Blog
News, research highlights and updates from
the International Phytolith Society.
Australian phytolith research at the Southern Cross University (1996–2014) – Molly Turnbull
Previous web articles by the IPS Student Envoy for Australia/Aotearoa New Zealand have explored the origins of phytolith research in the region, beginning with CSIRO: https://phytoliths.org/the-first-formal-australian-institution-of-phytolith-research-csiro-the-commonwealth-scientific-and-industrial-research-organisation-1948-1969/). In this new web […]
Nearly 40 years of phytolith research at the Australian National University
Molly Turnbull – IPS Student Envoy for Australia & Aotearoa (New Zealand) My first blog post explored Australia’s first formal phytolith research group at CSIRO: the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial […]
Tracing Vegetation & Climate Through Soil Silica: Phytolith Assemblages Across the Nilgiris
Understanding how vegetation responds to climate change begins with knowing how today’s ecosystems imprint themselves in the soil. In the Nilgiri Biogeographical Region of the Western Ghats a global biodiversity […]
15th International Meeting on Phytolith Research (IMPR) / III Brazilian Symposium of Archaeobotany
FIRST CIRCULAR The International Phytolith Society and the Brazilian Archaeobotany Network, together with the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at the University of São Paulo, are glad to welcome you […]
Detecting ‘flavour’ in past cuisines: phytolith reference collections for Mediterranean herbs.
An article by Carlos G. Santiago-Marrero, Cristina N. Patús, Costanza Dal Cin d’Agata, Teresa Garnatje and Juan José García-Granero Herb use in the Mediterranean Antiquity Herbs, aromatic plants belonging to […]
Phytoliths as Silent Witnesses of Ancient Fires: Decoding Palaeo-Fire Signatures
An experimental study by Nidhi Vastrad, Gayathri Rajendiran, Vivek Pandi Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences, Centre of Excellence, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, Karnataka, India Fire has […]
Unraveling the History of Siberia’s Landscapes: Research from the Siberian Branch of RAS
Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry (Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SBRAS) is one of the centers for studying the history of Western Siberian landscapes. The biogeocenology laboratory […]
The first formal Australian institution of phytolith research: CSIRO – the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (1948-1969)
The first Australian publication on plant silica particles arrived in 1903 (Chapman & Grayson), after which early phytolith research efforts took place in the niches of biological and earth sciences […]
Using phytolith analysis to assist with soil classification: A report on the 16th Brazilian Meeting on Soil Classification and Correlation – Marcia R Calegari
The LEDA Laboratory, led by Marcia Calegari, provides paleoecological information that contributes to understanding soil genesis and classification in the semi-arid Caatinga biome (Brazil). BAHIA, BRAZIL – From October 26th […]
Discovering a Global Phytolith Community: My First IMPR Experience in Barcelona
A Week in the Heart of Phytolith Research The 14th International Meeting on Phytolith Research (IMPR), held from 14–19 July 2025 in Barcelona, Spain, marked a major milestone in my […]
14th International Meeting on Phytolith Research – July 14-19, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain
Final Programme of Activities is Now Released ! The programme schedule of activities that will take place between the 14th and the 19th July 2025, as well as instructions for […]
Unlocking the Past with Phytoliths: “Janelas do Passado” Comic Bridges Science and Society!
Phytoliths Unlock the Past: “Janelas do Passado” Graphic Novel Makes Science Accessible A groundbreaking science communication project is transforming how we share paleoecological research. “Janelas do Passado” (Windows to the […]