Relationship between palaeobotany and other fields of natural history

Abstract

In his studies the palaeobotanist uses physical and chemical techniques. When collecting, studying and interpreting data he or she has to turn to various fields of biology, geology and physical geography. Mathematical methods, including computer simulation, are also of use in palaeobotany. Palaeobotany is connected with archaeology in the case of studies of plant remains associated with human artifacts, and with astronomy (in dendrochronology and when reference is made to global events, probably connected with astronomical causes). The present chapter will deal not with all relationships between palaeobotany and other fields, but with the most important applications of palaeobotany to geology and biology.