Palynological Analysis of Surface Sediments in a High Arctic Pond, Revealing Desmids as Indicators of Wetlands and Climate Change

This is a first attempt to study the palynological remains from the surface sediments of a pond near the Kongsfjorden coast in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, Norway. The palynomorphs display a high relative abundance of desmids, Cladocera, thecamoebians, chironomids, and fungal remains inherent to the inland aquatic ecosystem. The Cosmarium indicators characterize water as neutral pH, fresh, mesotrophic, without organic pollution, Class 2 of Water Quality as in wetlands with coastal vegetation. The single procedure of palynological analysis excluding the acetolysis step, and bioindicators allows us to perceive the basic framework of the ecosystem, consisting of in-situ and transported remains. This approach could be effectively used for paleoenvironmental reconstructions in High Arctic Regions.