Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Diatoms: unicellular organisms that are sensitive
to changes in water quality, such as pH and
salinity, thus providing insights into the effects
of changing climate and land-use.
Fungal spores: past changes in herbivore abun-
dance can be studied using the spores from
fungi which grow exclusively on herbivore dung.
Palynology: the use of fossil pollen to investigate
changes past plant communities.
Phytoliths: siliceous plant remains that can
provide indications of vegetation change. They
are particularly useful in dry environments where
sediment sequences are scarce and pollen
preservation is poor.
Stable isotopes: the abundance of heavy iso-
topes of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen can indi-
cate changes in vegetation community, nutrient
availability, and climate.
 
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