Changes

[[file:applied-paleontology_fig17-10.png|thumb|300px|{{figure number|2}}Typical spores and pollen.]]

[[file:applied-paleontology_fig17-10.png|thumb|300px|{{figure number|2}}Typical spores and pollen.]]

Spores and pollen are parts of the reproductive cycle of plants and range in age from Late Ordovician and Carboniferous, respectively, to Holocene. Although land derived, the grains can be carried by wind and water currents into marine and nonmarine (particularly lacustrine and fluviatile) environments. The type and relative abundance of spores and pollen provide useful paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic information, and they are widely used for basinal and regional stratigraphic correlation. Spores and pollen are also very useful in estimating thermal maturity, especially at temperature levels associated with hydrocarbon generation (see “Thermal Maturity”).

Spores and pollen are parts of the reproductive cycle of plants and range in age from Late Ordovician and Carboniferous, respectively, to Holocene. Although land derived, the grains can be carried by wind and water currents into marine and nonmarine (particularly lacustrine and fluviatile) environments. The type and relative abundance of spores and pollen provide useful paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic information, and they are widely used for basinal and regional stratigraphic correlation. Spores and pollen are also very useful in estimating thermal maturity, especially at temperature levels associated with [[Petroleum generation|hydrocarbon generation]] (see “Thermal Maturity”).

[[:file:applied-paleontology_fig17-10.png|Figure 2]] shows some typical spores and pollen. The first, second, and last drawings are pollen; the third is fungal (spore); and the fourth is fern (spore).

[[:file:applied-paleontology_fig17-10.png|Figure 2]] shows some typical spores and pollen. The first, second, and last drawings are pollen; the third is fungal (spore); and the fourth is fern (spore).