Current Trends in Forensic Palynology

Abstract

Forensic Palynology is the study of natural organic matter to establish a chronological or environmental history. It is often used in palynology (palynology being the study of pollen and spores) to reconstruct past climate and vegetation changes. If the stratigraphic setting is known, the deposition date can be determined by organic matter in the sediment. The primary factors which dictate the abundance of organic matter are changes in climate and vegetation. Modern forensic palynology has made considerable advances in examining environmental samples, with many studies now showing that the "structure of pollen grains, in particular, provides an indicator of a sample's environmental and occupational history." It, therefore, provides "a way of finding out what happened before and during an environmental exposure." The field of forensic palynology concerned with the study and application of plant and soil organic and biotic evidence objectively and scientifically in order to provide evidence of environmental and occupational processes and conditions".