This study is an attempt to evaluate the relationships between vegetation and modern pollen rain in Siaha District, Southern Mizoram, India, as a contribution to palaeoecological research. A set of 21 pollen substrates (surface soil and moss pollsters) were obtained from the vicinity of Pala Lake, the biggest natural lake in Mizoram. Two thick spider web samples were also incorporated to measure the degree of trapped airborne palyno-debris as compared to the moss-soil data. The total pollen rain reflects the site-to-site variation in the pollen assemblages as shown by their abundances – 38%, 26% and 27% from the forest, forest margin and open land, respectively. The spider web samples also contribute 9% of palynomorphs to the total pollen assemblage. The total pollen rain revealed the dominance of non-arboreal pollen (NAP: 56%) over arboreal pollen (AP: 27%). The data showed a partial correlation with the extant woody vegetation; however, two major arboreal taxa – Dipterocarpus and Xerospermum – are under-represented despite their prominence in the near vicinity. The presence of highland taxa such as Tsuga and Carya indicates long-distance pollen transport. The abundance of monolete and trilete ferns also suggests a prevalent humid depositional environment. Fungal spores mainly constitute the non-pollen palynomorphs (NPP) assemblage. Low representation of dominant tree taxa in the pollen assemblages, even in the samples proximal to the forest, can be attributed to the entomophilous nature of the trees (Emblica and Artocarpus species). The extant palynoflora recovered in different surface substrates are suggestive of differential pollen production, dispersal and deposition.

Modern pollen dispersal studies from the phytogeographically and climatically different regions [the Peninsular and extra-Peninsular regions (the Himalaya), the Ganga-Brahmaputra Plain and the coastal regions] of India are summarised and reviewed in the present communication. We have incorporated all the works undertaken on modern pollen dispersal aspects in India. It must be noted that initial studies, though incipient in nature and content, helped in establishing the science of palynology, in the early days, across the varied regions of the vast country. Shorea robusta and Tectona grandis, despite being high pollen producers and dominant components of the deciduous forests, are under-represented in the pollen assemblages; however, Madhuca indica has comparatively good representation. Rhizophora, Aegiceras, Barringtonia, Excoecaria, Sonneratia and Avicennia are the important mangrove taxa recorded from the coastal areas, although their representation is less as compared to the extant vegetation. Mesua, Schima, Elaeocarpus, Ilex and Garcinia are represented well in the pollen spectra from the evergreen forests. Pinus pollen is highly over-represented in the Himalaya. Suggestions for overcoming limitations are also provided, which will improve the accuracy and understanding of modern pollen dispersal studies in the Indian scenario. Recommendations for future research mainly comprise adoption of the established protocols for vegetation surveys. Extended R-value (ERV) models may be applied for estimating the pollen productivity (PPEs) for further use in landscape reconstruction algorithm (LRA) approaches.

Thalassiphora and other large ‘winged' dinoflagellate cysts common in Oligocene–Pliocene stratified epicontinental seas display morphological variation greater than the plasticity of extant taxa, thereby raising questions about causes. This variation has been attributed either to directed ontogeny in response to salinity or oxygen gradients or to evolutionary development in response to special environmental conditions. Some authors have grouped certain taxa that mark the closing phases of European Paratethyan basins into an intergradational plexus including species of Thalassiphora, Galeacysta, Nematosphaeropsis and cruciform Spiniferites. Spiniferites (previously Thalassiphora) balcanicus and Galeacysta etrusca were considered end members of this plexus, despite large differences in morphology. We re-evaluate interpretations of the plexus through comparison primarily with a new north-western Atlantic Eocene species Thalassiphora subreticulata and new Croatian material of Thalassiphora balcanica, and we comment on differences from other Thalassiphora species. The large Eocene species Thalassiphora subreticulata (up to 148µm maximum dimension) is camocavate, and has a coarsely reticulo-fibrous, irregularly perforate periphragm forming a shallow, bowl-shaped structure, as in Thalassiphora pelagica. Electron microscopy shows the perforations are crossed by fibrils in accord with a proposed ‘stretched net’ model of periphragm development. The smaller Late Miocene Paratethyan species Thalassiphora balcanica (maximum dimension to 115µm) is also camocavate, with a similar fibrous periphragm which encloses about half the ventral surface and has smooth-edged and open perforations. Scanning electron microscope images show this species lacks the branched spinous processes used to justify its transfer from Thalassiphora to Spiniferites by Sütő-Szentai. In both Thalassiphora species, morphological variations do not support either the benthic–planktonic stage ontogenetic model or the oxidation-state model previously proposed for Thalassiphora pelagica. Among 30 species currently assigned to Thalassiphora, no correlation was found between cyst size and age. However, the range of morphology in this genus points to the need for taxonomic re-assessment, which might help reveal evolutionary trends.

The present study aims to document modern pollen assemblages and compare them with the extant vegetation, through palynological analysis of 40 modern moss cushions, from the Akhnoor sector of Jammu District (Jammu and Kashmir), India. The study revealed that the pollen of Pinus sp. (average 62%) dominates the pollen assemblages. The over-representation of Pinus pollen could be attributed to its high pollen productivity and excellent pollen dispersal capacity. However, other conifers (needle-leaved taxa) as well as broad-leaved taxa, with a few exceptions, are either sporadically recorded or remain palynologically silent (present in the extant vegetation but absent in the recovered pollen assemblages). This discrepancy could be owing to their long-distance transport by wind and/or water from the upland areas/the higher reaches of the Himalaya. Tubuliflorae, Cerealia and other cultural pollen taxa, and Poaceae, are well to poorly represented in the pollen assemblages. The associates of sub-tropical deciduous forests are poorly represented in the pollen spectra because they are not wind pollinated nor are they high pollen producers. The extant vegetation of the sampling location in Akhnoor of Jammu province plays a pivotal role in the present study, which has important implications for the interpretation of vegetation dynamics and associated climate change during the Holocene on the Indian subcontinent.

Forty-four rock samples from the Landana section, belonging to the historical Dartevelle collection of the Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA) at Tervuren, Belgium, were palynologically processed and analysed. Systematic analysis of the samples from the Landana sea cliff locality has revealed 90 dinoflagellate cyst taxa spanning an interval that ranges at least from the middle Paleocene to the late Eocene/early Oligocene. This locality represents the first extensive sub-equatorial African Paleogene dinoflagellate cyst record. Dinoflagellate cyst occurrences were calibrated and evaluated against newly revised foraminiferal ranges. This novel dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphic record was compared and correlated with contemporaneous records relatively close by in the Gulf of Guinea, as well as with records from more distant locations such as Antarctica, Australia and New Zealand. A preliminary dinoflagellate cyst zonation is here proposed comprising three zones and five unzoned yet otherwise distinct intervals. The lower part of the Landana section records a large portion of the early to middle/late Selandian, which is made apparent by the presence of taxa such as Isabelidinium cingulatum, Isabelidinium? viborgense, and Spinidinium densispinatum. The Thanetian through Lutetian part of the section is more fragmentary and is devoid of any significant marker taxa normally typical for this time interval elsewhere. The upper part of the record is largely devoid of dinoflagellate cysts, with the few dinoflagellate cyst-bearing samples pointing to an Eocene to early Oligocene age. Dinoflagellate cyst assemblages are relatively variable and often largely dominated by a single particular taxon or complex. We record remarkably abundant peridinioid cysts signalling high palaeoproductivity for protracted periods of time, resulting from either heightened terrestrial influence or enhanced upwelling.

The taxonomy of the dinoflagellate cyst-based genus Votadinium has been in need of revision. This is accomplished here by integrating morphology, large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequences, and cyst wall composition analyses through micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Three new species, Votadinium pontifossatum, V. rhomboideum and V. reidii, are described as cyst stages of Protoperidinium paraoblongum, P. quadrioblongum, and P. steidingerae, respectively. A previously undescribed type of ornamentation is reported for V. pontifossatum. A fourth new species is assigned to V. concavum. Furthermore, Lejeunecysta psilodora Benedek (= Lejeunecysta psuchra Matsuoka), is re-described as V. psilodora and the holotype re-illustrated, as is done for the holotype of V. spinosum Reid. New illustrations are provided for V. elongatum and V. nanhaiense. LSU rDNA sequences of V. concavum reveal its placement in the Oceanica section of the genus Protoperidinium, supporting earlier evidence that the Oceanica section and the cyst-based genus Votadinium form a monophyletic clade. Thus, Votadinium could be considered the cyst equivalent of the motile-defined Oceanica section. The cyst walls of Votadinium spinosum, V. calvum and V. pontifossatum are built from carbohydrate-based macromolecules with N-containing functional groups, in agreement with the heterotrophic nature of their motile stage. Comparison with related genera Trinovantedinium and Quinquecuspis reveals that the species and genera can be separated based on cyst wall composition, supporting a phylogeny based on molecular data and/or ecological differences. Furthermore, Trinovantedinium applanatum spectra unexpectedly show an additional absorption at 1510cm^–1, indicating an aromatic group that is commonly reported for sporopollenin and not seen in dinoflagellate cysts so far. This study stabilizes the taxonomy of the cyst genus Votadinium, clarifies its relationship to the Oceanica section of Protoperidinium, and further supports the application of whole cyst wall chemistry in helping address problems in dinoflagellate cyst taxonomy and ecology.

Pollen grains of primitive varieties of Hordeum vulgare collected by the Gene Bank of the Crop Research Institute, Prague, are compared to pollen of native Glyceria species of the United Kingdom with a view to establishing separation criteria. It is found that a separation of Hordeum vulgare from both Glyceria maxima and Glyceria fluitans is possible according to annular characteristics in combination with grain size as dependent variables. These findings have implications for the identification of cereal-type pollen grains that could be evidence for early cultivation in the Terminal Mesolithic of north-west Europe, and for the use of palynology as a reliable source of palaeobotanical data, particularly in its inland areas. A phase of vegetation disturbance from the pollen site of Dog Hill in the southern Pennine uplands of the UK, an area with a high density of ‘rod’ microlith flint sites, is introduced as a case example using the above protocol. Here, multiple Hordeum-type grains are encountered alongside prominent pollen indicators of disturbance, but also including non-pollen palynomorphs and microcharcoal data, at a date well before the mid-Holocene decline in Ulmus pollen frequencies that is often regarded as marking the beginning of the Neolithic. Confident identification of cereal-type pollen will greatly assist the understanding of the introduction of cultivation and the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in north-west Europe. The objective of this study is to show the utility of this palynology with respect to defining the ecology of early cultivation in UK uplands.

The palynological sequence in core QZMS from Qizimei Mountain, central China, reflects the vegetation and climate dynamics since 12,900 calibrated years before present (cal yr BP). A palynological analysis demonstrated that the temperate deciduous broadleaved and coniferous mixed forest that was present from 12,900 to 10,600 cal yr BP changed to a deciduous broadleaved and coniferous mixed forest from 10,600 to 10,300 cal yr BP due to climate warming. From 10,300 to 7000 cal yr BP, a subtropical and temperate broadleaved and coniferous mixed forest was present. Then, the climate cooled from 7000 to 3000 cal yr BP. The variations in freshwater algae and Sphagnum (AS) and aquatic herbs (AH) indicate that rainfall increased from the early Holocene to 6890 cal yr BP and then gradually decreased. This change in rainfall coincided with changes in the Asian Summer Monsoon (ASM) and rainfall patterns in southern and northern China during different periods. The rainfall pattern was dominated by a shift in the summer rainbelt in the Chinese ASM region, which was mainly driven by orbitally forced changes in insolation and shifts in the El Nino/Southern Oscillation during the Holocene.

Melissopalynological studies are useful to determine the floral contents and geographical origin of honey samples. The great botanical diversity in the Amazon allows bees to produce honey that is highly valuable in Peruvian culture. However, pollen analyses and labels that provide information on honey contents are scarce; therefore, people do not know what types of honey they are consuming and paying for, especially when many Amazonian honeys are traditionally referred to as being monofloral honey types with medicinal properties. For this reason, we conducted a melissopalynological study to evaluate the pollen content of 14 honey samples from lowland and highland regions of the Peruvian Amazon. A total of 40 pollen types from 28 families were identified and most of the samples were multifloral. Pollen from Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Citrus were very frequent in the samples while Myrciaria dubia, Trema and Paullinia were frequently found in the samples. Pollen from Bombax, Gouania and Mimosa were infrequent within the samples. Pollen concentration class values per 10 g of honey varied from very rich to very poor and a low index of similarity in pollen content was observed between the samples, but there was a higher similarity between samples that came from the same region. Most of the identified floral sources in the honey are related to taxa that are traditionally used for medicinal purposes. The bioactive compounds of the nectar of these plants may be producing the ‘healthier’ properties that people associate with Amazonian honeys in Peru. This pollen study provides important information on the floral source preferences of bees and on honey contents, which can be used by traditional beekeepers and the public in general. Melissopalynological analyses are also useful for promoting the production and consumption of high-quality local honeys from the Peruvian Amazon.

This article presents a reconstruction of Late Holocene vegetation changes within the lower montane forest zone in the Beskid Wyspowy Mountains (Western Carpathians, Central Europe). Pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, loss on ignition, and microscopic charcoal analyses were applied to a profile collected from the deposits of the rich fen which developed in the landslide depression. The results reveal that during the period between ca. 4800 ± 70 and 4160 ± 60 cal. BP, Picea abies dominated in the local forests. Between ca. 4800 ± 70 and 4660 ± 60 cal. BP, Acer was an important component in local woodlands, which distinguishes the study site from others in the Western Carpathians. At ca. 4100 ± 60 cal. BP, forests dominated by Abies alba and Fagus sylvatica expanded. Nowadays, this type of vegetation is characteristic of the lower montane zone in the Polish Western Carpathians. This expansion was probably a consequence of environmental disturbances related to the cold and wet ‘4.2 ka BP’ event. The spread of these forests was preceded by a short episode of expansion of Tilia (Tilia cordata and/or Tilia platyphyllos) which was a very local event. The area of the Beskid Wyspowy Mountains provided suitable habitats for the occurrence of T. baccata, which has not been recorded in pollen data spanning the Middle and beginning of the Late Holocene from this mountain range. A significant increase in the percentages of Kretzschmaria deusta, a parasitic fungus, reveals that A. alba–F. sylvatica forests provided an optimal habitat for such species during the period from 4070 ± 60 to 47 cal. BP. Since ca. 2640 ± 110 cal. BP, pollen of pioneer trees, such as Pinus sylvestris and Betula, as well as human activity indicators (Cerealia type and Plantago lanceolata) have become more frequent. Nonetheless, it is highly probable that this section of deposits also includes the presence of one or more sedimentary gaps.

This paper presents the formal description of Impagidinium obscurum sp. nov. from the Thanetian strata of northwest Europe. The palaeogeographic distribution of this species covers a wide area, ranging from the North Sea to the Barents Sea. Palynologists working in the region have long referred to Impagidinium obscurum sp. nov. as Leptodinium? ‘obscurum' and used it as an important intraPaleocene marker species. The informal specific name was with reference to the incompletely defined tabulation of the cyst. However, although the tabulation is often obscured by the dense folding of the walls, the cyst tabulation formula has been partly deciphered in this work, based on the organisation of sutural crests in exceptionally well-preserved specimens, which allows confident attribution to the genus Impagidinium. This species is restricted to the ‘early’ Thanetian and is associated with diverse dinoflagellate cyst assemblages which include Alisocysta margarita and Areoligera gippingensis.