Past environments of Sardinian archaeological
sites (Italy, West Mediterranean Sea),
based on palynofacies characterization
1,
1,
1 1 | Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Via Trentino 51,
I-09127 Cagliari, Italy |
Online publication date: 2018-06-19
Publication date: 2018-06-19
Acta Palaeobotanica 2018; 58(1): 73–93
ABSTRACT
A study method based on characterization of palynofacies (organic matter, palynomorphs) preserved
in sediments was applied to obtain information about past environments of Sardinian sites. Organic matter (OM)
was classified in ten categories according to its biological source, ecological characteristics, morphology and preservation
state. These categories included woody and non-woody particles (cuticles, amorphous organic matter),
phytoclasts, spores and pollen grains, gelified particles, and altered phytoclasts that ranged from transparent to
opaque fragments. Cluster analysis classified the samples into associations. Each cluster includes stations with
a similar spatial distribution pattern. The characterization of the different types of OM was coupled with palynological
analyses to produce suggested hypotheses about past vegetation, human activity and land use in Sardinia.