植硅体

植硅体（），是存在于多种高等植物细胞或细胞间隙中的显微结构小体，其主要成分为二氧化硅，中文曾译植硅石、植物硅酸体等，现在学界统一称之为植硅体。植硅体的大小和形状与植物种类与部位有关，其形态具有鉴定意义，特别是禾本科植物，最好的情况可以鉴定到种。植物中还常见一些草酸钙质的颗粒，被称为植钙体。

功能
植硅体有多种功能。一些植硅体可能和植物的结构和支撑功能有关，对于许多农作物来说，可以防止倒伏；在某些植物中，植硅体可能也具有一定的防御病虫害及食草动物的作用。

应用

考古学
植硅体容易保存在考古地层与遗物中，因此常用来鉴定史前栽培植物。

古生物学
植硅体在化石遗存中很丰富，在晚泥盆纪地层中就有发现，可用来追溯古生物环境与植被变迁。

地球化学 
最近的研究还发现，碳元素也可以在许多植硅体中积聚。

注释

参考
 派潘诺 多洛雷斯著，《植硅石分析》北京：北京大学出版社，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 ).

外部链接
 What is the phytolith? 
 Ecological significance of phytoliths 
 Background from St. Cloud laboratory
 Association of Environmental Archaeology 
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  .
Dr. Sanjay Eksambekar's 'Phytolith Research Institute': http://www.phytolithresearch.com 
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

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