植矽體

植矽體（英語：phytolith），是存在於多種高等植物細胞或細胞間隙中的顯微結構小體，其主要成分為二氧化矽，中文曾譯植矽石、植物矽酸體等，現在學界統一稱之為植矽體。植矽體的大小和形狀與植物種類與部位有關，其形態具有鑑定意義，特別是禾本科植物，最好的情況可以鑑定到種。植物中還常見一些草酸鈣質的顆粒，被稱為植鈣體。

功能

植矽體有多種功能。一些植矽體可能和植物的結構和支撐功能有關，對於許多農作物來說，可以防止倒伏；在某些植物中，植矽體可能也具有一定的防禦病蟲害及食草動物的作用。

應用

考古學

植矽體容易保存在考古地層與遺物中，因此常用來鑑定史前栽培植物。

古生物學

植矽體在化石遺存中很豐富，在晚泥盆紀地層中就有發現，可用來追溯古生物環境與植被變遷。^[1]

地球化學

最近的研究還發現，碳元素也可以在許多植矽體中積聚。^[2]

注釋

^ Carter, J.A. Late Devonian, Permian and Triassic phytoliths from Antarctica. Micropaleontology. 1999, 45 (1): 56–61 [2008-04-22]. doi:10.2307/1486202.
^ Plantstones could help lock away carbon （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館），Nowak, Rachel, New Scientist Magazine issue 2637, January 5 2008, Accessed January 2008]

參考

（中文）派潘諾多洛雷斯著，《植矽石分析》北京：北京大學出版社，1994.3
Piperno, D. R. 1988. Phytolith analysis: an archaeological and geological perspective.
Thorn, V. C. 2004. An annotated bibliography of phytolith analysis and atlas of selected New Zealand subantarctic and subalphine phytoliths.
Meunier, J. D. 2001. Phytoliths: applications in earth sciences and human history.
Kealhofer, L. 1998. Opal phytoliths in Southeast Asian flora.
Rapp, G. R. 1992. Phytolith systematics: emerging issues.
Ciochon, R. L., Piperno, D. R. and Thompson, R. G. 1990. Opal phytoliths found on the teeth of the extinct ape Gigantopithecus blacki: Implications for paleodietary studies. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 87: 8120-8124.
Twiss, P. C., Suess, E., & Smith, R. M. 1969. Morphological classification of grass phytoliths. Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. America.
Pearsall, D. M. 2004. Plants and People in Ancient Ecuador: The Ethnobotany of the Jama River Valley. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, Case Studies in Archaeology Series, Belmont , CA 180 pp.
Pearsall, D. M. 2000. Paleoethnobotany. A Handbook of Procedures. Second Edition. Academic Press, San Diego. 700 pp.
Piperno, D. R. and D. M. Pearsall. 1998. The Origins of Agriculture in the Lowland Neotropics. Academic Press, San Diego. 400 pp.
Pearsall, D. M., K. Chandler-Ezell, and J. A. Zeidler. 2004. Maize in ancient Ecuador: Results of residue analysis of stone tools from the Real Alto site. Journal of Archaeological Science 31:423-442.
Darwin, C. R. 1846. "An Account of the Fine Dust Which Often Falls on Vessels in the Atlantic Ocean," Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London 2 (Read 4 June 1845): 26-30. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=F1672&viewtype=text&pageseq=3 （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館）).

外部連結

（英文）What is the phytolith? （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館）
（英文）Ecological significance of phytoliths （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館）
（英文）Background from St. Cloud laboratory
（英文）Association of Environmental Archaeology （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館）
Steve Archer, "About Phytoliths": https://web.archive.org/web/20070506230653/http://research.history.org/Archaeological_Research/Collections/CollArchaeoBot/PhytoFAQs.cfm .
Terry B. Ball, "Phytolith Literature Review": http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/ben/ben282.html （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館） .
Dr. Sanjay Eksambekar's 'Phytolith Research Institute': http://www.phytolithresearch.com （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館）
Deborah Pearsall's MU Phytolith Database ,https://web.archive.org/web/20070422163808/http://web.missouri.edu/~umcasphyto/index.shtml
"What are Phytoliths?" Sandstone Archaeology Paleoethnobotany Laboratory https://web.archive.org/web/20080820003629/http://www.sandstonearchaeology.com/paleoethnobotany.html

[Carter1999-1] Carter, J.A. Late Devonian, Permian and Triassic phytoliths from Antarctica. Micropaleontology. 1999, 45 (1): 56–61 [2008-04-22]. doi:10.2307/1486202.

[2] Plantstones could help lock away carbon （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館），Nowak, Rachel, New Scientist Magazine issue 2637, January 5 2008, Accessed January 2008]

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