Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology最新文献

{"title":"Palynology, palynofacies and palaeoenvironment of the Serpukhovian Tazlourt Formation (Tinghir region, southern margin of the Variscan Zone, SE Morocco)","authors":"Amine Talih ,&nbsp;Daniel Ţabără ,&nbsp;Hamid Slimani ,&nbsp;Ralph Thomas Becker ,&nbsp;Imad Tmimne ,&nbsp;Salma Aboutofail ,&nbsp;Hicham El Asmi ,&nbsp;Soukaina Jaydawi","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105396","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105396","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The microfloristic study of limestones from the Tazlourt Formation in the Tinghir region, led to the first discovery of miospores of herbaceous and sub-arborescent lycopsids small fern and sphenopsids belonging to both non-forest mire and forest mire. The palynological assemblage also includes rare marine phytoplankton (i.e. <em>Lophosphaeridium</em> spp.). Among the continental palynomorphs, significant marker taxa, such as <em>Grandispora spinosa</em>, <em>Dictyotriletes bireticulatus</em>, <em>Cirratriradites</em> cf. <em>C. rarus</em>, <em>Schulzospora</em> cf. <em>S. campyloptera</em> and <em>Punctatisporites gretensis</em> enable a confident attribution to the upper Serpukhovian stage (the <em>subtriquetra–ornatus</em> or SO miospore Zone of the Western Europe). This proves the presence of uppermost Mississippian deposits at the southern front of the Moroccan Variscan chain. The kerogen released by the analyzed samples is predominantly of continental origin, mainly composed of opaque phytoclasts with different sizes and shapes, while translucent phytoclasts and miospores are less represented. The analysis of microfacies, as well as the qualitative and quantitative parameters of the various components of the palynofacies, indicates a shallow to moderately deep neritic environment and supports the existence of a connection to the “Variscan Sea” between the Anti-Atlas domain, located on the northwestern margin of the stable Gondwana craton, and the Moroccan Hercynides, situated at the southwestern margin of the Variscides. The miospores are characterized by significant alteration in texture and color, with Spore Color Index (SCI) values ranging from 7 to 9 and advanced silicification. This is likely related to the combination of tectonic events that affected the study area during the Meso- and Post-Variscan phases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"342 ","pages":"Article 105396"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144364534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rare species in past pollen records and herbarium specimens: Linnaea borealis L. lived in north-eastern lowlands in Italy during the Neolithic","authors":"Jessica Zappa ,&nbsp;Paola Torri ,&nbsp;Giovanni Astuti ,&nbsp;Lorenzo Lastrucci ,&nbsp;Anna Maria Mercuri ,&nbsp;Assunta Florenzano","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105398","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105398","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper emphasises the role of detailed pollen identification in past records and the importance of historical herbaria in palaeoecological research on plant distribution over the last millennia. Palynological analyses of a sediment core, covering approximately the last 10,000 years, from the wetland surrounding the UNESCO archaeological site of Palù di Livenza, in the lowlands of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, revealed the unexpected presence of <em>Linnaea borealis</em> during the Mid-Holocene (about 8600–4200 cal yr BP) in north-eastern Italy. This species is a rare small suffruticose plant which grows among mosses in conifer and mixed forests, between 1200 and 2100 m a.s.l. In Italy, due to the restricted climatic requirements, its current distribution is limited to a few high-mountain stands and to four northern regions (Val d'Aosta, Piedmont, Trentino-Alto Adige, Lombardy). Pollen grains of <em>L. borealis</em> found in past samples from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region raised interest because this species was not recorded so far in this region either at present or in the past. To confirm the identification, a morphological study was carried out on pollen from flowers collected from University Herbaria (Florence and Pisa). Dried pollen extracted from anthers was acetolysed and observed with a Digital Optical Microscope. Polar axis, equatorial axis, exine thickness, equatorial diameters, mesocolpium, and distance among apices of colpi were measured in current and past pollen grains. Morphological analysis confirms the presence of <em>L. borealis</em> in the sedimentary archive studied, adding an important insight into the knowledge of past and present biodiversity of the area.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"342 ","pages":"Article 105398"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144470436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A sedimentary record of fire evolution history and its response to climate change and human activities during the last 7000 years from Lake Qionghai, southeastern Tibetan Plateau","authors":"Haozhen Yin ,&nbsp;Xingqi Liu ,&nbsp;Huanyu Sun ,&nbsp;Xin Mao ,&nbsp;Jun Yang ,&nbsp;Guoxiang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105394","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105394","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The occurrence of fire is related to climate, vegetation, and human activity. The Qionghai Lake catchment, situated on the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, exhibits well-developed vegetation and a high fire frequency and is located in Xichang City—a settlement with a long-standing historical legacy. It is therefore one of the most suitable areas to study the fire-climate-vegetation-human connection. In this study, we reconstruct the fire evolution history of Lake Qionghai over the last 7000 years using AMS ¹⁴C dating, along with an analysis of charcoal accumulation rate (CHAR) and major pollen taxa. Our results reveal two distinct phases in Holocene fire dynamics: (1) During the period of 7000–620 cal yr BP, fire activity exhibited a sustained decrease, which may have been linked to the reduction in lightning due to the temperature drop during that period. (2) From 620 cal yr BP to the present‌, a marked increase in fire activity has been accompanied by a pronounced decline in woody plants, coinciding with the proliferation of anthropophilic plant—Poaceae. We propose that the increased fire activity in the catchment area has become increasingly influenced by human activities, particularly through population growth, settlement expansion, and the adoption of slash-and-burn agricultural practices that collectively intensified fire regime.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"342 ","pages":"Article 105394"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144298247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The bees tell the story of disappeared landscapes: The case of the apiaries of Ürünlü/Kite (Bursa, Turkey)","authors":"Güven Gümgüm ,&nbsp;Aycan Tosunoglu","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105397","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105397","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study covers the ethnoarchaeological research on the hives abandoned 200 years ago, which evaluates the historical significance of studied apiaries and melissopalynological research, which addresses the change of floral diversity through palynological analysis in comparison with contemporary data. Conducted in the village of Ürünlü (Kite), Turkey, the study explores the effects of beekeeping, honey production, urbanization, and agricultural expansion on the flora of ancient Bithynia in recent centuries.</div><div>Extensive construction, new buildings, and landscape changes contributed to the obsolescence of these traditional apiaries. The abandonment of crude brick hive structures marked the shift to modern beekeeping. Melissopalynological analyses reveal that honey bees serve not only as honey producers but also as recorders of floristic change. Their foraging patterns reflect human-induced changes in floristic composition over time.</div><div>Traces of this unique apicultural practice persist in Turkey, particularly in a village near Bursa (ancient Prusa), south of the Sea of Marmara and were contributed to its strategic location along the Silk Road. Surrounding villages, including Ürünlü, still retain remnants of historical agricultural and pastoral activities. By examining these abandoned hives by a multidisciplinary approach, this study sheds light on the interplay between traditional beekeeping practices and environmental transformations. It underscores the importance of historical apiaries in understanding both past and present floristic diversity, offering valuable insights into the ecological and cultural history of the region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"342 ","pages":"Article 105397"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144366589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cupressaceous woods in Jurassic geothermal deposits of the Deseado Massif, Patagonia, Argentina with evidence of nurse-log growth strategy","authors":"Sebastian Alejandro Molano ,&nbsp;Giovanni Cristian Nunes ,&nbsp;Josefina Bodnar ,&nbsp;Ignacio Hernán Escapa ,&nbsp;Juan Leandro García Massini ,&nbsp;Diego Guido","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105400","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105400","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The fossil wood record of Cupressaceae is extensive across the Mesozoic and Cenozoic, with a wide distribution in both hemispheres. However, the affinities of some fossil woods are uncertain due to incomplete descriptions, preservation issues, and anatomical traits of ambiguous interpretation. This study describes the anatomy and discusses the affinities of well-preserved Jurassic silicified woods. Samples were collected from geothermal deposits at the ‘Claudia’ locality in the Deseado Massif, Santa Cruz Province, Southern Patagonia, Argentina. The material corresponds to pycnoxylic and homoxylic secondary xylem characterized by a distinctive combination of traits, including mixed pitting on tracheids, cupressoid cross-field pits arranged in a cupressoid pattern, and abundant diffuse axial parenchyma. These characteristics are compatible with <em>Protocupressinoxylon</em> and suggest affinities with Cupressaceae. Additionally, chert blocks preserving fragments of these woods contain vegetative organs (e.g., leaves, roots) with affinities with this family, supporting the suggested affiliation. The studied woods are assigned to the open nomenclature <em>Protocupressinoxylon</em>-type wood, following the IAPT Fossil Committee's recommendations concerning the nomenclature problems of this name, while acknowledging the extensive historical and current use of it. Nurse logs are also recorded based on the presence of several stems and rootlets anchored to some of the studied woods, which expands the fossil record of this growth strategy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"342 ","pages":"Article 105400"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144523204","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Resilient gymnosperms: reassessing floral dynamics at the permian–triassic extinction in Meishan","authors":"Elke Schneebeli-Hermann ,&nbsp;Francesca Galasso","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105373","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105373","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The impact of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction on terrestrial plant diversity and ecosystems is still controversially discussed. While for numerous plant fossil records, particularly those from terrestrial sites, adequate dating is unfeasible, for plant microfossil records, deposited in marine environments, independent biostratigraphic dating is usually possible. Since the ratification of the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the Permian–Triassic boundary in Meishan, a plethora of not only palynological data but also precise geochronological ages, high-resolution geochemical and biostratigraphic datasets are available. Here, we aim to revise the palynological data published by Ouyang &amp; Utting in 1990 in the current geochronological framework. Their three initially described assemblage zones yield a wealth of information with respect to depositional environment and vegetation composition- from an off-shore Permian setting to a more proximal setting in the Triassic. To date, the comparison of the palynological data with the carbon isotope record, current lithostratigraphy, and U/Pb ages indicates that gymnosperm-dominated vegetation thrived during and after the Permian–Triassic extinction event in the continental area near Meishan.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"341 ","pages":"Article 105373"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144071114","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Qualitative LM and SEM study of the Messel palynoflora: Part II. Fabales to Caryophyllales","authors":"Johannes M. Bouchal ,&nbsp;Christian Geier ,&nbsp;Silvia Ulrich ,&nbsp;Volker Wilde ,&nbsp;Olaf K. Lenz ,&nbsp;Reinhard Zetter ,&nbsp;Friðgeir Grímsson","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105349","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105349","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This second part of the re-investigation of the Eocene Messel palynoflora, using combined light- and scanning electron microscopy (single-grain method), comprises pollen of the Fabales to Caryophyllales. During our study, we discovered one Fabales pollen type, eight Rosales, 20 Fagales, ten Malpighiales, two Myrtales, twelve Sapindales, eleven Malvales, three Santalales, and a single Caryophyllales pollen type. New taxa in the Messel palynoflora includes <em>Erythrina</em> (Fabaceae) and Moraceae. Continuing to compare the palynoflora and meso/macroflora, we notice that additional six families only occur in the microflora, and six other families are represented only by leaf/fruit/seed fossils. Pursuing our assessment of the pros and cons of the combined versus classical quantitative light microscopy studies, we show that the combined method continues to provide a higher diversity of pollen taxa from the plant groups encountered. We report a similar pollen diversity for the orders Fabales to Charyophyllales from a single sample, as previously reported from conventional LM analyses of multi-sampled drill cores. Our combined LM/SEM approach revealed several new floral elements and enabled us to revise several previous botanical affinities based on additional morphological characters observed with SEM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"341 ","pages":"Article 105349"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144084156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An illustrated protocol for extracting palynomorphs from Early Pleistocene pollen-poor sediments using LST Fastfloat","authors":"Valérie Andrieu ,&nbsp;Belinda Gambin","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105372","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105372","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This method for extracting palynomorphs is specifically dedicated for Early Pleistocene pollen-poor carbonate or siliceous sediments in the Mediterranean, which are characterised by prolonged summer droughts. It utilises LST Fastfloat, a non-toxic, low viscosity sodium polytungstate heavy liquid. Due to its physical qualities, particularly its low viscosity, LST Fastfloat enables more efficient pollen concentration compared to other methods, including those that rely on alternative dense liquids.</div><div>This approach was applied to fluviatile and lacustrine deposits in both the western (Marseille) and eastern (Acıgöl, Kocabaş) Mediterranean. Unlike standard method, LST Fastfloat produced highly concentrated pollen residues and clear pollen slides, reducing analysis time, which is an important advantage in a labour-intensive discipline such as palynology. The primary drawback of this method is its high cost, although it is partially recyclable.</div><div>Our article is designed to be didactic and richly illustrated, featuring figures and photographs to facilitate its application, particularly for beginners. The positive results presented here may encourage researchers to sample sediments previously considered pollen-poor or devoid of palynomorphs, especially from understudied regions of major biogeographical or archaeological interest, such as the arid regions of the tropics and the Mediterranean.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"341 ","pages":"Article 105372"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144194565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Almost forgotten fossil wood points to the existence of an overlooked group of Mesozoic Gondwanan gymnosperms","authors":"Marc Philippe ,&nbsp;Mike Pole ,&nbsp;Pierre Maurizot ,&nbsp;Lilian Alizert ,&nbsp;Gendry Damien","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105383","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105383","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The wood <em>Araucarioxylon australe</em> Crié was published in 1889. Despite the many nomenclatural and taxonomic issues involved, it has never been revised. We found type material in Rennes University (France) palaeontological collection. Syntypes are described and illustrated, and a lectotype is designated. A new species of <em>Planoxylon</em> Stopes, <em>P. toitoii</em> n.sp. is recognised. A similar wood<em>, Planoxylon hectorii</em> Stopes is also revised. Taxonomical relationship between <em>Mixoxylon</em> Chernomorets <em>et</em> Sakala and <em>Planoxylon</em> Stopes are discussed and a key to <em>Planoxylon</em> species proposed. This renewed taxonomical framework allows a clearer palaeobiogeographical image to emerge from Gondwana high-palaeolatitude Mesozoic fossil wood-record.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"341 ","pages":"Article 105383"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144155190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tenellisporites capillaris sp. nov., a new dispersed lycopsid megaspore from the Middle–Upper Triassic Badong Formation, Hunan Province, China","authors":"Hong-Xiao Zhan ,&nbsp;Qun Sui ,&nbsp;Han Wu ,&nbsp;Weiyu Lu ,&nbsp;Jianbo Chen ,&nbsp;Stephen McLoughlin ,&nbsp;Zhuo Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105384","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105384","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dispersed megaspore fossils provide crucial insights into the diversity of heterosporous lycopsids through geological time. However, detailed systematic studies on Middle–Late Triassic dispersed lycopsid megaspores of the South China Block are lacking. Here, we report a unique dispersed lycopsid megaspore species, <em>Tenellisporites capillaris</em> sp. nov., from the Middle–Upper Triassic Badong Formation in Hunan Province, China. This trilete megaspore species is characterised by narrow, elevated, membraneous laesurae with ragged finger-like projections; a flattened equatorial zona; and single or rarely bifurcate spines with sharp tips on both the proximal and distal surfaces. These spines are connected basally to form a fine reticulum and gradually increase in thickness and length towards the equator. Ultrastructural analysis reveals that the megaspore wall consists of two layers: 1) a very thin and dense foot layer, 2) a thick, dense outer layer with parallel sporopollenin units. The outermost sporopollenin units transition to vertically arranged units where forming the spinous ornamentation. The morphological and ultrastructural characteristics indicate that the new megaspore species belongs to Isoetales. Our finding represents the first fossil record of <em>Tenellisporites</em> in Asia, enhancing our understanding of the palaeogeographic distribution and diversity of isoetalean lycopsids during the Middle–Late Triassic.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"341 ","pages":"Article 105384"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144139491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}