The morphology of 75 different pollen grains from 67 species of genus Solanum L., two species of genus Cyphomandra Sendt., and six species of genus Lycianthes (Dunal) Hassl. was studied using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Among them, the pollen of 66 species is described for the first time. Our results suggest that the sexine ornamention of Solanum, Cyphomandra and Lycianthes is extremely similar, but the apertures of genus Solanum and Cyphomandra are not syncolpate while those of genus Lycianthes are syncolpate. Overall, we argued that the Solanum species studied demonstrated sufficient pollinic heterogeneity in their shapes, aperture feature and sexine ornamentation to enable their palynological characterisation and support the point of view that the genus Cyphomandra should be merged into Solanum, but Lycianthes should be an independent genus from the aspect of palynology.

A detailed assessment of Poaceae pollen morphology was performed using light and scanning electron microscopy (LM and SEM, respectively), digital image processing and multivariate data analysis of species from the montane savanna (canga vegetation) of the Serra dos Carajas region in the southeastern Amazon to discriminate the lower taxonomic levels and, accordingly, the habitat types of Poaceae. Poaceae pollen are generally stenopalynous monoporate grains with annulate and operculate pores, and distinguishing species by ornamentation using LM is impossible. Under SEM, Poaceae have mainly areolate microechinate/ granulose ornamentation, except for Eragrostis maypurensis (rugulate-microechinate), Andropogon bicornis, Trichanthecium parvifolium and T. polycomum (rugulate granulose), and Rhytachne gonzalezii (microechinate). Digital image processing of ornamentation under SEM coupled with multivariate data analysis allowed for differentiation between the E. maypurensis, R. gonzalezii, A. capillaris, Otachyrium versicolor, Paspalum carinatum and T. polycomum. Distinguishing species of the wet savanna, such as Isachne polygonoides, R. gonzalezii, O. versicolor, P. virgatum, and T. polycomum, from species of the dry savanna can improve paleoecological and paleoclimatic interpretations.

Transitions between forest and savannah vegetation types in fossil pollen records are often poorly understood due to over-production by taxa such as Poaceae and a lack of modern pollen-vegetation studies. Here, modern pollen assemblages from within a forest-savannah transition in West Africa are presented and compared, their characteristic taxa discussed, and implications for the fossil record considered. Fifteen artificial pollen traps were deployed for 1 year, to collect pollen rain from three vegetation plots within the forest-savannah transition in Ghana. High percentages of Poaceae and Melastomataceae/Combretaceae were recorded in all three plots. Erythrophleum suaveolens characterised the forest plot, Manilkara obovata the transition plot and Terminalia the savannah plot. The results indicate that Poaceae pollen influx rates provide the best representation of the forest-savannah gradient, and that a Poaceae abundance of >40% should be considered as indicative of savannah-type vegetation in the fossil record.

The morphology and size variability of pollen grains of Cedrus atlantica were investigated using a novel approach employing laser diffraction granulometry. We provide new insights into size variability and present high-quality light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imagery of Cedrus atlantica pollen. Grains have an average size of 59.1 ± 4.0 µm, measured on millions of grains from 91 samples. Analysis showed there is high variability of grain size within individual samples, although variability between samples is not significant. We found no significant relationships between grain size and climate (including temperature, precipitation and aridity), and suggest that grain size of fossil Cedrus pollen would not be a good proxy for climate reconstruction. Grain size may be influenced by a number of complex factors such as genome size or adaptations to support wind pollination, while variability within individual samples may result from the irregular development of pollen. The laser diffraction method produced repeatable, robust measurements on millions of pollen grains which are highly correlated with measurements taken using LM (r = 0.91, p = 0.002). Where grain size information is crucial for pollen identification, for developing isolation techniques for geochemical analysis, for investigating climatic and environmental influence, or for investigating links between genomes and grain size, particle size analysis by laser diffraction provides a reproducible and robust method for quickly determining pollen grain size on many samples.

It is essential that palynologists adequately and effectively illustrate the specimens they study. The best way to do this for formal publication is to prepare ‘plates’ (montages) of photomicrographs. This now somewhat arcane term originated as a reference to the use of copper/steel and then glass plates in prefilm photography. In order to maximise visual impact and information, plates of palynomorphs should be prepared with utmost care. If assembled so that, for example, the images are arranged neatly with consistent orientations, and depict the best preserved and most representative specimens available with minimum extraneous palynodebris, the plate will have enhanced aesthetic appeal and, crucially, the scientific significance of the association being illustrated will be greatly enhanced. Specifically, the material will be effective as an identification guide, and facilitate further interpretations. Plates today are assembled digitally; accordingly, the user must have access to suitable software, and be able to use it effectively.

Palyno-biostratigraphical studies of upper Albian-Lower Cenomanian successions from East Greenland, the south-western Barents Sea and south-eastern England have revealed new dinoflagellate cyst taxa of clear or questioned ovoidinioid affinities. This paper describes the new genus Sindridinium, four new species – Ovoidinium epelidosphaeroides sp. nov., Epelidosphaeridia manifesta sp. nov., Sindridinium borealis gen. et sp. nov. and Sindridinium anaanae gen. et sp. nov. – and proposes a new combination, Sindridinium? torulosa comb. nov. (formerly Canningia torulosa). The genus Epelidosphaeridia is emended based on features seen in E. manifesta sp. nov., which demonstrate peridiniacean affinities and support inclusion in the Ovoidinioideae. Morphological gradations between Epelidosphaeridia spinosa, E. manifesta sp. nov. and Ovoidinium epelidosphaeroides sp. nov., suggest close phylogenetic relationships, also postulated between Sindridinium? torulosa comb. nov., S. borealis gen. et sp. nov. and S. anaanae gen. et sp. nov. The stratigraphic ranges of the taxa described are calibrated to known dinoflagellate markers and mid-Cretaceous ammonites.

Pollen loads collected by Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides were examined in order to detect the botanical origin of pollen and to recognise the pollination action of these bees in an urban Atlantic secondary forest. Pollen analysis followed standard methodology and without the use of acetolysis. The results revealed a great contribution of monofloral (more than 90% of a single pollen type or more than 60% if no accessory pollen was present). Quantitatively, Myrtaceae pollen samples followed Melastomataceae ones. Bifloral or heterofloral samples combine several pollen types. Besides Myrcia and Eucalyptus, the most frequent pollen types were Solanum, Mimosa caesalpiniifolia and Alchornea. The current study was related to the apiaries' surrounding vegetation and reflected both the resources available and the preference for native plant species by the bees. Furthermore, these results are relevant to the management of primary and secondary forests in order to preserve the environments.

Whether honeybees utilise oilseed rape (Brassica napus), and thus come into contact with neonicotinoid pesticides, has been questioned in the UK. Here we report the melissopalynology of honey samples taken from hives in the northeast of the UK from 2014 to 2015. The results show that Brassica pollen is predominant in honey extractions from June, following the mass bloom of oilseed rape. Honey extractions from July and September show more diverse sources of nectar from entomophilous crops, weeds and garden plants. Our results clearly show that honeybees will extensively utilise oilseed rape mass blooms in spring, and any change in the current European Union moratorium on neonicotinoids should be carefully considered. We also confirm the importance of gardens (when planted with ‘beefriendly flowers’) in sustaining pollinators within suburban to rural environments.

Palaeoclimatic information is still sparse for South-east Asia, despite the fact that this region contains numerous lakes and wetlands that may hold potential sedimentary archives. Pollen analysis of sediment samples from a 100-cm-deep sedimentary core from Loktak Lake, the biggest freshwater lake in Manipur state, north-east India, has provided insight into the changing vegetation and climate of the region during the Late Holocene. The palyno-investigation has revealed that between 2330 and 1460 cal yr BP (LL-I zone), an open vegetation consisting mostly of grasses and heathland taxa, namely Xanthium, Artemisia, Asteraceae and Amaranthaceae, with scattered tree elements, viz. Fabaceae, Terminalia, Schleichera, Syzygium, Elaeocarpus, Meliaceae and Sapotaceae, existed near the lake under a warm and relatively dry climate. Between 1460 and 560 cal yr BP (LL-II zone), the consolidation of core forest constituents was noticed, with relative enhancement of major arboreal taxa along with marshy and aquatic taxa such as Cyperaceae, Polygonum and Lemna during 1460 to 1150 cal yr BP (LL-IIa subzone), indicating a humid climate attributable to a strong south-west monsoon. Evidence of agricultural practices showed the presence of cereal and other cultural pollen taxa. Later, a more humid climate persisted during the period 1150 to 560 cal yr BP (LL-IIb subzone) as indicated by an exceptional increase in a major arboreal group (Syzygium-Schleichera-Lagerstroemia-Dipterocarpaceae-Moraceae), suggesting the consolidation of vegetation around the lake under warm and increasingly humid climate conditions, and this occurs during the Medieval Warm Period (MWP). From 560 cal yr BP to the present (LL-III zone), a rise in cereal and heathland taxa indicates a relatively less humid climate; reduction in south-west monsoon precipitation is invoked to explain this which is supported by a steep fall in woodland, consistent with an anthropogenic influence.

Climate during the Early Cretaceous in tropical South America has often been reconstructed as arid. However, some areas seem to have been humid. We reconstructed the floristic composition of two tropical stratigraphic successions in Peru using quantitative palynology (rarefied species richness and abundance), and used the abundance of aridity vs. humidity indicator species to infer the predominant climate conditions of this region. The Berriasian to Hauterivian La Merced succession was dominated by fern spores and was predominantly humid. The Albian Aguas Frias succession yielded rich palynofloras, with 127 species, and also indicates predominantly humid conditions. These results support the hypothesis that the west margin of South America was humid during the Early Cretaceous, thus improving the tropical climate reconstructions during the Cretaceous severe global warming episodes.