Pollen analysis, or palynology, is the study of fossil pollen (and to a lesser degree, plant spores) preserved in lake sediments, bog peat, or other matrices. Usually, the goal of palynology is to reconstruct the probable character of local plant communities in the historical past, as inferred from the abundance of plant species in dated potions of the pollen record. Palynology is a very important tool for interpreting historical plant communities, and the speed and character of their response to changes in environmental conditions, especially climate change. Pollen analysis is also useful in archaeological and ecological reconstructions of the probable habitats of ancient humans and wild animals, and in determining what they might have eaten. Pollen analysis is also sometimes useful in exploration for resources of fossil fuels.
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