Li, Dongxu ， Song, Lina ， Li, Dehui ， Wang, Nannan ， Cao, Xianyong
2026-01-01 REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY 2026 344(卷), null(期), (null页)
Clarifying the relationship between soil-surface phytolith assemblages and land-use types in valley agricultural areas is essential for reconstructing the origins and spread of agriculture on the Tibetan Plateau. However, research on modern phytoliths related to wheat (Triticum sativa L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivation at high elevations remain limited. In this study, we analysed 40 farmland and 17 natural vegetation soil-surface samples from the Hehuang Valley, a typical valley agricultural area. The results show that phytolith assemblages generally reflect the cold, arid climate of the region but also vary across land-use types. Wheat farmland can be distinguished from natural vegetation, with ELONGATE DENDRITIC >= 1.0% as a diagnostic indicator for wheat and CRENATE <3.8% for natural vegetation. These findings highlight the potential of phytolith analysis for land-use reconstruction and establish an operational framework and threshold standards for identifying wheat farmland in the Hehuang Valley.