What Paleopalynology Is and Is Not -- Why One ''Does'' Paleopalynology and Why It Works -- The Natural History of Palynomorphs -- Spores/Pollen Basic Biology -- Spores/Pollen Morphology -- Stratigraphic Palynology-Precambrian, Cambrian, Ordovician -- Cambrian to Silurian Non-Marine Palynology -- Devonian Palynology -- Carboniferous/Permian Palynology to the End of the ''Paleophytic'' -- Permo-Triassic Palynofloras -- Triassic-Jurassic Palynology -- Triassic-Jurassic Megaspores, Dinoflagellates, Other Microplankton -- Jurassic-Cretaceous Palynology: End of the ''Mesophytic.'' Advent and Diversification of Angiosperms. Dynamic Evolution of Dinoflagellates -- Paleogene Palynology -- Neogene Palynology -- Holocene Palynology -- Production, Dispersal, Sedimentation and Taphonomy of Spores/Pollen in Relation to the Interpretation of Palynofloras -- Differential Sorting of Palynomorphs into Sediments: Palynofacies, Palynodebris, Discordant Palynomorphs -- Some Factors Affecting Practical Applications of Paleopalynology.

Paleopalynology, second edition, provides profusely illustrated treatment of fossil palynomorphs, including spores, pollen, dinoflagellate cysts, acritarchs, chitinozoans, scolecodonts, and various microscopic fungal and algal dispersal bodies. The book serves both as a student text and general reference work. Palynomorphs yield information about age, geological and biological environment, climate during deposition, and other significant factors about the enclosing rocks. Extant spores and pollen are treated first, preparing the student for more difficult work with fossil sporomorphs and other kinds of palynomorphs. Recognizing that palynomorphs occur together in rocks because of chemical robustness and stratigraphic distribution, not biological relationship, the central sections are organized stratigraphically. Among many other topics presented are the sedimentation and geothermal alteration of palynomorphs, and palynofacies analysis. An appendix describes laboratory methods. The glossary, bibliographies and index are useful tools for study of the literature.