THE ABUNDANCE OF EXOTIC WESTERN HEMLOCK POLLEN WATERDEVIL LAKE, WHITEPASS, NORTHERN BRITISH-COLUMBIA - A PRELIMINARY-ANALYSIS

The abundance of exotic western hemlock pollen was studied at Waterdev il Lake, northern British Columbia, in order to determine whether or n ot its depositional history was independent of changes in pollen produ ctivity in the likely source area, coastal forests of western hemlock- Sitka spruce, about 30 km to the southwest. A comparison with the abun dance of western hemlock pollen at Lily Lake, Alaska, which lies withi n the coastal source area, supports this notion. The one major vegetat ional change during the late Holocene at Waterdevil Lake, the transiti on from subalpine fir forest to lodgepole pine-subalpine fir forest, c oincides with an increased abundance of exotic western hemlock pollen. These preliminary results suggest that a study of exotic pollen in th is region may be useful for interpreting past changes in circulation p atterns.