Dating Techniques

Name:
TUGUINAY, KYLIE JOY P. Class Code: 5013

ASSIGNMENT NO. 02
Dating Techniques
Dating is a method of determining the age of fossils, rocks and artifacts that are traced from
historical events and in order to connect the past and present to understand changes that occurred
over time.
Dating techniques:
1. Relative Dating – determines relative order on which an events or objects occurred.
• Pollen dating (palynology) – is a scientific method of relatively dating objects.
Palynology is the study of plant pollen, spores, and certain microscopic planktonic
organisms which may be in living and fossil form. It is associated in geologic sciences,
which deals with stratigraphy, historical geology and paleontology. The scope of its
function ranges from pollen morphology to the study of organic microfossils which are
taken from ancient coals. As pollens undergo through dispersion over large areas by
the environmental means like wind and water, fossils are accessible in a wide variety
of sedimentary rocks. Due to the resistance of pollens and spores to decay and physical
alteration, they can be studied in the same manner as plants components. This method
has greatly contributed to the delineation of geographical distribution of many plant
groups from the Cambrian time to present. It has also been significant that the
evolutionary sequence of organisms is recorded by the sequence of plant microfossils,
with large fossils of plants in sedimentary rocks as the basis. Palynological analysis is
practically applied to petroleum exploration and other geologic research that deals with
subsurface sediments and structures for pollens are easily extracted from small samples
due their abundance and minute size. It also helps in delineate phylogenetic
relationships between fossilized and extant plants. The phases of palynology which
Evolutionary Biology Laboratory Class; 2nd Sem; SY2022-2023 Page 1 of 4

exclusively deal with fossils are extensions of methods and principles that has been
developed in the peat deposit study of northern Europe in early 1900s. the presence,
relative abundance, and absence of pollens of various plant species were statistically
ensured. In as much as pollen types that are trapped on the surface of a bog at a certain
time is determined by forest composition, regional changes in forest composition is
reflected by the changes in pollen content. It has been established that the induction of
alterations in forest makeups were due to the changes in climate over thousands of years
since the glacial ices began to disappear in Europe. Relationship was therefore
established between the pollen content of the peat, the age, and climate.
Figure 1. Pollen Grains, Encyclopædia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/science/palynology#/media/1/440367/126494

2. Absolute Dating – measures physical properties to calculate its exact age.
• Tree-ring dating (dendrochronology) – is the scientific process which is
accurate in dating and interpreting events from several years ago, particularly
paleoclimates and climatic trends with tree ring analysis as its basis. This
process is conducted with the use of increment borer which is a metal tube that
is pushed through the core of the tree. The core would then be split in order for
the rings to be measured and counted with sequence from other cores. This
method is done with the basis that many species of trees annually produce rings,
particularly, on growing seasons. Internal and external factors influence or
determine the amount of growth which is manifested on the width of the rings.
Variation in proportion is mainly due to the availability of precipitation or the
prevailing temperatures. This method has been applied to the bristle pines of
California and has been proven to be applicable for studies related in
chronology.
Figure 2. Dendrochronology,Encyclopædia, Britannica,

https://www.britannica.com/science/dendrochronology#/media/1/157598/127844

References:
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2017, December 6). palynology. Encyclopedia

Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/palynology
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2020, April 3). dendrochronology. Encyclopedia

Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/dendrochronology

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Name:

TUGUINAY, KYLIE JOY P. Class Code: 5013

Evolutionary Biology Laboratory Class; 2nd Sem; SY2022-2023 Page 1 of 4

Figure 1. Pollen Grains, Encyclopædia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/science/palynology#/media/1/440367/126494

Evolutionary Biology Laboratory Class; 2nd Sem; SY2022-2023 Page 2 of 4

Figure 2. Dendrochronology,Encyclopædia, Britannica,

Evolutionary Biology Laboratory Class; 2nd Sem; SY2022-2023 Page 3 of 4

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2017, December 6). palynology. Encyclopedia

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2020, April 3). dendrochronology. Encyclopedia

Evolutionary Biology Laboratory Class; 2nd Sem; SY2022-2023 Page 4 of 4

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