Abstract: 45 pollen samples were collected from the surface sediments of the northern South China Sea, ranging from the continental shelf, the slope to the deep basin. The spatial distribution of pollen abundance indicates that the Pearl River may be the major transporter of pollen and spores to the sea. In general, pollen and spore concentrations decrease gradually with the distance from the Pearl River mouth. However, there is another relatively high value area to the east of Hainan Island, that is consistent with the assumption that nearby lands may be the major pollen source area, but rivers act as the most important carriers.
Fern spores are obviously more than pollen grains, and also show a similar distribution pattern that the concentration decreases with distance from the Pearl River mouth. However, the percentage value increases with the distance from the shores. This pattern indicates that although inflow rivers may have carried most spores in, the dispersal ability of fern spores in the seawater is much better than that of pollen grains.
Abundant Pinus pollen grains in the northern SCS probably came from the widely distributed Pinus massoniana in the inland areas of China. Other coniferous pollen was rarely found, while Podocarpus was well represented. Most common pollen taxa from subtropical and tropical broadleaved forests were dominated by evergreen Quercus and Castanopsis, of which pollen percentage was higher than that of other plants. Other subtropical and tropical tree pollen taxa were usually represented only by few pollen grains, indicating their low representation. Pollen of the widely distributed shrubs in the temperate regions was also not common. Phyllocladus pollen from Southeast Asia was frequently observed. Herb pollen, especially wild Poaceae and Cyperaceae, is common in the samples near the shore.