| Palynology |
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Palynology is the science that studies contemporary and fossil Palynomorph s, including Pollen , Spores , Dinoflagellate Cyst s, Acritarchs , Chitinozoa ns and Scolecodont s, together with particulate organic matter (POM) and Kerogen found in Sedimentary rocks and Sediment s. The term ''palynology'' was introduced by Hyde and Williams in 1944 , following correspondence with the Swedish Geologist Antevs, in the pages of the Pollen Analysis Circular (one of the first journals devoted to pollen analysis, and produced by Paul Sears in North America). Hyde and Williams chose ''palynology'' on the basis of the Greek words ''paluno'' meaning to sprinkle, and ''pale'' meaning dust (and thus similar to the Latin word ''pollen''). Palynology is an interdisciplinary science, and is a branch of Earth Science ( Geology or geological science) and Biological Science ( Biology ), particularly Plant Science ( Botany ). Stratigraphical palynology is a branch of Micropalaeontology and Paleobotany which studies Fossil palynomorphs from the Precambrian to the Holocene . METHODS OF STUDY Palynomorphs are broadly defined as organic-walled Microfossils between 5 and 500 Micrometre s in size. They are extracted from rocks and sediments both physically, by wet sieving, often after ultrasonic treatment, and chemically, by using chemical digestion to remove the non-organic fraction. For example, palynomorphs may be extracted using Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) to digest Carbonate minerals, and Hydrofluoric Acid (HF) to digest Silicate Minerals in suitable fume cupboards in specialist laboratories. Samples are then mounted on Microscope slides and examined using light Microscopy or Scanning Electron Microscopy . Once the pollen grains have been identified they can be plotted on a pollen diagram which is then used for interpretation. Pollen diagrams are useful in giving evidence of past human activity (anthropogenic impact), vegetation history and climatic history. Palynology uses many techniques from other related fields such as Geology , Botany , Paleontology , Archaeology , Pedology , and Geography . APPLICATIONS Palynology is used for a diverse range of applications, related to many scientific disciplines:
Because the distribution of Acritarchs , Chitinozoa ns, Dinoflagellate cysts, Pollen and Spore s provides evidence of Stratigraphical Correlation through Biostratigraphy and Palaeoenvironment al reconstruction, one common and lucrative application of palynology is in Oil and Gas exploration. Palynology also allows scientists to infer the climatic conditions from the vegetation present in an area Thousands Or Millions Of Years ago. This is a fundamental part of research into Climate Change . REFERENCES
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