Regional Patterns and Representation Characteristics of Pine and Oak in Modern Pollen Records from Anatolia

Globally, specific regions are predominantly characterized by particular tree taxa according to their ecological attributes, and this dominance is reflected in modern pollen records. In Anatolia, pine (Pinus) and oak (Quercus), which have historical and cultural significance, are similarly represented as the two most important taxa in modern pollen assemblages. Based on the largest compilation of modern pollen records currently available (1968–2025), this study analyses the representativeness of arboreal pollen (AP) and the two dominant tree genera (Pinus and Quercus) across Anatolia. Regional variation among the sampled sites was also examined, and the relative abundances of deciduous and evergreen oak taxa were specifically assessed. Results show that AP exceeds non-arboreal pollen (NAP) in 85% of the samples, with an average AP value of 77%. Pinus is consistently dominant, exceeding 10% in 586 samples, whereas Quercus generally remains below 5%. The combined contribution of Pinus and Quercus to AP (QPinAP ratio) averages 71% and exceeds 50% in 504 samples, clearly demonstrating the contribution of the two dominant taxa within AP. Clear regional differences are observed in the representation of deciduous versus evergreen oak. The resulting data provide a comprehensive and regionally differentiated contribution to the reconstruction of past forest dynamics in Anatolia through the evaluation of AP ratios and the pollen representation of these two genera.