Part One Extraction techniques Locating and collecting fossil plants and spores • Extraction of lignitic and fusainized plant fragments from unconsolidated sandy and clay-rich sediments • Extracting plant mesofossils and megafossils by bulk acid maceration • Small palynomorphs • Large palynomorphs and debris • Palynomorph extraction from peat, lignite and coals • Part Two Morphology • Surface preparation of macrofossils (dégagement) • Plant and spore compression in sediments Macrophotography • Light microscopy of fossil pollen and spores • Light microscopy of cuticles • Scanning electron microscopy of megafossils and mesofossils • Part Three Anatomy • The acetate peel technique • Embedding techniques: adhesives and resins • Thin sections and wafering • Polished blocks and reflected light microscopy • Opaque petrifaction techniques • Lignified and charcoalified fossil wood • Fabric analysis and plant anatomy • Biomechanical analysis • Part Four Ultrastructure • The ultrastructure of fossil cuticle • Plant cell walls • Megaspore ultrastructure • The ultrastructure of fossil pollen and spores • Part Five Geochemistry • Collection and storage of fossil plant remains for organic geochemical analyses • Carbon stable isotope analysis of fossil plants • Pyrolysis and chemolysis of fossil plant remains: applications to palaeobotany • Solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance of fossil plants and spores • Isolation, identification, and authentication of DNA sequences derived from fossil material • Mineralogical and geochemical analyses • Spore colour measurement • Bulk geochemistry as a guide to provenance and diagenesis • Part Six Conservation, databases and protocols • The plant fossil record on the internet • Taxonomic and nomenclatural alternatives • Curation in museum collections • Part Seven Sedimentology, taphonomy and stratigraphy • Experimental sedimentology • Palynofacies analysis • Particle orientation and palaeoenvironments • Coal ball sampling and quantification • Taphonomy: field techniques in modern environments • Palaeosols • Plant macrofossil biostratigraphy • Spore and pollen biostratigraphy • Part Eight Palaeoclimatology • Fossil leaf character states: multivariate analyses • Palaeobotanical databases and palaeoclimate signals • Fossil tree-ring analysis: palaeodendrology • Stomatal density and index: theory and application • Stomatal density and index: the practice • The nearest living relative method • Part Nine Palaeoecology • Palynology/ecology interfaces • Techniques for analysing uncompacted lake sediments • Collection and analysis techniques for palaeoecological studies in coastal-deltaic settings • Calcareous algae: analytical techniques • Archaeobotany: collecting and analytical techniques for sub-fossils • Dendrochronology • 14C dating sub-fossil plant remains • 13C/12C in growth rings and leaves: carbon distribution in trees • Techniques in the study of plant-arthropod interactions • Plants and animal diets • Part 10 International laws • International laws: collecting transporting and ownership of fossils • AUSTRALIA • BELGIUM • CANADA • CHINA • FRANCE • THE NETHERLANDS • SOUTH AFRICA • UK • USA • References • Glossary of terms • Appendix: list of commonly used chemicals, equipment, and suppliers • Index