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<p>The Qinghai Lake watershed is a sensitive region for studying the interactions between past climate change, human activities, and the vegetation ecosystem in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Pollen and fungal spore records from lake sediments in the watershed can be used to reconstruct vegetation succession and pastoral activity. However, current research on the modern processes of pollen and fungal spores in this region remains limited, which impedes the accurate interpretation of stratigraphic records. This study, based on a systematic analysis of meadow and steppe topsoil, fluvial alluvium, river water, and lake surface sediments from the Erhai-Daotang River catchment in the southeastern Qinghai Lake watershed, aims to elucidate the assemblage characteristics, spatial distribution, dispersal patterns, and indicative significance of pollen and fungal spores. Our results demonstrate that pollen assemblages accurately differentiate local vegetation: steppe topsoil is dominated by <i>Artemisia</i> pollen, whereas meadow soils are characterized by Cyperaceae pollen. Within the catchment, <i>Artemisia</i>, <i>Aster</i>-type, and Chenopodiaceae pollen, alongside spores of coprophilous fungi including <i>Sporormiella</i> spp., <i>Urocystis</i> sp., and <i>Sordaria</i> spp. serve as effective indicators of grazing pressure. Among non-coprophilous or obligate coprophilous fungi, <i>Glomus</i> spp. and <i>Monodictys</i> spp. reveals soil erosion, and <i>Meliola</i> spp. signals overgrazing. Both pollen and fungal spores are concentrated in the southwestern depocenter of Erhai Lake. Although fungal spore concentrations are similar in sediments from Qinghai Lake and Erhai Lake, the smaller catchment of Erhai Lake provides a more constrained spore source, making it better suited for reconstructing grazing activity. This study systematically uncovers the transport and depositional patterns of pollen and fungal spores in a small catchment, providing a critical modern-process framework for reconstructing historical vegetation dynamics and grazing intensities from lacustrine sediment records across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.</p>

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Pollen and fungal spore assemblages from a small catchment in the Qinghai Lake watershed, northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and their ecological implications

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月4日

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  • Hongyu Li,
  • Haicheng Wei,
  • Ronglei Duan,
  • Huating Gou,
  • Yilin Hou,
  • Chenyu Wang,
  • Hongpan Xue,
  • Shun Wang

摘要

The Qinghai Lake watershed is a sensitive region for studying the interactions between past climate change, human activities, and the vegetation ecosystem in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Pollen and fungal spore records from lake sediments in the watershed can be used to reconstruct vegetation succession and pastoral activity. However, current research on the modern processes of pollen and fungal spores in this region remains limited, which impedes the accurate interpretation of stratigraphic records. This study, based on a systematic analysis of meadow and steppe topsoil, fluvial alluvium, river water, and lake surface sediments from the Erhai-Daotang River catchment in the southeastern Qinghai Lake watershed, aims to elucidate the assemblage characteristics, spatial distribution, dispersal patterns, and indicative significance of pollen and fungal spores. Our results demonstrate that pollen assemblages accurately differentiate local vegetation: steppe topsoil is dominated by Artemisia pollen, whereas meadow soils are characterized by Cyperaceae pollen. Within the catchment, Artemisia, Aster-type, and Chenopodiaceae pollen, alongside spores of coprophilous fungi including Sporormiella spp., Urocystis sp., and Sordaria spp. serve as effective indicators of grazing pressure. Among non-coprophilous or obligate coprophilous fungi, Glomus spp. and Monodictys spp. reveals soil erosion, and Meliola spp. signals overgrazing. Both pollen and fungal spores are concentrated in the southwestern depocenter of Erhai Lake. Although fungal spore concentrations are similar in sediments from Qinghai Lake and Erhai Lake, the smaller catchment of Erhai Lake provides a more constrained spore source, making it better suited for reconstructing grazing activity. This study systematically uncovers the transport and depositional patterns of pollen and fungal spores in a small catchment, providing a critical modern-process framework for reconstructing historical vegetation dynamics and grazing intensities from lacustrine sediment records across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.