It exists in various higher plants, including Taraxacum officinale (Asteraceae), Alnus glutinosa (Betulaceae), Litsea dealbata (Lauraceae), Skimmia spp.

[1] Taraxerol was named "alnulin" when it was first isolated in 1923 from the bark of the grey alder (Alnus incana L.) by Zellner and Röglsperger.

[4] While syntheses of pentacyclic triterpenoids in general have been proven challenging, partial synthesis of 11,12-α-oxidotaraxerol, an epoxide taraxerene derivative, has been reported by Ursprung et al. from α- and β-amyrin.

The hypothesis is that there should be a "base-level" for taraxerol in general sediments and elevated levels at places where Rhizophora has significant contribution.

As a result, increase in taraxerol level relative to other higher plant biomarkers in sediments should indicate when and where Rhizophora contributes substantially.

High ratios are observed in a zone along the continental slope, in which maxima always occur near present-day on shore mangrove trees.

During deglaciations when rates of sea level rise exceeded 12 cm/100 yr, mangrove populations could not persist due to lack of sediment supply.

In some other cases where fluctuation in taraxerol levels was not related to sea-level changes, it can also be attributed to local climate variations in temperature and humidity.

[1] Analysis methods for the determination and quantification of taraxerol include gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) and high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC).

Dried and grinded samples are saponified with strong base (e.g. potassium hydroxide), extracted in polar solvent (e.g. dichloromethane), separated into fractions by column chromatography, and finally derivatized.

In this case, linear ascending development is performed (e.g. using hexane and ethyl acetate (8:2 v/v) as mobile phase) in a twin trough glass chamber on TLC aluminum plates.