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Conservation paleobiology has coalesced over the last two decades since its formal coining, united by the goal of applying geohistorical records to inform the conservation, management, and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Yet, the field is still attempting to form an identity distinct from its academic roots. Here, we ask a deceptively simple question: What is conservation paleobiology? To track its development as a field, we synthesize complementary perspectives from a survey of the scientific community that is familiar with conservation paleobiology and a systematic literature review of publications that use the term. We present an overview of conservation paleobiology’s research scope and compare survey participants’ perceptions of what it is and what it should be as a field. We find that conservation paleobiologists use a variety of geohistorical data in their work, although research is typified by near-time records of marine molluscs and terrestrial mammals collected over local to regional spatial scales. Our results also confirm the field’s broad disciplinary basis: survey participants indicated that conservation paleobiology can incorporate information from a wide range of disciplines spanning conservation biology, ecology, historical ecology, paleontology, and archaeology. Finally, we show that conservation paleobiologists have yet to reach a consensus on how applied the field should be in practice. The survey revealed that many participants thought the field should be more applied but that most do not currently engage with conservation practice. Reflecting on how conservation paleobiology has developed over the last two decades, we discuss opportunities to promote community cohesion, strengthen collaborations within conservation science, and align training priorities with the field’s identity as it continues to crystallize.

This project investigates the effects of leaf side, leaf position, individual plant, and hill (or plant group) on phytolith assemblages from Zea mays L. cultivar Mandan Yellow Flour. Thirty-two samples were examined, and 200 phytoliths were classified from each sample. Statistical analysis indicates that leaf side is significant at the 0.05 level above random counting variation; leaf position, individual plant, and hill are not generally significant beyond the effect of leaf side. Analysis of a single sample, either a half or entire leaf, is not sufficient for compilation of representative phytolith assemblages from a plant population. Phytolith reference collections should not be based on single samples of each species. Multiple samples from a population need to be analyzed to obtain information on assemblage variation within the population. The variation of corn phytolith assemblages in this study overlaps those of many Panicoid grasses, indicating that additional morphological characters need to be identified to distinguish corn from wild grasses in the Great Plains. Key words: phytoliths, corn, frequencies, variation.

Sedge cone phytoliths appear to be morphologically distinct from those of other families. As a result, these phytoliths from Cyperaceae may be of taxonomic importance and may be useful to archaeologists and paleoecologists. This study is a compilation of information regarding sedge phytoliths from widely separated geographic areas. Included here are previously published descriptions along with newly interpreted material. It is hoped that all the data presented will be of use in the future development of a classification scheme for phytoliths of Cyperaceae.

This paper examines variation of phytoliths in leaves of corn (Zea mays L.) as part of an ongoing project to establish accurate, reliable, phytolith "signatures." Factors investigated include leaf part, individual plant, leaf node, geographic location, and corn variety. Counts of 100 phytoliths were made on 24 separate samples, classifying shapes into dumbbell, cross, and irregular categories. Resulting assemblages were compared using chi-square and NANOVA test statistics. Results indicate that different leaf parts and corn varieties significantly affect phytolith assemblages. Base, midsection, and tip of leaf blades consistently produce different assemblages; two North Dakota native corn varieties also produce different assemblages (when part variation is eliminated). Variation due to leaf node and individual plant is not consistent; variation due to geographic location is generally not significant. It is suggested that researchers use entire leaf blade sections as samples in phytolith analysis. This sampling design will incorporate variation exhibited within the leaf blade and avoid characterization of plants by inaccurate phytolith assemblages.

Tel Miqne (Khirbet Muqanna), the largest Iron Age site in Israel, is identified as biblical Ekron, one of the cities of the Philistine pentapolis. Sediment samples were collected from different contexts with a twofold objective in mind. First, confirmation was sought for the identification of particular Philistine loci as occupation surfaces. Since little is known about Philistine daily life, the second objective was to discern through phytolith analysis the plant or plants that contributed phytoliths to the sediments.Phytoliths from the sediments were compared to those extracted from a reference collection of modern grasses, sedges, and rushes known to occur in Israel. In particular the possibility was explored that the Philistines may have used a reedgrass, Phragmites australis, that currently grows in the adjacent wadi for mats, thatch, and basketry.