Modern pollen spectra from the highlands of the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic

We studied pollen, spores, and pine stomata in surface pond and bog sediments and surface soils to characterize modern pollen deposition in highland plant communities of the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic. We collected our samples at 47 sites representing a range of elevations (1200-3000 m) and cover types on both the windward and leeward flanks of the cordillera. Pollen from the endemic West Indian pine dominated surface spectra in nearly all forested sites, as well as in most grasslands. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) revealed that the modern pollen spectra of forested uplands and open wetland sites are clearly distinct, while other site types that are intermediate in terms of vegetation are also intermediate in terms of modern pollen spectra. The DCA also separated windward from leeward sites based mainly on higher pollen percentages of broadleaf trees and shrubs in the windward sites. A lack of pine stomata was an excellent indicator of treelessness in grassland sites. This clear distinction between treeless and forested sites may be useful in interpreting highland fossil records that date to the last glacial period.