Palynology and Botany

Question 1

What is forensic botany?

Answer 1

Forensic botany is the applied scientific discipline that regards the general study of botanical evidence and includes many sub-disciplines, such as palynology , dendrochronology, limnology (diatoms) amongst others.

Question 2

What are gymnosperms?

Answer 2

Gymnosperms are the oldest seed plants.

Question 3

What are some examples of gymnosperms?

Answer 3

Evergreens are conifer gymnosperms.

Question 4

What kind of seeds are produced by gymnosperms?

Answer 4

They produce their seeds in a hard, scaly structure (cones).

Question 5

How does pollination occur in gymnosperms?

Answer 5

Pollination occurs when pollen is transferred from the
male cones to the female cones.

Question 6

What is an angiosperm?

Answer 6

The most recent plant group to evolve is known as the flowering plant.

Question 7

What are the various parts of an angiosperm?

Answer 7

1. The Petal
2. Sepal
3. Receptacle
4. The Carpal (Stigma, Style, Ovary)
5. Ovule
6. Stamen (Anther and Stamen)

Question 8

How do angiosperm produce seeds?

Answer 8

Plants in this group produce seeds in an enclosed fruit.

Question 9

What are some examples of angiosperms?

Answer 9

These plants are very diverse and include corn, oaks,
maples, and the grasses.

Question 10

What is pollination?

Answer 10

Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part of a plant to the female part of a seed plant.

Question 11

What are the types of pollination?

Answer 11

Self pollination and Cross Pollination

Question 12

What is self pollination?

Answer 12

Self-pollination, in flowering plants, involves transfer of pollen from an anther to the stigma within the same flower, as in pea plants.

Question 13

What is cross-pollination?

Answer 13

Cross-pollination is the process of applying pollen from one flower to the pistils of another flower.

Question 14

How can pollen be carried?

Answer 14

Pollen can be carried by wind, animals, or water.

Question 15

Why is pollen be carried by wind less effective?

Answer 15

Pollen carried by wind may be less effective for determining direct links between individuals and places because of the long distances over which it can be carried.

Question 16

What are some examples of spore producers?

Answer 16

Spore producers include certain protists (algae), plants, fungi, and the bacteria that produce a unique type of spore.

Question 17

Bacterial spores can cause which disease?

Answer 17

Bacterial spores, endospores, can cause diseases such as
anthrax and botulism.

Question 18

How does algae disperse their spores?

Answer 18

Algae disperse spores into water or air.

Question 19

Who, when and where was the first outlined the concept of pollen analysis?

Answer 19

Pollen analysis began in 1916 in Sweden with the concept that was first outlined by Lennart Von Post.

Question 20

When was the earliest known use of pollen analysis?

Answer 20

The earliest known use was in 1959.

Question 21

Why pollen is a good tool for forensics?

Answer 21

• Pollen and spores are microscopic, making them silent witnesses that can provide important clues in forensic investigations.
• They are nearly impossible to eliminate from a crime scene even if they were visible. With approximately 500,000 plant species producing unique pollens or spores, they can provide valuable evidence for identifying the location and timing of a crime.

Question 22

What is forensic palynology?

Answer 22

Forensic palynology is the use of pollen and spores as evidence in forensic investigations. It involves the microscopic analysis of these microscopic plant structures found at crime scenes to identify the type of plant they come from and potentially provide important clues about the location and timing of a crime.

Question 23

What is palynology?

Answer 23

This is the study of fossil and modern ‘palynomorphs’

Question 24

What is a palynomorph?

Answer 24

A palynomorph is defined as a particle made of organic material that measures between 5 and 500 micrometers and is found in sedimentary deposits.

Question 25

What can Forensic Palynology do?

Answer 25

1. Determining the site of a crime: Forensic investigators can determine the geographic region where the plants originated by studying the pollen and spores found at a crime scene, offering significant information about the location of the crime. 2. Identifying the season and time of a crime: The kind and quantity of pollen and spores discovered at a crime scene can reveal information about the season and time of the incident. 3. Suspects and crime scenes: If a suspect has recently visited a certain location, pollen and spores from that location may be found on their clothing or belongings, linking them to the crime scene. 4. Providing evidence in court: Forensic palynology can give tangible evidence that can be produced in court, potentially assisting to achieve a conviction.

Question 26

How does Forensic Palynology work?

Answer 26

Pollen and spores from native plants are used in forensic palynology to pinpoint the location of someone or something.

Question 27

What is the characteristics of morphology of pollen and spores?

Answer 27

They are: 1. Size 2. Shape 3. Wall Pattern 4. Wall Thickness 5. Apertures

Question 28

What equipment can be used in forensic palynology?

Answer 28

Equipment like Scanning Electron Microscope are used for their accuracy and clarity at such small scales but most light microscopes because of lack of funding or access.

Question 29

What are some databases used for pollen grains?

Answer 29

Global Pollen Database and European Pollen databases

Question 30

How can soil assist in comparing forensic palynology?

Answer 30

Forensic palynology can compare two soil samples to see if they came from the same spot, which can help identify the scene of a crime or connect a suspect to a specific location.

Question 31

Why use forensic palynology?

Answer 31

Pollen and spores are abundant, easy transferable, reliable and very durable( they last millions of year). Because of their small size they can be trapped in fibres, soil, skin or even mucus membrane.

Question 32

How does durablity help pollen and spores as evidence?

Answer 32

Their durability means they can leave a vegetative history in the soil. This history is unique to each area which makes it easy to identify.

Question 33

The limitations of forensic palynology?

Answer 33

This disciple is labour intensive, expensive and require certain rare level of expertise.

Question 34

What are some techniques used in forensic palynology?

Answer 34

* Gene mapping * Light microscope & scanning electron microscope, * Acetolysis (chlorination and acetolysation), * ICP-OES & XRF/XRD * GIS Mapping

Question 35

What is the significance of Gene Mapping?

Answer 35

DNA Analysis (PCR) provide data on the pollen, spore and other microbes for unique ID.

Question 36

What is the significance of LM & SEM?

Answer 36

To identify the various pollen, spore, diatoms and other microbes at the test sites.

Question 37

What is the significance of acetolysis?

Answer 37

Sample clean up and visualisation of pollen and spores.

Question 38

When is Chlorination and Acetoysation used?

Answer 38

This is employed when visualising pollen for microscopic analysis for fossilised sample.

Question 39

When is acetolysation used?

Answer 39

This is employed when visualising pollen for microscopic analysis for clean sample.

Question 40

What is the significance of Grinding soil sample and press pellets or fused beads

Answer 40

XRF/XRD analysis, to improve the density of the analytical zone and reduce background

Question 41

What is the significance of ICP-OES & XRF/XRD?

Answer 41

To acquire the elemental profile of the soil samples (to get a soil map of the various locations).

Question 42

What is the significance of GIS Mapping?

Answer 42

To get the precise location (longitude and latitude) of the of the selected farms and to observe trends and relationships etc. from the data collected

Question 43

What are some common sources of pollen and spore evidence?

Answer 43

1. Living and decaying plant materials. 2. Soil, dirt, mud and dust. 3. Hair, fur, and feathers. 4. Clothing, shoes, blankets, rugs, baskets, carpets and rope 5. Victim skin, hair, nails, nasal passages, lungs, stomach, intestines and fecal material 6. Paper, money and packaging material (newspaper, straw, cardboard, plastic) 7. Vehicles 8. Furniture 9. Aire filters of cars, homes, airplanes 10. Cracks and crevices in floors, walls, roofs and fences 11. Drug resins 12. Honey and other food.

Question 44

How to Collect Pollen and Spores

Answer 44

1. Samples must be collected wearing gloves and with clean tools (such as brushes and cellophane tape) and placed in sterile containers, which then must be sealed and labeled with care. 2. Sampling instruments must be cleaned after each use, or new ones must be used. 3. Collected evidence must be secured, and the chain of custody must be maintained.

Question 45

What is the chlorination process?

Answer 45

1. When added fluid stirred with a glass rod and heated for 3 min. 2. Chlorine appears immediately. 3. Causes bleaching within flow seconds. 4. 3x rinsing in distilled water 5. 1-2x rinsing in conc. acetic acid (dehydration)

Question 46

What is the acetolysation process?

Answer 46

1. A acetoylsis mixture of 9 parts of acetic anhyride and 1 part conc. sulfuric acid. 2. heat for 4 min 3. centrifugation 4. rinsing in acetic acid (dehydration) 5. rinsing in distilled water (minimum 3 times)

Question 47

Analyzing pollen and spore samples?

Answer 47

1. Specialists use compound light microscope, a scanning electronic microscope, reference collections, and dried specimens to identify pollen and spores. 2. Pollen and spore evidence that has been collected, analyzed, and interpreted can be presented in court. 3. These “fingerprints” can be used to confirm certain aspects of a crime.