GSNZ Auckland branch presents the 2022 President's Lecture
Tiny but Mighty – the role of pollen and palynology in the Geosciences
GSNZ President Kat Holt, Massey University
NB this is not a additional lecture but a repeat of the President's main talk.
For the majority of people, experiences with pollen are localised to a particular time of the year, and for those who suffer from hayfever, this is seldom a pleasant time!
In the scientific world, pollen, spores and their study, palynology, might typically be regarded as belonging in the realm of the biologist. Yet, palynology provides an extremely valuable tool in many areas of the geosciences, including but not limited to biostratigraphy, petroleum exploration, and climate and environmental reconstructions.
The goal of this Presidential Lecture is to demonstrate the versatility and value of palynology in the geosciences, particularly here in Aotearoa NZ. I will draw on examples from my own research, as well as that of other NZ palynologists to illustrate the key contributions palynology has made to our understanding of environmental change in Aotearoa-NZ, as well as exploring some exciting new avenues in pollen-based research.
University of Auckland Rm 303-148 (Note this room is on the first floor of the Maths and Physics Building but towards the centre of the science block above the covered courtyard with the bamboo – for those of you who may remember it is in the area of the old Science Library of the 1990s and 2000s)