QUB | Archaeology and Palaeoecology | The 14Chrono Centre

Catalogue of pollen types

Contents:

• Background
• Scope
• Catalogue:
  • Pteridophytes
  • Gymnosperms
  • Angiosperms (dicots)
  • Angiosperms (monocots)
• References
• Grant application for funding

This page introduces the list of pollen types that might be identifiable in mid- and late-Quaternary sediments of the British Isles. For a thorough interpretation of pollen data, it is necessary to have a firm understanding of the range of types that could reasonably occur in a pollen preparation, and to make pollen identifications at a level which is as fine as possible. It is also necessary that different pollen analysts in different laboratories should use the same nomenclature to achieve consistency of identification, and to enable communication about pollen identification categories without having to append a list of which species are included in each type. Ideally, consensus on pollen identification categories will involve cross-checking with fossil pollen, but a first step could be agreement of a nomenclature. The purpose of producing this catalogue is thus:

• to place possible palynological distinctions in a modern taxonomic framework;
• to make clear exactly which species are in which pollen- morphological category;
• to show how all native species fit into the pollen- morphological scheme;
• to promote dialogue amongst palynologists about realistic levels of pollen identification (perhaps with allowance for quality of preservation);
• to establish a set of names for labelling pollen diagrams and discussing palynological results.

I am hoping to illustrate the catalogue with photographs of pollen grains in a form that can be viewed from graphical WWW browsers. A limited number of trial examples have been included in the catalogue.

Go to scales for images.

I thank John Birks, Kevin Edwards, and Graeme Whittington for helpful and positive criticism of earlier drafts of this catalogue.

Copyright © 1995-2007 K.D. Bennett

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