Methodological Hints

The paleoecological study of Lake Montcortès began in 2004 with the first coring campaign of its varved sediments. In the first instance, these sediments were 14C dated and analyzed palynologically at low resolution (centennial). Further studies based on varve counting provided a detailed yearly chronology that allowed the development of high-resolution reconstructions of a diversity of proxies, including pollen and spores, covering the last 3000 years. The palynological reconstruction disclosed in this book is based on a composite sequence using cores from 2004 and further coring campaigns, with an average resolution of ~16 years (decadal to bidecadal). Core sampling, sample processing, and pollen analysis were conducted using standard methods, and the interpretation was based on a two-year modern-analog study of pollen sedimentation using sediment traps. These studies provided information useful for paleoecological and paleoclimatic reconstruction, such as bulk annual pollen sedimentation, seasonal patterns, and the relationship between sedimentary pollen and the main meteorological variables. Overall, pine and oak pollen were dominant (>75% of pollen assemblage), followed by Cannabis, grasses, and other herbs. These pollen types varied seasonally, defining two well-differentiated assemblages corresponding to spring/summer and fall/winter. Significant correlations were found among these pollen assemblages and meteorological parameters such as temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, and wind intensity/direction.