Facets of applied palynology at the French Institute of Pondicherry over the last fifty years
Résumé
The Palynology laboratory at the French Institute, Pondicherry (FIP) was established in 1960. Beginning with pollen morphological studies and palaeoenvironmental research, the lab evolved into an interdisciplinary study centre, over the last fifty years. A pollen slide bank of, 15,500 plant species forms the backbone, around which various basic and applied studies have been undertaken. The studies made are resolved under various categories with notes on the salient scientific output. In the area of palaeoenvironment and modern pollen studies, the study of vegetational history of the late Holocene period of Southern India has been a significant contribution. In the area of Mclissopalynology pollen analysis has been used for addressing bee foraging behaviour, choices, influence of weather, and other related issues. An innovative programme for predicting rice yields using pollen production data yielded results in support of farm research and application thereon. The future perception is to interact with other researchers in Asia and also Europe, with emphasis on new methodologies in past vegetational reconstruction and new data model comparison schemes for a better evaluation of human impacts on model predicted vegetation and climate change.