Note on what is palaeopalynology and its history, methods and Benefits of study Father of palaeopalynology Disciplines of Palynology study of fossil pollen grains Folli excavation P. Reinsch Sample mounting and observation Palaeobotany Barathiyar University palaeobotany Lithological details , sedimentology To trace the history of vegetation To study plant assemblage at a specific stratigraphic horizon To correlate deposits and assigning dates To study climatic change To study extinct genera To study evolution of plants and establish affinity To study past distribution of flora To study palaeoecology To determine coal-bearing strata To define ancient shoreline Palynologists have developed a series of standard methods that are applied to collect, extract, identify, and describe organic-walled microfossils. Sample collection Palynological Extraction Palynological Sample Mounting and Observation Palynological Analysis

1. PALAEOPALYNOLOGY
Nipun Govind T
MSc Botany
NGM College, Pollachi.

2. What Is Palaeopalynology?
Palynology is the study of plant pollen,
spores and certain microscopic planktonic
organisms (collectively called
palynomorphs) in both living and fossil
form.
Palaeopalynology is one of the disciplines
of palynology and concerned with the study
of fossil pollen grains and spores.

4. History of Palaeopalynology
Paleopalynology was established at the end of
the nineteenth century, when P. Reinsch
published the first photomicrographs of fossil
pollen and spores from Russian coals (Reinsch
1884).
He also described methods for the extraction
of palynomorphs from coal samples with
concentrated potassium hydroxide (KOH) and
hydrofluoric acid (HF)

5. Palaeopalynology has become an applicative discipline
of palynology due to the following features possessed
by pollen grains and spores:
Pollen and spores survive better and longer than
other biological materials due to the presence of
tough exine.
The exine is mainly composed of sporopollenin
that renders the pollen grains and spores resistant
to decay.
Grains survive well where microbial activity is
depressed due to drought, low availability of
oxygen and presence of toxic salts in soil.

6. Electron microscopic view of fossil pollen grains

7. The resistant exine is always ornamented/
sculptured. The ornamentation occurs in a
‘species-specific-pattern’.
The size of a pollen grain and spore is small and
this facilitates an ease of aerial transport to long
distances. This property helps to trace the place
of migration of a plant.

8. Pollen analysis, in comparison to megafossil
studies is more advantageous by virtue of the
fact that a little quantity of sample unfolds the
vegetation of that area from where the samples
are collected.
Pollen and spores are always produced in very
large numbers.

9. Methods in Palaeopalynology
Palynologists have developed a series of standard
methods that are applied to collect, extract, identify,
and describe organic-walled microfossils.
• Sample collection
• Palynological Extraction
• Palynological Sample Mounting and Observation
• Palynological Analysis

10. 1. Sample collection
Palynological sampling requires a good knowledge
of sedimentology in order to identify those
lithologies most likely to preserve organic matter
particles of microscopic size
Color of the rock is a very important indicator, as
usually rocks of dark gray/black color are rich in
organic matter

11. Organic matter and palynomorphs are destroyed
by oxidizing conditions; therefore, paleosols are not
good candidates,
Local tectonic activity can affect the organic matter
by thermal maturation.
Collection of the sample is usually done using a
rock hammer or a knife in case of soft rocks.
Samples can conveniently be stored in air tight
ziplock bags with an acid-free paper label inside

12. A typical stratigraphic section in the
soft rocks of the lowermost part of
the Fort Union Formation
(southwestern North Dakota). The red
stratigraphic markers indicate the
contact between different lithological
units. Palynological samples were
collected in stratigraphic sequence
from the clean surface of the highwall
using a sharp knife.

13. 2. Palynological Extraction
In the laboratory, samples are processed
chemically to remove the mineral fraction of the
rocks, using strong inorganic acids.
Sieving is commonly done in order to remove the
largest fragments as well as the smallest
amorphous organic particles.
Ultrasound treatment to break up agglutinated
particles in the residue.

14. Oxidizers can also be applied, including NaOH or
KOH to remove humic acids, and nitric acid or
Schultze’s reagent to reduce the opacity of the
organic matter
Staining of samples with Safranin Red dye
The residue that is obtained can then be stored in
vials, either dried or in alcohol for future use.

15. Dyed palynological residues stored in vials. The residue is
used to mount microscope slides or SEM stubs.

16. Palynological slides for optical microscopy observation. The dyed
residue is mounted in a permanent medium for long-term
preservation.

17. 3. Sample Mounting and
Observation
For optical microscopy, the material is prepared
and mounted for observation on microscope glass
slides.
Temporary mounts can be made using glycerin jelly
as a mounting medium.
Modern polymers like epoxy and polyester resin
display very good stability, optimum refractive
index, and are very easy to use.

18. The poly vinyl alcohol attaches the residue to the
coverslip, ensuring that the material lies on the same
optical plane.
Electron microscopy can be beneficial in resolving details
of the surface and ornamental structure of palynomorphs
at much higher magnification than optical microscopy.
SEM provides three-dimensional images of the outer
surface of imaged objects.
Transmitted electron microscopy (TEM) is used to
elucidate the internal structure through ultra thin sections
roughly 100 nm thick.

19. A) SEM image of palynological residue showing a variety of palynodebris including a
large tracheid with pitting (wood fragment)
B) SEM image of Erdtmanipollis cretaceus, an uppermost Maastrichtian angiosperm
pollen species from the Hell Creek Formation among palynodebris.

20. 3. Palynological Analysis
The concept of Palynological analysis was introduced by
Batten and Stead
It aims at describing the proportion, shape, color, and size of
every piece of organic debris (palynodebris) present on a
slide.
Characterizing depositional environment and taphonomy.
[ Taphonomy is the study of how organisms decay and
become fossilized or preserved in the archaeological record ]

21. Benefits of study
1. To trace the history of vegetation
2. To study plant assemblage at a specific stratigraphic horizon
3. To correlate deposits and assigning dates
4. To study climatic change
5. To study extinct genera
6. To study evolution of plants and establish affinity
7. To study past distribution of flora
8. To study palaeoecology
9. To determine coal-bearing strata
10. To define ancient shoreline

22. References
A. Bercovici, J. Vellekoop, (2017) Methods in
Paleopalynology and Palynostratigraphy: An Application to
the K-Pg Boundary, Elsevier Inc. (page 127,136-140)
https://www.biologydiscussion.com/palynology/notes-
on-palaeopalynology-palynology/68957
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/paleobotany/palyno
logy/

23. Thanks...