随着全球变化研究的不断深入，第四纪孢粉学研究已取得了长足的进步，特别是近些年来，孢粉-植被-气候关系研究已成为世界孢粉学界的热点之一。空气孢粉学的研究在大气环境污染监测、花粉过敏症、农业收成预报和第四纪植被与环境重建等方面得到了广泛应用，并不断发展；近年来，为开展全球范围的古环境研究，各大洲相继建立了孢粉数据库，大量开展表土孢粉研究。中国第四纪孢粉数据库的建立，汇集了我国近半个世纪积累的孢粉资料，并利用中国第四纪孢粉数据，系统开展了中国现代表土孢粉、6 kaBP（中全新世）及18 kaBP（末次盛冰期）的生物群区模拟及重建，建立了花粉(气候转换函数和响应面模型，并取得了良好的结果；冲积物孢粉学和环境考古孢粉学研究，也取得了一定成果，但研究还有待于深入；特征指示种花粉雨研究，对古生态环境重建也具有重要的意义。
Abstract Great progress on Quaternary palynology has been achieved with the research of global change. The study on relationship between pollen, vegetation and climate has been one of the foci on palynology in the world especially in recent years. Studies on the air pollen have been applied extensively to various aspects including the monitoring of the air environment pollution, studying the allergic properties of pollen, agricultural yield prediction, and the reconstruction of vegetation and environment of Quaternary. In recent years, for developing study of paleo-environment in the world, the Pollen Databases have been set up globally, using surface pollen studies. The “China Quaternary Pollen Database” (CPD) was developed over a 50 year period. Using these pollen data from CPD, biome simulation and reconstruction of modern (0 kaBP), Middle Holocene (6 kaBP) and the last Glacial Maximum (18 kaBP) have been carried out systemically, while pollen-climate transfer function and pollen-climate response surface have also been established. Some headways have been made on the alluvial pollen and the Palynology of environmental archaeological sites, which have yet to be studied in depth. The study on pollen rain of characteristic indicator species has important significance for reconstructing paleo-ecological environment.