PALYNOLOGICAL STUDY OF POSTGLACIAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE IN THE PORT JOLI REGION, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA

A paleoecological study from the region of Port Joli, Nova Scotia reconstructs the regional and local vegetation composition in relation to climate change during the Holocene. Pollen analysis of a ¹⁴C-dated core from Path Lake (43°52’N, 64°55’W, 10 masl) provides a record of changes in the regional vegetation dating back to 9700 cal. yr. BP. Pollen assemblages are dominated by arboreal taxa such as Pinus, Betula, Picea, Quercus, Abies and Tsuga. A period of transition can be seen at 1980 cal. yr. BP, where arboreal species begin to diminish and shrub/spore taxa, including Alnus crispa, A. rugosa and Sphagnum, become more abundant. A short sediment core obtained from a small fen dating back to 6400 cal. yr. BP was also studied to understand wetland development. Magnetic susceptibility and loss-on-ignition show three stages of development of the fen, and environmental interpretation is provided by pollen analysis.