Pollen, Oxygen Isotope Content and Seasonality in an Ice Core from the Penny Ice Cap, Baffin Island

Abstract

The results of pollen analyses of 12 ice core samples, covering an eight-year period from 1972 through 1979 from the divide of the Penny Ice Cap, Baffin Island, are reported. The pollen spectra are dominated by long distance transported pollen, especially the conifers Picea and Pinus. Alnus pollen is generally rare. In contrast, pollen spectra from both modern polsters and fossil peat sections in the same area are both characterized by local pollen types. Pollen influx values range from 2 to 8 grains/cm²/yr. Where the sampling intervals happened to coincide with established seasonal intervals (as interpreted from later oxygen isotope studies) the pollen spectra showed seasonal characteristics. This occurred in five out of the twelve samples. Comparison of these data is made with data from Devon Island Ice Cap. Such information may be useful in reconstructing paleoclimates.

Key words: pollen, ice cap, Baffin, isotope, paleoclimates