Pollen data from seafloor surface sediments and sediment cores in the Xisha Archipelago, South China Sea

It includes sample IDs, pollen concentrations, and percentages for each sample. Seafloor surface sediment samples were collected around Dongdao Island, covering reef, slope, and deep-basin environments.

Two sediment cores, D072 and D003, provide fossil records spanning approximately the past 40,000 years.Samples were processed following standard palynological procedures, including carbonate removal, organic matter elimination, and pollen separation, and analyzed under a light microscope. The dataset allows investigation of sedimentary pollen deposition and spatial and temporal variations in terrestrial vegetation in the region.