Applications of palynology:
Biostratigraphy & geochronology:
Geologists use palynological studies in biostratigraphy to correlate strata & determine the relative age of given bed or stratigraphic sequences.
Paleoecology & climate change:
Reconstructing past vegetation & marine, freshwater phytoplankton to no communities. Determining paleoclimate condition
Organic palynofacies study:
It examines the preservation of the particular organic matter and polymorphs that provide the depositional environment and paleo-environment of sedimentary rocks.
Geothermal alteration study:
Through this study, the color of palynomorphs extracted from rocks gives rise to the thermal alternation of sedimentary sequence that provides estimates of maximum paleotemperature.
Forensic palynology:
The study of pollen and other palynomorphs for evidence of a crime.
Relation of palynology to the reconstruction of past climate:
- The greatest accumulation of both terrestrial and seaborne palynodebris is recorded as a transitional zone between land and sea.
- Humic matter may constitute a substantial percentage of organic matter continental and near-shore environments such as deltaic or estuarine.
- High energy distributary channel sands and point bars contain little organic matter and that mostly belongs to fusinite and semi-fusinite.
- Fine-grained sediments, such as shale, siltstone, mudstone, and argillaceous carbonates can be expected to contain large quantities of organic matter, provided they were deposited in anoxic conditions.
- Restricted and low energy conditions are indicated by palynofacies, which are dominated by amorphous matter.
- Non-marine amorphous matter tends to be more fibrous, membranous or spongy than that of marine origin, which is usually granular or flaky
- Grey to dark brown colored, generally less transparent amorphous matter indicates reducing conditions of the environment.
- Amorphous material comprising grounded mass of bacteria and remains of bacteria, when enclosing crystal of pyrites, pyritized wood, is indicative of low energy reducing depositional environment,
- Fusinite/ semi fusinite, although are considered inert with respect to hydrocarbon source material, its presence or absence in sediments is significant with regard to the environment. Some of such inertinite material could be a product of forest fire. The category is abundant in stream and lacustrine deposits and of frequent occurrence in tidal zones
- Fungal (sclerotinite) spores and hyphae are major agents of biodegradation. Their abundance in palyno debris assemblage is suggestive of a restricted environment with a humid warm climate.
- Resins are abundant in some sediments, particularly those emanating from the delta plain environment.
