Symposium conjoint/Joint meeting APLF-TMS-LSPG (Palynology Groups) 3-7 octobre 2005 PALYNOLOGIE, PALEOLATITUDES, PALEOALTITUDES Répartition des ensembles continentaux et océaniques au cours du temps : influence sur le climat et la biodiversité PALYNOLOGY, PALAEOLATITUDES, PALAEOALTITUDES Land/ocean distribution patterns controlling climate and biodiversity AUDITORIUM DE LA GRANDE GALERIE Muséum national d'histoire naturelle 36 rue Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, 75005 PARIS, France Download 2nd Circular (.doc 420 kb) Download 2nd Circular (pdf 4 mb) Download 1st Circular (pdf 656 kb) XI International Palynological Congress, July 2004 - Conference report Palynology Group Meeting 2004 The annual meeting of the Palynology Group was held this year in conjunction with the Silicofossil Group, 9-10 June 2004 in Cardiff. It was a very successful meeting with this time even international participation. Quite a few TMS palynologists made their way to beautiful, sunny Cardiff to listen and exchange ideas on how silicofossil and dinoflagellate cyst studies can complement one another. Cathy Stickley from Cardiff, Henk Brinkhuis from Utrecht (The Netherlands), and myself acted as the convenors of the meeting. Cathy did a very good job as the local organiser of this most interesting and pleasant get-together and I want to express my sincere thanks on behalf of the Palynology Group to Cathy Stickley, Jenny Pike, Ivo Grigorov, and all the others involved in the organisation of this meeting. Cathy's report, including the abstracts of the presentations can be found on the Silicofossil Group page. The next year's meeting of the Palynology Group is in full preparation. This will be a special meeting again, since it will be held together with our French colleagues from APLF, the Association of French Palynologists, in Paris from 3 - 7 October 2005 (see above). As it is tradition in APLF meetings there will be a theme: "Palynology, Palaeolatitudes, Palaeoaltitudes: Land/ocean distribution patterns controlling climate and biodiversity" as well as open sessions. Edwige Masure from Paris University Pierre et Marie Curie is the local organiser. She was very busy already making all kinds of preparations for the meeting and thanks to her efforts our venue will be the 'Auditorium de la Grande Galerie' at the Natural History Museum in Paris. We are currently trying to get the keynote speakers together who will give an overview of recent developments in their research areas pertinent to the overall symposium theme. I want to urge you to make every effort to attend this, our (!) meeting in Paris. In many countries, and Britain is not excluded, training, research and job opportunities in palynology are becoming rare and rarer, and palynologists will become "endangered species". The more this trend continues, the more it is important to concentrate our forces and to strengthen our European bonds. So please come along to our joint meeting in Paris. The call for papers is out. You will find the first circular and the pre-registration form for the meeting above. Remember to be quick in indicating your interest in attending the nice dinner we are going to have. There are only a limited number of places available and you won't want to miss it. We would appreciate to receive your pre-registration and indication of a title of your presentation by 15 November 2004. Susanne Feist-Burkhardt. Dinoflagellate cysts from the Cretaceous: the DUXBURY (1983) database now online A new searchable database of type and figured dinoflagellate cysts is now available free of charge on the web site of the Micropalaeontology Division at The Natural History Museum, London. The database contains new, high quality, colour images, and confocal 3D images and video clips of the original specimens from Stan DUXBURY's (1983) classic publication on Early Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts of the Isle of Wight, Southern England. This is the first of a series of illustrated, searchable online databases featuring type material housed in the NHM palynology collections. This database presents an outstanding new research tool for experienced researchers, lecturers, students and all those wishing to learn about Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts. It provides instant access to important taxonomic information and first class illustrations of the original specimens. DUXBURY (1983) is one of the most important publications for workers in Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts. The collection of type and figured specimens in this publication is housed in the Micropalaeontology Division and consists of over 100 slides. The publication describes 102 taxa of which 2 genera and 20 species are described as new. All of the important taxa have been re-imaged using modern digital photomicrography and are illustrated in this online database. In addition, and most importantly, many of the original specimens have been imaged using Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), an innovative way for illustrating palynomorphs. CLSM can produce extended-focus images but without the time-consuming preparation required for SEM images. This technique is non invasive, so type collections can be re-imaged and re-illustrated to provide extra information for the palynologist. Three-dimensional images can also be constructed which can be viewed from different angles as animated movies. This database includes all the original plates from the publication and augments these substantially with new digital colour images, CLSM extended focus images, red/green anaglyphs (please use red/green glasses to appreciate the 3D effect), 3D animations and animations of the image stack from the original specimens. The original diagnoses and emendations by DUXBURY (1983) are included for each taxon with added notes inferring subsequent changes in taxonomy. The database allows greater access to this collection while conserving the condition of the original specimens. It has been developed mainly as an aid for palynologists who seek unbiased taxonomic information on the type material. This kind of database also represents an excellent research tool in its own right by providing images and taxonomic information via an easy-to-use interface on the Internet. Its full potential is reached when used in conjunction with other databases (e.g. the web-browser-based database DINOFLAJ) so that all the important taxonomic and image information are readily available on one computer screen. In addition to the role as a specialists' application, the online database serves as a resource for educators developing and teaching courses in palynology and for students interested in Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts. The DUXBURY (1983) database of Early Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts is the first of a planned series of illustrated, searchable, online databases featuring type material housed in the NHM palynology collections. Work has started on the type material of DUXBURY (1977) and (1980), thus completing the series on Lower Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts. Next in the pipeline are the superb collections of Tertiary dinoflagellate cysts from the classic publications of EATON (1971, 1976), BUJAK (1976, 1979) and BUJAK et al. (1980). Susanne Feist-Burkhardt Andrew S. Henderson Iona McLachlan John E. Williams (The Natural History Museum, London) References cited: BUJAK, J.P. (1976): An evolutionary series of Late Eocene dinoflagellate cysts from southern England. Marine Micropaleontology, v. 1, p. 101-117, pl. 1-4. BUJAK, J.P. (1979): Proposed phylogeny of the dinoflagellates Rhombodinium and Gochtodinium. Micropaleontology, v. 25, no. 3, p. 308-324, pl. 1-3. BUJAK, J.P., DOWNIE, C., EATON, G.L. and WILLIAMS, G.L. (1980): Dinoflagellate cysts and acritarchs from the Eocene of southern England. Special Papers in Palaeontology, no. 24, 100 p., pl. 1-22. DUXBURY, S. (1977): A palynostratigraphy of the Berriasian to Barremian of the Speeton Clay of Speeton, England. Palaeontographica, Abteilung B, v. 160, no. 1-3, p. 17-67, pl. 1-15. DUXBURY, S. (1980): Barremian phytoplankton from Speeton, east Yorkshire. Palaeontographica, Abteilung B, v. 173, no. 4-6, p. 107-146, pl. 1-13. DUXBURY, S. (1983): A study of dinoflagellate cysts and acritarchs from the Lower Greensand (Aptian to Lower Albian) of the Isle of Wight, southern England. Palaeontographica, Abteilung B, v. 186, no. 1-3, p. 18-80, pl. 1-10. EATON, G.L. (1971): A morphogenetic series of dinoflagellate cysts from the Bracklesham Beds of the Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England. In: FARINACCI, A. (editor), Proceedings of the 2nd Planktonic Conference, Rome, 1970, p. 355-379, pl. 1-4; Edizioni Tecnoscienza, Rome. EATON, G.L. (1976): Dinoflagellate cysts from the Bracklesham Beds (Eocene) of the Isle of Wight, southern England. British Museum (Natural History) Geology, Bulletin, v. 26, p. 227-332, pl. 1-21. The Natural History Museum is interested in increasing their collections and providing the best possible accessibility, i.e. by developing web-based catalogues and databases and exploring the possibilities of the Internet. We therefore encourage all colleagues to consider deposition of type and figured palynological specimens in the Micropalaeontology Division at the NHM. If you would like further information, please contact Susanne Feist-Burkhardt or Andrew Henderson. Access the database Palynology Group Meeting 2003 The yearly meeting of the Palynology Group of The Micropalaeontological Society (TMS) was held at the Department of Geology, University of Leicester on Wednesday the 19th March 2003. Download abstracts (MSWord)