Quaternary paleovegetation and paleoclimates of the Atlantic Montane Forest, Serra do Mar State Park, Curucutu Nucleus, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

This Scientific Initiation Project (IC) to be carried out at the Laboratory of Micropaleontology the Institute of Geosciences of the University of São Paulo, is directly linked to a Thematic Project FAPESP entitled VULPES- Populations Vulnerability Scenarios of Extremes, Process 2015/ 50683-2 (Agilis system), under the coordination of prof. dr. Paulo E. De Oliveira, advisor of this IC project. The main objective is to continue the pollen analysis initiated by Medeiros (2006) of a sediment core collected at the State Park Serra do Mar in São Paulo, with a basal age of 38,650 years BP. With the pollen analysis of the remaining 34 samples, the palynological profile will be complete and will provide data on vegetation and climate variations in the Atlantic Forest, in São Paulo, Brazil, in the last 38,650 years BP. One of the main reasons for carrying out this research is the lack of paleoecological records of Atlantic Forest Montana coast of Brazil, a biodiversity hotspot, which has been a major obstacle to the understanding of vegetational changes since the last glacial cycle. The complete fossil record to be obtained for the study area will provide details regarding the presence and abundance of plant species in time and space and will verify the occurrence of fires and human impacts on the vegetation. (AU)