Sprecher
Beschreibung
This keynote addresses the changing reality of palynology and palaeobotany through a historical lens. Drawing on examples from conference records, institutional structures, and personal accounts from the 1900s onward, it highlights a period in which both fields flourished. In contrast, the present landscape is increasingly characterised by fragmentation, specialisation, and reduced representation within individual departments. Patterns we all recognise as potential drivers of extinction.
Rather than framing this development solely as decline, the talk examines it as a form of disciplinary turnover, raising the question of whether current trends reflect natural evolution or signal a more critical tipping point. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of scientific context and historical awareness in interpreting both past and present research. Perhaps the understanding of the intellectual and socio-economic history of a field and its authors can contribute and inform its future development.
The keynote explores the importance of conferences and professional exchange as spaces where fragmented expertise can be reconnected. In an environment where individual researchers often represent narrow niches, these interactions become central to provide inspiration, knowledge transfer, and collective identity. Combining historical reflection with contemporary observations, the talk aims to provide a framework for thinking about continuity, adaptation, and resilience in palynology and palaeobotany.