Pollen Analysis

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Pollen Analysis

• Correlate Quaternary stratigraphic units

• Reconstruct vegetation history

• To investigate the impact of human activities on
  late Quaternary vegetation and landscape in many
  parts of the world

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Pollen Analysis
Pollen Characteristics

• Resistant to decay

• Morphological characteristics specific to plant
  groups

• Produced in vast quantities

• Reflect the natural vegetation of a location

• Small (10-150 u)

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Pollen Analysis
Pollen production

• All plants that have sexual reproduction

• Productivity depends on dispersal mechanism     
      Autogamous (self fertilised)                
      very small amounts of pollen          
  Entomophilous/zoophilous (insect animal)      
                small amounts of pollen        
    Anemophilous (wind)                    
  large amounts of pollen

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Pollen Analysis
Pollen dispersal

• Most pollen not carried far from site (1 km)

• Some can travel very long distances

• Dispersal as a function of                    
  grain size                     wind (direction
  speed)                     precipitation

• Plant habit and dispersal                    low
  vegetation                     trees

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Pollen Analysis
Pollen Diagrams
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Pollen Analysis
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Pollen Analysis