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The efforts of Latin America’s pioneers in phytolith studies have led to groundbreaking discoveries and inspired a growing community of scientists. Their research has yielded profound insights into various environmental dynamics and human societies from the region. Today, they share their experience and advice for the next generation of researchers. Margarita Osterrieth PhD in Natural […]

Laboratory Introduction: Established in the 1990s, the Phytolith Laboratory is China’s pioneering facility dedicated to phytolith research, equipped with advanced instruments for analysing pollen, phytoliths, calcium oxalate crystals, and starch grains. It houses an extensive collection of modern and fossil specimens and utilises sophisticated software for bio-fossil data processing, image analysis, paleoenvironmental quantification, and time […]

After an informal survey questionnaire with colleagues from South American countries such as Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay, we obtained some data that allows us to gain an understanding of the leading phytolith researchers and laboratories across the region as well as key locations where phytolith research is conducted. Statistics presented in this report […]

As highlighted on the previous post, the growing Brazilian phytolith community accounts with a great web of scientists. Here, we compile a brief description of Brazil’s leading phytolith researchers and their activities. Giliane Gessica Rasbold, Post-Doctoral Scholar at Dept. of Earth & Environmental Sciences – University of Kentucky Lexintong, Kentucky, United States of America Rasbold, […]

The taxomonic differentiation of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) and foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is of high relevance for archaeology and archaeobotany. The analysis of phytoliths from P. miliaceum and S. italica heavily relies on the morphology of those produced by inflorescence bracts, while other plant parts remain less explored. This study offers a meticulous examination […]

Professor Dongmei Jie, who works at Northeast Normal University in China, first read a paper related to phytolith analysis in 2005, which kindled a strong interest in pursuing phytolith research. Over the next five years, she read and collected many relevant papers, and traveled to Beijing to personally consult with Professor Houyuan Lu, the pioneer […]

Brazil is South America’s biggest country, covering nearly half of the continent’s landmass. Home to over 20% of Earth’s biodiversity, the country encompasses a vast array of landscapes and environments, including tropical and subtropical domains, wetlands, great plateaus, and low hill ranges. The territory is divided into six biomes: Amazon Forest, Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, […]

The aims of our studies using phytolith analysis are four-fold: 1. Archaeological and cultural aspects To determine how and when prehistoric agriculture emerged and spread in southeastern China and its relationship to environmental changes. Located on the southeast coast of China, Fujian is a critical junction for the spread and migration of agriculture and populations […]

Over two thousand years ago, the French naturalist Saint’ Hilaire said: “soit le Brésil finit avec la fourmi [saúva], soit la fourmi finit avec le Brésil” [Either Brazil ends the ants [leaf-cutter] or the ant ends Brazil], dramatically illustrating the profound impact that a single biological element can have on the balance and sustainability of an […]