Crystal N.H. McMichael , Daniel Guerra , Nina H. Witteveen , Britte M. Heijink , Annabel Zwarts , Gabriela Zuquim , Henrik Balslev , Kalle Ruokolainen , Hanna Tuomisto
{"title":"Soil phytolith assemblages reflect palm community composition in western Amazonia","authors":"Crystal N.H. McMichael , Daniel Guerra , Nina H. Witteveen , Britte M. Heijink , Annabel Zwarts , Gabriela Zuquim , Henrik Balslev , Kalle Ruokolainen , Hanna Tuomisto","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105443","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105443","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Humans have domesticated and used palms in tropical forests for millennia. The extent to which past human palm use affects modern tropical systems remains relatively unexplored due to lack of a good fossil record. However, palms produce an array of phytoliths, which are siliceous cell structures that preserve well in the soil even after the organic plant material has decayed. Phytoliths vary in morphology and can be identified to group level and sometimes even to species. We analyzed if palm phytolith assemblages sampled from the soil reflect palm species compositions and abundances in 63 western Amazonian transects. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and Mantel tests showed that palm communities and phytolith assemblages had similar turnover patterns. Negative binomial generalized linear models indicated that the abundances of nine of the 13 common palm genera were significantly related to a combination of soil cation concentrations, grass phytolith percentages, and palm phytolith PCoA axis scores. These results suggest that phytoliths have potential as quantitative indicators of changes in palm abundances in paleoecological and archaeological reconstructions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"344 ","pages":"Article 105443"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145060580","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":"Searching for Neoproterozoic meteorite impact combusted carbon cenospheres in palynological records","authors":"Morten Smelror","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105439","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105439","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon cenospheres comparable to those derived from incomplete combustion of coal or fuel-oil droplets appear to be present in Neoproterozoic post-impact sediments in the Gardnos meteorite crater in central Norway and in possible time-equivalent strata in East Finnmark, northern Norway. The Neoproterozoic cenospheres resemble carbon cenospheres found in K-Pg boundary sediments around the world linked to the Chicxulub meteorite impact on Yucatan and in sediments from the Early Cretaceous Mjølnir impact in the Barents Sea. A likely source of the Late Neoproterozoic carbonized cenospheres is hydrocarbons combusted from organic-rich sediments when the bolide hit the shallow marine impact site of the Gardnos meteorite crater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"344 ","pages":"Article 105439"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144902864","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}
Jingfan He , Chunhai Li , Shi-Yong Yu , Xiaocen Li , Beibei Li
{"title":"Modern pollen and stomatal assemblages in Northeastern China: Vegetation–climate relationships and paleoenvironmental implications","authors":"Jingfan He , Chunhai Li , Shi-Yong Yu , Xiaocen Li , Beibei Li","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105441","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105441","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Decades of research have revealed large uncertainties in paleoclimate reconstructions based on fossil pollen data. To address this issue, modern studies are essential for improving the understanding of the vegetation–climate relationship. In this study, a total of 45 modern surface soil samples were collected along an east–west precipitation gradient and a north–south temperature gradient in Northeast China. These samples were analyzed to investigate modern pollen–vegetation, stomata–parent plant, and pollen–climate relationships. Using Redundancy Analysis (RDA) and random forest modeling, we found that pollen assemblages can effectively distinguish different vegetation types. Furthermore, stomata analysis demonstrated that <em>Pinus</em> and <em>Larix</em> stomata can reliably indicate the local presence of their parent plants. Both RDA and random forest models identified that the mean air temperature of the coldest month was the primary climatic parameter influencing coniferous pollen distribution, while annual precipitation was the dominant factor controlling herb pollen distribution. This study demonstrates that combining pollen assemblages with stomata analysis can remarkably improve the accuracy of vegetation reconstruction in northeastern China, with coniferous and herb pollen serving as reliable respective indicators of coldest month temperature and annual precipitation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"344 ","pages":"Article 105441"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144913486","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":"Revolutionizing forensic investigations through AI-driven pollen analysis: A narrative review","authors":"Lina Bhoyar , Bhavya Srivastava","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105440","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105440","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pollen and spore analysis, known as forensic palynology, supports criminal investigations but is hindered by manual identification, slow processing, labor-intensive methods, and human errors, restricting its application. Integrating AI offers the potential to enhance precision, efficiency, and data management. This review explores the use of AI to automate pollen grain identification for forensic purposes through machine learning, image recognition, and big data analytics. Deep learning methods, particularly CNN-based architectures, have significantly advanced automated pollen grain classification, achieving accuracies exceeding 97–99% with large, diverse, and well-curated datasets. Studies highlight that dataset size, preprocessing quality, and robust validation protocols critically influence model performance and generalizability across real-world scenarios. Despite this promise, major challenges remain, including the scarcity of large and labeled datasets, limited transferability to degraded or mixed samples, and the pressing need for transparent, explainable outputs to ensure forensic admissibility. This paper explores the potential of AI to enhance forensic palynology, specifically in improving the speed and accuracy of pollen analysis in criminal cases. Immediate priorities include the development of standardized open reference datasets, rigorous validation protocols, and the integration of explainable AI frameworks that align with evidentiary standards. Further development of AI and its application in forensic palynology can hone investigative techniques, and then AI can become vital in developing forensic science. Progress will depend on building open reference databases, adopting rigorous validation protocols, and embedding explainable AI to meet evidentiary standards.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"344 ","pages":"Article 105440"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144908941","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 key for the identification of pollen from Rajaji National Park, India","authors":"Ruchita Rawat , Prabhawati Tiwari , Shivani Negi , Dinesh Singh Rawat","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105438","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105438","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate identification of pollen grains is fundamental to diverse fields such as palaeobotany, melissopalynology, aerobiology, and forensic science. This study presents a comprehensive illustrated key for the identification of pollen from Rajaji National Park (RNP). The park is situated in the Shivalik foothills of the Garhwal Himalaya, a region renowned for its rich floral diversity and significant ecological value. Extensive field surveys were conducted from 2021 to 2024, and polliniferous material from 302 plant species, representing 229 genera and 67 families, was collected. Pollen grains were prepared following the standard acetolysis protocol and subsequently examined using both light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Based on dispersal units and aperture type, the taxa were classified into 24 distinct pollen classes. An illustrated pollen identification key was developed, comprising a general key to differentiate pollen into distinct classes, followed by separate keys for each class. This key serves as a foundational reference for palynological research in Himalayan foothills. The work addresses a critical gap in regional palynological studies and contributes to strengthening pollen databases in India.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"344 ","pages":"Article 105438"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895461","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}
Hong-Yu Chen , Abdallah Abu Hamad , Yong-Dong Wang , Dieter Uhl
{"title":"Preliminary cuticular studies on plant remains from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) of NW Jordan","authors":"Hong-Yu Chen , Abdallah Abu Hamad , Yong-Dong Wang , Dieter Uhl","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105437","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105437","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The allochthonous macroflora of the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) Arda Formation in Northwest Jordan has previously been described based on morphological features of plant remains, without reference to microstructures (i.e., cuticles). This study examines seven types of cuticle from the same flora, all of which belong to gymnosperms. The identified cuticles include bennettitaleans (<em>Otozamites</em> sp. and Bennettitales spp.), and conifers (scale-leaved conifer and probably conifers with longitudinally arranged stomatal rows). The discovery of cuticles provides the first record of conifers in the Middle Jurassic flora of NW Jordan, filling a gap in the previous knowledge. The macroflora, comprising sphenophytes, ferns, bennettitaleans, and conifers (including scale-leaved conifers), shows strong similarities to other Jurassic floras in the Middle East, particularly resembling that of the Middle Jurassic Imran Formation of Makhtesh Ramon in the Negev (Southern Israel). These additions to the known facts about the floral assemblage by microstructural analyses significantly provide more information to support existing reconstructions of the palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic conditions in NW Jordan during the Middle Jurassic.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"344 ","pages":"Article 105437"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144919946","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":"Impact of climatic factors on pollen grains development in Black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn)","authors":"Abdelouahab Sahli , Hassan Ennouni , Khalil Kadaoui , Mhammad Houssni , Hasnae Ben Sbih , Soufian Chakkour , Mohammed Ater","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105429","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105429","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fertile pollen is of significance for the successful propagation of plants. It is sensitive to environmental conditions, especially climatic factors. However, there is a paucity of information about the effects of climatic factors on pollen development in the <em>Alnus</em> genus. <em>Alnus glutinosa</em> is an Eurasian species with a wide geographical distribution. It has particular ecological importance in riparian ecosystems, where it plays a crucial role in soil stabilization and biodiversity maintenance. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of climatic factors on pollen development from eleven distinct populations, each characterized by a unique combination of 13 environmental factors. Fresh pollen samples were examined using three distinct viability tests: Acetocarmine staining, Lugol staining, and in vitro germination. The results revealed significant variations in pollen viability between populations. Acetocarmine staining revealed that pollen from <em>Alnus glutinosa</em> exhibited robust cytoplasmic integrity and an absence of significant meiotic anomalies. However, Lugol staining revealed a substantial decline in pollen viability, which can be attributed to a decrease in starch content in fresh pollen in response to elevated temperatures. Pollen germination rates were generally low and exhibited a dependence on altitude variations. Consequently, it is imperative to prioritize the investigation of the impact of warming on pollen viability and the sexual reproduction of forest plants, as they are susceptible to the adverse effects of climate change, akin to other plant species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"344 ","pages":"Article 105429"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144892075","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":"Evaluating Post-K/Pg persistence of Classopollis: Evidence from exceptionally preserved reworked Pollen in Paleogene sub and inter-Volcanic Sediments from Northern Ireland","authors":"Manuel Vieira , David Jolley","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105424","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105424","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Cheirolepidiaceae, an extinct family of coniferous plants that thrived during the Mesozoic Era, are well known through their distinctive <em>Classopollis</em> pollen. Although long thought to have declined globally during the Late Cretaceous, isolated occurrences of <em>Classopollis</em> in Paleocene deposits have sparked debate regarding the survival or reworking of this lineage beyond the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary. In this study, we document the occurrence of exceptionally well-preserved <em>Classopollis</em> pollen within Paleocene inter-volcanic sedimentary rocks of the Antrim Lava Group in Northern Ireland. Detailed morphological analyses using transmitted light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveal <em>Classopollis</em> pollen with uniformly thick tectate exines, well-developed baculate infratectal layers, and a dense nano-spinulose supratectal ornamentation. These features can be compared with Barremian-aged English specimens and support a Cretaceous origin. Palynological assemblages also include other reworked Cretaceous taxa and clastic components derived from the underlying Ulster White Limestone Formation, a Santonian–Early Maastrichtian unit exposed within the catchment. The stratigraphic context and preservation state of the <em>Classopollis</em> grains suggest that they were reworked rather than representing in situ Paleocene vegetation. This study supports the interpretation that post-K/Pg occurrences of <em>Classopollis</em> in the Antrim Basin are best explained by sedimentary recycling of Late Cretaceous deposits, adding to the broader discussion on Cheirolepidiaceae persistence and paleoecological relict status in the Paleogene.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"344 ","pages":"Article 105424"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144913487","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}
Renata Jacomo Paixão de Carvalho , Raymond Mervey Harley , José Floriano Barêas Pastore , Cláudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonça , Vania Gonçalves-Esteves
{"title":"Palynotaxonomy of species and genera of the Cyanocladus and Trichocladus clades (Lamiaceae: Hyptidinae)","authors":"Renata Jacomo Paixão de Carvalho , Raymond Mervey Harley , José Floriano Barêas Pastore , Cláudia Barbieri Ferreira Mendonça , Vania Gonçalves-Esteves","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105428","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105428","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study analyzed the pollen morphology of 22 taxa of the <em>Cyanocladus</em> and <em>Trichocladus</em> clades. The aim was to describe and characterize pollen grains and assess whether pollen morphology corroborates the recent taxonomy of the group. Only genera occurring in Brazil were studied, including <em>Cyanocephalus</em> (Pohl ex Benth.) Harley & J.F.B.Pastore (7 spp.), the endemic genus <em>Eplingiella</em> Harley & J.F.B.Pastore (3 spp.), <em>Marsypianthes</em> Mart. ex Benth. (4 spp.), <em>Martianthus</em> Harley & J.F.B.Pastore (3 spp.), and <em>Medusantha</em> Harley & J.F.B.Pastore (5 spp.). Acetolyzed pollen grains were measured, described, and photomicrographed. Non-acetolyzed pollen grains were examined by scanning electron microscopy. All taxa analyzed have pollen grains shed in monads, medium to large in size, isopolar, (4)-6-(8–10)colpate, ranging from suboblate to prolate, with a small to very small polar area. The colpi are long to very long, broad, with ornamented membranes and an acute apex, and lack distinct margins. An operculum was observed in all species of <em>Cyanocephalus</em>. The sexine is bireticulated in all other species and genera. The results showed that the pollen morphology of the studied genera was informative in classifying taxa and distinguishing genera, demonstrating some notable parallels with current taxonomic opinion. In principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis, morphometric characteristics approximated and grouped, respectively, species of the genera <em>Eplingiella</em> and <em>Martianthus</em>. These genera exhibited great variation in pollen shape.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"344 ","pages":"Article 105428"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144885758","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}
Angelika Till , Silvia Ulrich , David J. Cantrill , Friðgeir Grímsson
{"title":"Pollen morphology of Pseudanthus (Picrodendraceae)","authors":"Angelika Till , Silvia Ulrich , David J. Cantrill , Friðgeir Grímsson","doi":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105426","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.revpalbo.2025.105426","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This is the first comprehensive investigation on the pollen morphology of <em>Pseudanthus</em>, a small genus within the Picrodendraceae, comprising nine species all endemic to Australia. This study presents the pollen morphology of eight out of the nine currently accepted <em>Pseudanthus</em> species using light and scanning electron microscopy. Pollen from five of the species (incl. subspecies) are described here for the first time. Pollen from different <em>Pseudanthus</em> species appears alike, sharing many overlapping features, including sculpture patterns observed with both LM and SEM. However, detailed examination reveals species-specific differences such as size and aperture number, that aid in discriminating pollen of the individual species. In general, Picrodendraceae pollen is mostly isodiametric to oblate, spherical to spheroidal in shape, and either exhibits a pantoporate or stephanoporate aperture configuration, as well as echinate sculpture. Although, <em>Pseudanthus</em> pollen shares these morphological features, being isodiametric to slightly oblate, pantoporate, and echinate, the pollen of this genus can be differentiated from other closely related Picrodendraceae (<em>Kairothamnus</em>, <em>Micrantheum</em>, <em>Neoroepera</em>, <em>Scagea</em>, and <em>Stachystemon</em>) based on set of traits observed with combined LM and SEM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54488,"journal":{"name":"Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology","volume":"344 ","pages":"Article 105426"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867230","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}