History of the Center for Excellence in Palynology (CENEX)
The Center for Excellence in Palynology (CENEX) was established by the Louisiana State University and the American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists, Inc. (AASP) in 1993 to promote research and training in stratigraphic palynology. AASP initiated this collaborative effort as a result of their concern for the availability of trained palynologists in the United States.
Palynology is the study of organic-walled microfossils (e.g., spores, pollen, fungal debris, acritarchs, dinoflagellate cysts, etc.). These entities, collectively called palynomorphs, were and are produced in prodigious quantities by a variety of terrestrial, aquatic, and marine organisms. Their resistant organic walls assure that they are preserved in sediments and rocks under most geologic conditions, some dating back 3.5 billions years.
Stratigraphic palynology developed because of the need of the oil and coal industries to date and correlate subsurface sedimentary deposits. Palynomorphs are of particular use in non-marine sediments because calcareous marine microfossils, such as foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils, are absent. Calcareous microfossils have long been used for worldwide dating and correlation in marine beds. However, even in marine deposits there are palynomorphs that can complement foraminifera and nannofossils or that can be used in their stead in deposits whose calcareous fossils have been dissolved.
Processing Laboratory
The CENEX Processing Laboratory was established in 1994. All glassware, chemicals, computers, and equipment for the laboratory were initially obtained as donations from Amoco Production Company, Chevron, Shell Oil Company, Texaco, and UNOCAL. Additional pieces of specialized equipment (e.g., focused microwave digestion units) have been purchased with NSF and U. S. Geological Survey grants. Several of these companies donated microscopes as well. Loretta Satchell and Ray Guillory also donated microscopes that have been used by students and staff for research. The University provided laboratory space, which it subdivided into two rooms, one of which is used by CENEX and the other by micropaleontologic colleagues within the Department of Geology and Geophysics.
Palynology Library
The CENEX Palynologic Library contains some 25,000 palynologic reprints and books that were donated by Shell Oil Company, Texaco, and UNOCAL and by retired palynologists, including Patrica Burbridge, Charlie Felix, George Hart, Harry Arthur La Blanc, Leffingwell, Ken Piel, and Loretta Satchell. In addition, hundreds of palynologic reports have been donated to CENEX by oil companies and the data is now in the public domain. The literature and data collections are available for the use of researchers and students. We are not able to lend materials out or send them to interested parties, however, qualified researchers from the United States and elsewhere are welcome to visit and use these collections. (Contact the Director for further information on the collections.)
Modern Pollen Reference Collection
CENEX has a Modern Pollen Reference Slide Collection of more than 7,000 pollen species. These materials were donated to CENEX by the AMOCO, TEXACO, Shell Oil Company, and UNOCAL. All the taxa in the collection have been compiled into a computerized listing for easy searching. We are collecting digital images of each species in the collection and attaching them to the online modern pollen listing that resides on the LSU website. Approximately 300 taxa have been digitized thus far. Eventually, the listing and images will be accessible to anyone via the internet. The slides are also available for onsite use to anyone who visits CENEX.
