Introduction to Forensic Palynology
on the forensic utility of pollen,
and on the identification of pollen using the
Reference Collection for Central Europe and the Mediterranean
DSV – Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Department of Life Sciences
Campus Unimore, via Campi LABS
Microscopy labs: https://www.dsv.unimore.it/it/node/199
Chemical lab: https://www.dsv.unimore.it/it/node/198
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
09 - 13 June 2025
Monday, 09 June
14:30 – 15:00 Opening, presentation of the course
15:00 – 16:00 Palynology: History of a botanical science (history, forensic palynology in Italy)
16:00 – 18:00 Applied palynology, part 1: Aims and Applications; part 2: Forensic Palynology
Tuesday, 10 June
09:30 – 12:30 Pollen morphology: Erdtman's parameters, observation of poles slides on morphological features (without cytoplasm)
14:30 – 18:00 Chemical lab: Pollen extraction from mosses; preparation of slides
Wednesday, 11 June
09:30 – 12:30 Pollen morphology and pollination, part 1: What is the pollen, and its evolution; part 2: Interpretation
14:30 – 18:00 Practical activity: Visit to the Reference Pollen Collection; microscope observation of pollen slides on evolution (without cytoplasm)
Thursday, 12 June
09:30 – 12:30 Pollen sampling, part 1: Aerobiological traps; part 2: Extraction from sediments
14:30 – 18:00 Practical activity: use of stereomicroscope for pollen extraction from anthers; artificial spore traps; microscope observation of aerobiological
pollen (with cytoplasm)
Friday, 13 June
09:30 – 12:30 Practical activity: Pollen analysis (mixed slides); conclusive remarks
Registration: annamaria.mercuri@unimore.it, assunta.florenzano@unimore.it
Natural Traces - Project 101120165 https://naturaltraces.com
