Palynological and temporal insights into the Atlantic Forest dynamics along the coastal areas of Rio de Janeiro State: a mini review

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.8208112620012

• Palavras-chave: Palynology, Atlantic Forest, Paleoenvironment, Late Pleistocene, Holocene

• Keywords: Palynology, Atlantic Forest, Paleoenvironment, Late Pleistocene, Holocene

• Abstract: This mini review synthesizes palynological records obtained from coastal sediments along the coast of Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil, integrated with paleoenvironmental reconstructions to investigate long-term Atlantic Forest dynamics. Pollen data spanning the late Pleistocene and Holocene reveal alternating phases of forest expansion and contraction, with marked spatial variability influenced by sea-level fluctuations, climate variability, and geomorphological processes. Forested formations were generally restricted to inland areas, whereas coastal lowlands were dominated by restinga, grassland, and mangrove communities. This synthesis contributes to refining the regional paleoenvironmental framework and highlights the importance of palynological records for understanding past and future ecosystem responses along the Brazilian Atlantic coast.