Palynology, landscape and land use: retrospect, prospect and research agendas

This paper provides a context for the use of anthropogenic palynology in the study of landscape and land use. Retrospective considerations indicate a history to current trends and inform future developments. Recent and prospective studies secure palynology as an essential element in archaeological and related environmental research. It is stressed that palynology is an inherently spatio-temporal discipline that can use concepts such as landscape or habitat heterogeneity as a future framework. This may be possible if recent advances in quantification of local vegetation cover, for example the use of model-based correction approaches within the Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm, are more widely applied. This may necessitate a change in how palynologists approach landscape sampling in order to produce sufficient clusters of sites. Land use is a key focus for the archaeologist, and existing interpretive frameworks remain well-suited to addressing questions of land use, land-use change and land-use intensity. Nevertheless, there is the prospect of improved taxonomic resolution on the horizon through the use of artificial intelligence, DNA and chemical approaches to taxonomic recognition. Equally, integrating pollen datasets into model testing and simulation may become more central to our methodologies. Such innovation will necessitate collaborative working with other disciplines and will ensure that anthropogenic palynology continues to make significant contributions to major research challenges. • Palynology is in good health and key to archaeological research agendas. • Existing interpretive frameworks remain relevant, alongside continuous innovation. • Integrating palynology in interdisciplinary research offers new opportunities. • Modelling frameworks can address long-standing questions.