Pollen Identification
Pollen Identification - Related Videos
08:11
Collection and Identification of Pollen from Honey Bee Colonies
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Cited by 8 •
2021
We describe methods for collecting corbicular pollen from honey bees as well as protocols for color sorting, acetolysis, and microscope slide preparation of pollen for taxonomic identification. In addition, we present pellet color and taxonomic diversity of corbicular pollen collected from five cropping systems using pollen traps.
06:34
A Component-resolved Diagnostic Approach for a Study on Grass Pollen Allergens in Chinese Southerners with Allergic Rhinitis and/or Asthma
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Cited by 4 •
2017
This work describes a protocol that uses a component-resolved approach to study sensitization to grass pollen allergens in a cohort of patients from southern China with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma.
14:12
Rodent Identification II
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2015
Source: Kay Stewart, RVT, RLATG, CMAR; Valerie A. Schroeder, RVT, RLATG. University of Notre Dame, IN Animal records must be accurately maintained to ensure that data collection is correct. Records range from maintaining information on cage cards to having a detailed database with all of the relevant information on each animal. The primary component of recordkeeping is the individual identification of research animals. There are a variety of methods suitable for identifying mice and rats. This...
11:09
Rodent Identification I
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2015
Source: Kay Stewart, RVT, RLATG, CMAR; Valerie A. Schroeder, RVT, RLATG. University of Notre Dame, IN A fundamental requirement of biomedical research is the proper identification of research animals. It is essential that the right animal is utilized for procedures and data collection. Laboratory mice and rats can be identified with the following permanent methods: ear tags, ear punch codes, microchip implantation, tail tattoos for adult mice, and toe tattoos for neonates. Temporary methods of...
12:06
Tree Identification: How To Use a Dichotomous Key
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2023
Source: Laboratories of Margaret Workman and Kimberly Frye - Depaul University A dichotomous key is a tool that identifies items in nature, such as leaves. This method is based on the idea of choosing between two characteristics. The word dichotomous comes from two Greek words that mean “to divide into two parts.” In a dichotomous key for leaf identification, each pair of phrases describes different features of the leaf. Only one of the phrases correctly applies to the leaf being keyed out. The...
FAQs
The exine, or resistant outer wall, preserves structural features that vary among pollen grains. Researchers examine its size, shape, apertures, and surface ornamentation as a combined pattern rather than relying on a single trait. These characteristics provide the basis for comparing an unknown grain with reference collections and identification keys, helping distinguish among possible plant sources.
Identification depends on evaluating several complementary traits. Grain size and overall shape provide broad distinctions, while apertures, which are openings in the exine, add further taxonomic information. Surface ornamentation supplies another layer of comparison. Considering these features together improves interpretation because pollen sources may share one characteristic but differ in their overall combination.
Light microscopy and electron microscopy provide complementary views of pollen morphology. Light microscopy supports examination of general grain form and visible structural traits, whereas electron microscopy can assist with closer study of exine surface ornamentation. Selecting between them depends on which characteristics must be compared with reference material or an identification key for the sample.
A typical workflow begins by examining the sample with light or electron microscopy. The researcher records observable traits of the exine, including grain size, shape, apertures, and surface ornamentation. Those observations are then compared with reference collections or identification keys. The final identification links the observed morphological pattern to the most appropriate plant taxon supported by the comparison.
Biologists apply Pollen Identification when they need evidence about plant sources or plant communities. It supports pollination ecology by documenting pollen involved in plant reproduction, plant systematics by contributing morphological evidence for classification, and biodiversity surveys by helping characterize the plants represented in a sample. These uses connect microscopic observations with broader studies of plant diversity.
Pollen preserved in sediment records can help reconstruct past vegetation, allowing researchers to examine changes in plant communities through time. Analysis also has practical uses beyond environmental reconstruction: pollen evidence can contribute to forensic investigations by linking samples to particular plant taxa and can support the study of airborne allergens by identifying their botanical sources.