What is palynology in paleontology?

Palynology is the study of plant pollen, spores and certain microscopic plankton organisms (collectively termed palynomorphs) in both living and fossil form.

What does palynology tell us about the past?

Palynology can be used to reconstruct past vegetation (land plants) and marine and Freshwater phytoplankton communities, and so infer past environmental (palaeoenvironmental) and palaeoclimatic conditions in an area thousands or millions of years ago, a fundamental part of research into climate change.

How does pollen analysis work?

The basic theory of pollen analysis is that pollen is released by plants, transported through the air, and then deposited uniformly upon the Earth’s surface. In fact, the pollen represents the actual surface vegetation growing over an area (the area to be defined by the researcher).

What is palynology and how it is applied in taxonomic studies?

Palynology (Gr. palynos, dust) is the study of spores and pollen grains. In addition, the features of spores and pollen grains can often be used to identify a particular plant taxon. For this reason, palynological studies are used extensively to examine the fossil record, a field called paleo-palynology.

How are pollen and spores used in palynology?

Palynology is the study of plant pollen, spores and certain microscopic plankton organisms (collectively termed palynomorphs) in both living and fossil form. Botanists use living pollen and spores (actuopalynology) in the study of plant relationships and evolution, while geologists (palynologists) may use fossil pollen and spores…

How is palynology used in the study of plants?

Palynology is the study of plant pollen, spores and certain microscopic plankton organisms (collectively termed palynomorphs) in both living and fossil form. Botanists use living pollen and spores (actuopalynology) in the study of plant relationships and evolution, while geologists (palynologists)…

What is the purpose of a pollen analysis?

Pollen analysis is the only way to determine the number and type of pollen grains, which is the basis for the proper labeling of honey.

What kind of Science Study pollen grains and spores?

Palaeopalynology (palaeo-/paleo- is the prefix used in a combining form to denote relation with fossils) is one of the disciplines of palynology and concerned with the study of fossil pollen grains and spores.