Non-Pollen Palynomorphs in Palaeoecological Studies
Summary
Non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) encompass a diverse array of microscopic organic remains preserved in sedimentary archives, including fungal spores and hyphae, freshwater and marine algae, testate amoebae, microfaunal eggs, and plant-protective structures. Unlike pollen, which primarily reflects regional vegetation, NPPs often convey information on local ecological conditions, hydrological regimes, fire history, soil stability and herbivore activity. Over the past five decades, methodological advances in sample processing and imaging, combined with multiproxy frameworks integrating charcoal, geochemical proxies and sedimentary DNA, have elevated NPPs from niche curiosities to central indicators of ecosystem change. Their applications range from reconstructing herbivore population dynamics via coprophilous fungal spores to charting past fire regimes through charred algal remains and to inferring shifts in moisture availability from aquatic protozoan assemblages. Recent work has underscored the capability of NPP spectra to resolve subdecadal environmental fluctuations, providing essential context for conservation in sensitive landscapes and for understanding the ecological consequences of megafaunal extinctions, land-use intensification and climate-driven habitat shifts.
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Non-Pollen Palynomorphs in Palaeoecological Studies publication trend
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Technical terms
Non-Pollen Palynomorphs (NPPs): Microscopic organic remains other than pollen and spores, including algae, fungal structures, testate amoebae and microfaunal fragments, used as proxies for local palaeoenvironmental conditions.
Coprophilous fungal spores: Spores produced by dung-inhabiting fungi that serve as indicators of herbivore presence and intensity in palaeoecological records.
Sporormiella: A genus of coprophilous fungi whose spores are widely used as a proxy for large herbivore abundance and distribution in sedimentary archives.
Sedimentary ancient DNA (SedaDNA): Fragmented DNA preserved in sediments that can be targeted to identify non-pollen palynomorph taxa and improve taxonomic resolution in palaeoecological reconstructions.
References
- On the Use of Spores of Coprophilous Fungi Preserved in Sediments to Indicate Past Herbivore Presence. Quaternary (2022).
- The timing and ecological consequences of Pleistocene megafaunal decline in the eastern Andes of Colombia. Quaternary Research (2023).
- Insights into past land-use and vegetation change in the Llanos de Moxos (Bolivia) using fungal non-pollen palynomorphs. Journal of Archaeological Science (2021).
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