Estimates of relative pollen productivity (RPP) for selected taxa from southern Greenland: A pragmatic solution

This paper presents the reanalysis of a modern surface sample pollen-vegetation dataset from southern Greenland aimed at extracting estimates of relative pollen productivity (RPP). RPP is a key parameter required in order to use models of pollen dispersal and deposition for hypothesis-testing and quantitative reconstruction of past vegetation cover from pollen assemblages. The data were originally collected for ordination analysis, but as sample points were located in relatively homogenous stands of representative vegetation it was possible to reprocess the vegetation data into a suitable format for obtaining initial estimates of RPP using the extended R-value approach. Although it is not possible to accurately estimate the relevant source area of pollen (RSAP) and thus obtain the best available estimates of RPP, preliminary estimates of RPP relative to Poaceae were obtainable for 17 pollen types.