Forensic Palynology: Variation in the Pollen Content of Soil Surface Samples

Abstract

Surface soil samples from several localized areas were analyzed for pollen and compared using an ordination analysis. The aim was to objectively establish the forensic value of using soil samples to link people or objects to crime scenes. This was done by determining the degree to which pollen assemblages of surface soil samples from within the same localized area differ, and the degree to which the pollen assemblage of a surface soil sample from within a localized area differs from distant localized areas of similar vegetation type. Samples from within the same localized area (the control site) showed a high degree of similarity, suggesting that pollen assemblages of surface soil samples from within a localized area are homogeneous. Results also showed that localized areas of similar vegetation type, even within the same geographic region, have significantly different pollen assemblages.

The Representativeness of Olea Pollen from Olive Groves and the Late Holocene Landscape Reconstruction in Central Mediterranean

“…One of the IN samples was picked up according to the method of sampling "by pinches" (e.g., used in forensic palynology; Horrocks et al, 1998;Bryant and Jones, 2006): soil sub-samples were taken from several points over a c. 1 m 2 area, mixed, and put into a single small plastic bag per sample. Since the pollination of different cultivated crops occurs at different periods, normally between April and June in the western and central Mediterranean (Fornaciari et al, 2000;Osborne et al, 2000), the samples were collected in the spring or summer seasons, i.e., immediately before (early April) or after (July) the blooming periods of the olive trees.…”

Forensic palynology: Why do it and how it works

“…Many have given advice on the collection of forensic palynological samples [5,[9][10][11][12][13], on how to interpret variations in pollen distribution in soil [14][15][16][17], on how various materials, including clothing, retain pollen [18][19][20], on assessing the value of the palynological evidence [21,22], and even on determining when the murder occurred [8]. A number of case histories have now been published [23][24][25] demonstrating the various ways in which forensic palynology can be used towards establishing the truth behind a criminal or civil action, only some of which are given in the references.…”

The philosophy, nature and practice of forensic sediment analysis

“…Figure 1 Publications concerning forensic analysis of the constituents of soils: the recent years. Jones 1941, Dudley 1975, Janssen et al 1983, Sugita and Marumo 1996, Junger 1996Mineralogy Marumo, Nagatsuka and Oba 1988, Graves 1979 Thornton and McLaren 1975Pollen Bruce and Dettmann 1996, Bryant 1990, Bryant, Jones and Mildenhall 1990, Bryant and Mildenhall 1998, Eyring 1996, Horrocks, Coulson and Walsh 1998,1999,1999, Horrocks 2004, Mildenhall 1988, Mildenhall and Milne 2000,Milne 1997 Wanogho et al 1985 Mineralogy, particle size, and biological factors such as plant fragments, diatoms and pollen. Hunter et al 2001 Combined Sand, soil, building and road materials vegetal fragments, paint and fibres Lombardi 1999 …”