biggest influence in the supply of palynomorphs to the marine sediments in the region, not only at present times but also in the Roman Climate Optimum as revealed by the presence of northern species in the sediments from the Gulf of Taranto. A positive correlation between terrestrial palynomorphs (pollen and spores) and marine palynomorphs (dinoflagellates) was also detected. The individual contribution for wind and riverine supply of pollen and spores remains unclear.