We analysed the pollen and spores extracted from 73 samples of lacustrine sediments from Colesdalen in Svalbard (Lake Tenndammen) as well as 10 soil samples collected from the lake's shores. In total, 56 pollen taxa were recorded from the sediments spanning the last 800 years, whilst 35 pollen types were found in the soil samples. Pollen was categorised as (i) regional (from Svalbard); (ii) exotic to Svalbard today; or (iii) of mixed or unclear origin. Major changes in pollen assemblages after ca 1900 CE were associated with human impact. Around 1920 CE, the first signs of introduced plant taxa were identified, by the presence of Apiaceae and Fabaceae pollen. Additionally, large-sized pollen with a thick exine and annulus diameter of 10.6–13 µm, identified as Poaceae/Cerealia type, was constantly present after ca 1920 CE. Other exotic pollen, including Ulmus, Juglans, and tropical pollen of Albizia/Mimosa type, Eucalyptus type, Acalypha type, and Passiflora type, are found only during the 1930s to 1960s, which is the period associated with the most intensive mining activity and human migration to and from Colesdalen. Furthermore, the repeated occurrence of Myrica (gale) type and Erica type occurring both in the lake sediment and in the soil samples is best explained by the migration of geese from Scotland (UK). Our research demonstrates how precisely human history can be reflected in the lake sediments of the Arctic environment.

Research on the food sources used by bees in agricultural landscapes is crucial to promote pollinator conservation measures in and around cultivated areas. This investigation aims to identify and quantify the pollen resources exploited by Schwarziana quadripunctata (Lepeletier 1836), assessing the trophic niche of this bee in agricultural areas with coffee plantations. Pollen analysis was conducted based on the pollen load of the corbiculae of 70 bees, sampled during the flowering period of two species of coffee trees in commercial plantations located in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo states, Brazil, in 2019 and 2021. A total of 78 pollen types from 23 botanical families were identified, with Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora comprising 92% of the samples. Cestrum sp. (2.3% – Solanaceae), Fabaceae sp. 1 (0.9%), Solanum sp. (0.75% – Solanaceae) and Chamaecrista sp. (0.71% – Fabaceae) were the next most prevalent. The dominance of the coffee tree pollen confirms the floral constancy of S. quadripunctata during periods of intense flowering. Excluding coffee pollen, the most represented families were Solanaceae (46.6% of the samples), Fabaceae (27.5%), Rubiaceae (8.51%), and Meliaceae (2.53%). The findings reveal that S. quadripunctata actively forages from sources other than coffee, even during the intense flowering of these plants, highlighting the importance of floral resources in the proximity of plantations. The use of pollen sources beyond the coffee tree highlights the importance of conserving nearby forest fragments and maintaining a diverse array of plants surrounding coffee trees even during coffee flowering.

Protoperidinium claudicans is a planktonic, heterotrophic, bioluminescent dinoflagellate species commonly found in neritic waters. It has long been considered to display phenotypic variation in its second anterior intercalary plate, which could vary between quadra, penta and hexa. The equivalent spinose, cordate cyst goes under the name of Votadinium spinosum. Here we perform incubation experiments with cysts from France, Canada, China and Japan, which demonstrate that P. claudicans forms a species complex, with at least two ribotypes with a penta configuration (P. claudicans) and one with a quadra configuration (P. carriae sp. nov.). A fossil-based cyst, V. multispinosum sp. nov., is described as the equivalent of P. carriae. Molecular phylogenetics using large subunit ribosomal DNA supports these observations. The cyst–theca relationships for Votadinium psilodora and another, undescribed, cordate, spineless Votadinium species are also reported from China. Macromolecular analyses of the cyst wall of V. multispinosum reveal it is comprised of a protein-rich carbohydrate compound. We show that this compound is not uncommon in dinoflagellate and ciliate cysts and that it is unlikely to preserve very well upon sedimentation and burial.

A fungal palynomorph corresponding to the fossil-species Lirasporis intergranifer R. Potonié & S.C.D. Sah, from the Middle Miocene lignite mine in Tomisławice (central Poland), is considered as the new combination Cancellidium intergraniferum (R. Potonié & S.C.D. Sah) G. Worobiec & E. Worobiec, comb. nov. The fossil-genus Lirasporis is treated as a synonym of the modern genus Cancellidium Tubaki. Cancellidium intergraniferum from the Miocene of Poland represents the first fossil record of Cancellidium outside Asia, the first record of this genus from Europe, and the northernmost known fossil occurrence of Cancellidium. Living representatives of Cancellidium seem to prefer warm and humid climates and, being aero-aquatic hyphomycetes, are usually associated with decaying woody remains in aquatic environments. A similar ecology is suggested for the fossil C. intergraniferum, which could be a reliable fungal non-pollen palynomorph proxy for palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.

This study provides an updated quantitative analysis and prospective paleoenvironment reconstruction of the Tut oilfield, Shushan Basin, North Egypt to evaluate the hydrocarbon reservoirs in space and times for further development plans and modeling in the Tethyan region. Two sporomorph interval zones (Classopollis brasiliensis and Afropollis jardinus), and one total foraminiferal Range Zone (Thomasinella punica) are proposed. Three palynofacies assemblages are differentiated using cluster analysis of the different palynofacies parameters. The paleoenvironmental conditions during the Cenomanian were reconstructed. Palynofacies assemblage I of the Baharyia Formation suggests a marginally dysoxic-oxic basin environment with a common occurrence of ostracods and terrestrial organic matter, while palynofacies assemblage II reflects the high abundance of dinoflagellate cysts, suggesting a suboxic-anoxic middle neritic environment. Palynofacies assemblage III of the upper part of the Abu Roash G Member represents a relatively deep water inner-middle neritic environment. Three 3^rd order significant sequences separated by two hiatus surfaces (Ce3 and Ce4) are described and correlated with the global eustatic sea-level. The hydrocarbon evaluation results show that the samples from the Abu Roash G Member contain oil-prone material of kerogen type II, while the samples of the Baharyia Formation are characterized by kerogen type III (gas-prone). Spore coloration analysis reveals that the samples from the studied units are too immature to produce gas or oil and are ineffective as sources of hydrocarbons.

Here we present the palynological composition of a single sample of the elusive purple honey collected in southern North Carolina and discuss how it fits within a nearby statewide South Carolina melissopalynological study. 302 samples were collected by nineteen beekeepers participating in this year-long project, submitting honey samples while honeybees were actively collecting nectar. The absence of pollen of Pueraria (kudzu) in the purple honey dismisses the often-suggested link between the unique tint of the purple honey and kudzu's purple pollen. A second hypothesis hinting that the tint could be linked to ripened berries is not reinforced by our investigation as pollen of Ericaceae (eg blueberries) and Rosaceae (eg blackberries) were not found in the purple honey sample but were commonly found in classic golden honey analyzed. The presence of Vitis pollen supports the possibility that bees forage on wild muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) which was available in the foraging area. This study cannot discredit the possibility that bees were foraging on berry juices or other sugar sources containing purple pigments because these sources contain little or no pollen. A third hypothesis proposes a link between purple honey and the sourwood tree, Oxydendrum arboretum. This hypothesis is supported by this investigation as the dominant pollen type recovered in the purple honey was sourwood, with 19% in relative abundance, a significant percentage for this plant. We suggest chemical analysis of purple honey samples be conducted to determine if berry juice or sourwood is the more likely source of the pigmentation.

Core samples from four boreholes (SAV-1, SAV-117, SAV-124, SAV-125) within the Vaddugudem block of the Godavari Valley Coalfield, Southern India have been palynologically investigated to understand the stratigraphic setting of that area. Only 60 out of the 172 samples yielded identifiable palynoassemblages. From the observed palynofloral composition, five distinct palynoassemblages (Scheuringipollenites Assemblage: PA-I, Striatopodocarpites + Faunipollenites Assemblage: PA-II, Striates + Striasulcites Assemblage: PA-III, Striates + Guttulapollenites Assemblage: PA-IV, Lundbladispora + Verrucosisporites Assemblage: PA-V) were identified. Furthermore, five distinct palynozones (Scheuringipollenites barakarensis Zone = PZ-1, Striatopodocarpites + Faunipollenites Zone = PZ-2, Gondisporites raniganjensis Zone = PZ-3, Guttulapollenites gondwanensis-Striatopodocatpites tiwarii Zone = PZ-4 and Playfordiaspora cancellosa Zone = PZ-5) were identified. These correspond to the Artinskian (PZ-1), Wordian–Capitanian (PZ-2 and PZ-3), Wuchiapingian–Changhsingian (PZ-4) and Induan–Olenekian (PZ-5), respectively. The study site is situated within a geologically active region within the basin, primarily attributed to the exposure of elevated basement rocks on the eastern side of the borehole locations. Notably, the palynozones appear as relatively narrow layers in the boreholes investigated within this tectonically disturbed basin. The repetition of palynoassemblages and palynozones at small intervals suggests that the boreholes are located in a fault zone with multiple fault planes and that palynomorphs were reworked along these fault planes. Fault slices of different lithological units containing palynoassemblages may have intersected the boreholes. Specifically, the recurrence of thin marker palynoassemblages and palynozones, which show similarities in age to the Barakar and Lower Kamthi/Raniganj formations, is likely attributable to tectonic disturbances, such as faulting. This disturbance may have induced the reworking or migration of palynomorphs along the fault plane. As a result, it is concluded that variations in the stratigraphic abundance of these reworked palynomorphs can serve as indicators of tectonic settings, even when these settings are not readily discernible in the geological record.

A biostratigraphic study was undertaken on a shallow borehole drilled to 90 meters in the easternmost Orinoco Delta, Venezuela. Twenty-eight samples were analyzed for palynomorphs and foraminifera. Palynomorphs were recovered in all except one sample consisting of 178 entities. Foraminifera assemblages of low diversity were recovered in 17 of the 28 samples. The analysis provides some insight into the vegetation, climate, and depositional history allowing comparisons with other Late Pleistocene to Holocene studies in the northern South America region. The Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene transition is marked by an unconformity, where the vegetation changes from a diverse flora of Mauritia flexuosa, grasses (Poaceae), ferns, and mangroves (Rhizophora, Avicennia) to one dominated by Rhizophora around 10,000 years BP. This transition also contains reworked palynomorphs and abundant black wood (inertinite), indicative of erosion and oxidation. The absence of foraminifera suggests an exposed continental shelf and lowering of sea level. The Early Holocene mangrove flora is replaced by vegetation dominated by Mauritia flexuosa, with Symphonia globuliflora, grasses, and ferns. The palynological signature for the upper 42 m of the section compares favorably with a previous study of the Holocene in the Orinoco Delta. Radiocarbon dating indicates there is an unconformity or condensed section at the vegetation change, representing as much as 5500 ± years. Foraminifera indicate an open shelf environment immediately above this horizon followed by a significant shallowing to nearshore transitional environments near the top of the section. Local climate and/or human influence may have been a factor in the abundance of Mauritia flexuosa as suggested by other studies.

Huberia DC. is a genus belonging to the family Melastomataceae, which comprises 37 species distributed in vegetation formations of the Amazon Forest and Andes complex and the Atlantic Forest biome. Recent phylogenetic studies have modified the circumscription of the genus to include the genera Behuria Cham. and Dolichoura Brade. Furthermore, the genus was placed in the new tribe Cambessedesieae, together with the genera Cambessedesia DC. and Merianthera Kuhlm. In view of the relevant contribution of palynology to taxonomic and phylogenetic studies, this study aimed to expand the palynological knowledge of Huberia. Samples from 22 species were obtained from specimens deposited in the herbaria of the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden (RB), National Museum/UFRJ (R), Municipal Botanical Museum of Curitiba (MBM), and Federal University of Paraná (UPCB). Flower buds were acetolysed and used to prepare pollen sediment slides. Slides were mounted with glycerinated gelatin and analyzed and photographed under a light microscope. The results showed pollen grains in monads, small, varying in shape from prolate-spheroidal to subprolate; heteroaperturate (colporate and pseudocolpate), tricolporate, with a small, very small, or non-existent polar area in syncolporate pollen; colpi long or very long and narrow, endoaperture lalongate with median constriction in most species and lolongate in others; exine perforate, rugulate, or striate microreticulate and the sexine thicker than the nexine. Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that palynological characters provide information for the taxonomy of the group.

Passifloreae is the largest tribe of the family Passifloraceae sensu stricto. Within the tribe, palynological studies are mostly restricted to the largest genus, Passiflora, given its large number of species, ca. 500 taxa. Consequently, other genera within the tribe are frequently underexplored, particularly in terms of pollen characters. Given the importance of pollen morphology for the taxonomic classification of Passifloraceae s.s., it is necessary to describe the pollen characters of Basananthe Peyr., Deidamia Noronha ex Thouars, and Efulensia C.H.Wright. The characters analyzed here include dispersion unit, polarity, size, shape, aperture number, aperture type, operculum type, and sexine ornamentation. Subsequently, 10 metric variables were subjected to principal component analysis. The results show that the studied genera could be easily distinguished based on pollen characters, confirming the importance of palynology. The pollen of all studied species, regardless of the genus, had the same aperture number and type, namely 3-colporate. Sexine ornamentation ranged from microreticulate to reticulate, without spines. Here, pollen characters of Basananthe, Deidamia, and Efulensia are compared with those of closely related genera and Passiflora, contributing to a more comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the group. The results confirm the importance of analyzing pollen attributes for the taxonomy of Passiflora s.s.

In this study, we report the current palynological characteristics of Iberis taxa naturally distributed in Turkey. The pollen morphology of 10 native Iberis taxa was investigated across 35 populations. In the light of our taxonomic review of Turkish Iberis taxa, a detailed palynological description is provided for the genus. The palynological characteristics of Iberis taxa were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy (LM) to confirm their diagnostic importance at a specific and/ or generic level. We evaluated different characteristics including polar axis, equatorial axis, colpus length and width, amb diameter, apocolpium, exine structure, and sculpture. Pollen characteristics were measured on 30 pollen grains from each specimen under LM. Details of the exine sculpture were also analyzed under SEM. Generally, the pollen grains of the genus Iberis are small to medium sized, radially symmetrical, isopolar, spheroidal, almost tricolpate, and rarely syncolpate or tetracolpate. The exine sculpture is reticulate, and the structure is semitectate. Two pollen types for the genus were identified based on the colpus surface feature: Iberis type I (with non-ornamented colpus surface) and Iberis type II (with ornamented colpus surface). Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were performed to reveal patterns and groupings within the related taxa concerning pollen morphology. It was found that pollen size may provide a limited but valuable metric for distinguishing Iberis species. However, due to the wide variation in some populations, it would be useful to have palynological data alongside chromosomal, molecular and macro-micromorphological data to resolve the complexity in the taxonomy of the genus.

The genus Xylocopa Latreille, 1802 (Apidae: Xylocopini) Latreille includes efficient pollinating bees that visit a wide range of botanical species. Although several studies have investigated their interactions with plants in dune ecosystems, there is still a limited understanding of these bee communities in coastal environments. This study aimed to characterize the larval diet of Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) cearensis Ducke, 1910 by analyzing pollen from their nests to assess the presence of specialization or generalization in relation to botanical species. The research was carried out in coastal sandbanks of the Delta do Parnaíba Environmental Protection Area, Tutóia, Maranhão-BR, over a 12-month period. The natural nests were inventoried by active searches and, when possible, transported to the Federal University of Maranhão. Pollen samples were collected from 19 brood cells of 12 nests in total. All the nests were found on branches of Anacardium occidentale L. Using the acetolysis method, 21 types of pollen were recognized, representing 14 botanical families. Three of those types of pollen were considered to be Frequent pollen, Mouriri cearensis Huber (35.44%), Chamaecrista ramosa (Vogel) H. S. Irwin & Barneby (32.80%) and Myrcia multiflora (Lam.) DC (27.05%). Based on these results, X. cearensis can be characterized as a polylectic species that demonstrates adaptability. These floral resources serve as essential protein sources for the nutrition of their brood, highlighting the importance of these plant species in supporting their reproductive success. This study provides useful information that can serve as a reference for future research on other Xylocopa species in similar ecosystems.

The results of a palynological study of the middle Eocene-lowermost Oligocene strata of the Shagap and Landzhar outcrop sections (southern Armenia) are presented. A series of stratigraphically important dinoflagellate cyst events were recognized in the uppermost Lutetian-lowermost Rupelian parts of the sections, including the lowermost occurrences of the key-species Rhombodinium draco, Schematophora speciosa, Hemiplacophora semilunifera, Hapsocysta kysingensis, Thalassiphora? cf. rota, Rhombodinium porosum, Glaphyrocysta semitecta, Reticulatosphaera actinocoronata, Stoveracysta ornatagroup and Wetzeliella gochtii. Based on the first-order calibrations with calcareous nannoplankton and foraminifers, R. draco first occurs at the Lutetian-Bartonian transition, while the lowermost occurrence of R. actinocoronata is very close to the Bartonian-Priabonian boundary. The analysis of the ratios of palynogroups and dinoflagellate eco-groups permits to interpret the environmental conditions during the accumulation of regional formations: (1) a major marine transgression started at the beginning of the Lutetian and the gradual deepening of the marine basin occurred during the middle-late Lutetian (Arpa Formation); (2) the marine transgression, accompanied by deepening, continued during the early Bartonian, but towards the end of the Bartonian slightly shallower depositional conditions were established (Azatek Formation); (3) the sea continued to gradually become shallower during the Priabonian (Urtsadzor Formation) and, finally, the maximum of regression was observed at the Eocene-Oligocene transition, ending with the establishment of brackish environments at the beginning of Rupelian (Shagap Formation).