[Anthropology] Palynology
Palynology is the scientific study of spores and pollen. Plants produce microscopic grains of pollen that are dispersed by insects, birds, and the wind. Pollen often accumulates in lakes, ponds, and peat bogs. Palynologists collect samples of sediment from the bottom of water bodies and bogs in a sampling tube, and they take the sample to the laboratory where they wash away the dirt in search of pollen. Using a microscope, palynologists inspect remains. Pollen grains come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Palynologists compare prehistoric pollen with modern examples to determine what plants, especially trees, were once present in a region. Changes in the type and abundance of pollen in an area over time provide evidence of changes in a climate or the efforts of humans to change a landscape. For example, a decrease in tree pollen and an increase in the pollen of corn, weeds, and other light-loving species may mark the beginning of forest clearing and cultivation.