Forensic palynology: variation in the pollen content of soil surface samples

Abstract

Surface soil samples from several localised areas were analysed for pollen and compared using an ordination analysis. The aim was to objectively establish the forensic value of using soil samples to link people or objects to crime scenes. This was done by determining the degree to which pollen assemblages of surface soil samples from within the same localised area differ, and the degree to which the pollen assemblage of a surface soil sample from within a localised area differs from distant localised areas of similar vegetation type.

Samples from within the same localised area (the control site) showed a high degree of similarity, suggesting that pollen assemblages of surface soil samples from within a localised area are homogeneous. Results also showed that localised areas of similar vegetation type, even within the same geographic region, have significantly different pollen assemblages.

Keywords

Forensic science, pollen analysis, palynology, soil samples.