New methods of investigation in paleopalynology
aInstitute of Geology, Komi Science Center, Ural Branch RAS
Pervomayskaya, 54, Syktyvkar, 167928 Russia
bPitirim Sorokin Syktyvkar State University
Oktyabrsky pr., 55, Syktyvkar, 167928 Russia
cSaint-Petersburg State University
Ulyanovskaya, 1, Saint-Petersburg, 198504 Russia
dSchool of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton,
National Oceanography Centre
Southampton, SO14 3ZH, Great Britain
*e-mail: telnova@geo.komisc.ru
**e-mail: aguacrystals@yandex.ru
***e-mail: jeam@noc.soton.ac.uk
The identification of taxonomic characters of spores in the different phylogenetic lineages of Paleozoic plants provides essential information that enables the reconstructions of the Earth’s ancient plant communities and this should be taken into account in any paleoreconstruction (e.g., climatic, geographical, etc.). In this context, the introduction of new analytical instrumentation into paleopalynological studies and the development of new research methods are of particular importance. Therefore, in addition to the traditional methods of light, scanning electron and transmission microscopy, tomography, atomic force microscopy, as well as scanning electron microscopes (SEM) supplemented with new functionality are used to study paleopalynological objects. Chemosystematic methods, based on the biochemical characteristics of the evolutionary development of organisms, is being developed. These methods are enhanced by synthesizing the data from these chemical and physical research methods.
