Pollen from the past uncovers the future of nature

»A dream project«. That’s how Assistant Professor at the Globe Institute at the University of Copenhagen, Ana Prohaska, describes her research, which has just secured her DKK 7 million from the Villum Foundation. The project will investigate how ancient pollen can predict the future of forests in a world with an unpredictable climate. The grant also provides Ana Prohaska with the opportunity to build a research team consisting of a PhD student, a postdoc and a research assistant.

»With this grant I can finally get started on the research that I have been wanting to do for a long time. So I am very excited,« says Ana Prohaska when the University Post meets her on a cold January day.

Heading to Copenhagen

»Researchers are like explorers,« says Ana Prohaska. »Of course we are systematic and rigorous in our research, but an important part of our work is about following our curiosity.«

She has carried this mindset with her throughout her academic journey, which began at the University of Zagreb in Croatia, where she initially envisioned a future in nature conservation and NGO work. Until her studies at Oxford University changed everything.

»I was so captivated by the academic environment and all the ideas that were constantly being discussed that I decided I had to try to become a part of it,« she explains.

This was the beginning of an international career that took her from Oxford to Cambridge and further to universities in Australia and Canada.

Now she has settled in Copenhagen, where she has lived for the past three years. And with the new grant she will stay for at least five more years – something she is very happy about.

»I think the Globe Institute is a wonderful workplace, and the University of Copenhagen is a fantastic university. It hosts diverse and cutting-edge research and Globe is world-leading in the field I work in.«

The institute deals with our origins and evolution in a broad sense—whether it concerns the universe, the Earth, or humans—and is also one of the strongholds in ancient genetics, Ana Prohaska’s core interest.

Beyond the academic environment, she also appreciates Denmark’s strong commitment to supporting sciences through diverse funding schemes.

Southeast Asian rainforests and ancient DNA

Ana Prohaska’s interest in mass flowering began in the Philippine rainforests, where she conducted fieldwork as part of her PhD. This is where she first learned about the fascinating natural phenomenon.

In Southeast Asia mass flowering is particularly striking. When conditions are just right, most of the trees bloom simultaneously, draping the forests in a floral display of pink, yellow, and orange hues. Although it is believed that the phenomenon has existed for millions of years, research on the topic is limited.

The idea of mass flowering stayed with Ana Prohaska and developed into a full-fledged research project. Beneath the soil there is pollen DNA from the past, holding a story of how plants have adapted their reproduction as their climate changed. Ana Prohaska plans to uncover that story.

Trees rely on specific weather signals throughout the yearly cycles to tell them when it is time for mass flowering. If these signals weaken, trees may bloom out of sync—or stop blooming entirely.

»We could end up in a situation where there are very few surviving seeds for the next generation of key forest trees. Mass flowering occurs in many forests around the world—including in Denmark, where it is mainly beech and oak trees that undergo synchronised reproduction bursts every 2-8 years. If this process were to stop, it would have global implications.«

130,000-year-old pollen record as a forecast

The Earth has undergone periods of climate change before. However, there is currently limited knowledge about how past climate changes affected plant life on Earth.

Ana Prohaska wants to investigate if mass flowering persisted during previous global warming periods, such as the interglacial period 130,000 years ago.

»We will work with samples taken from the bottom of lakes across Europe to study the mass flowering phenomenon,« Ana Prohaska explains enthusiastically.

By extracting pollen grains from these samples and analyzing their DNA, she and her colleagues can determine how mass-flowering plants responded back then—and how they might respond to today’s climate change.

»One hypothesis is that these plants adapted their reproductive strategy  through genetic changes, meaning that over hundreds or thousands of years, they have become better at synchronizing their flowering in response to weakened weather signals.«

Ana Prohaska explains that we have no evidence of widespread extinction among plants during the last interglacial period.

»This could indicate that plants handled the previous period of global warming well—after all, they are still here.«

However, today, there is evidence that mass-flowering cycles have started to break down locally.

For most people, the idea of retrieving ancient pollen DNA from lake beds may seem abstract. But what these samples can reveal concerns us all.

According to Ana Prohaska, a collapse of mass flowering could have far-reaching effects. Without new seeds pool for trees to sprout from, forests are at risk of disappearing along with the biodiversity they support. Everything from insects to large mammals depends on seeds from mass-flowering trees, and if this food source wanes, many species could face major population declines.

»Forest ecosystems could be altered and collapse across trophic levels. And that is a major concern because forests are incredibly important to humans. They purify air and water, and they regulate climate and provide building materials .«

»I have to be optimistic«

Researchers working on climate change spend a lot of time thinking about what kind of future the Earth is facing. Yet, Ana Prohaska remains fundamentally hopeful. She has to be she says:

»As a biologist, it is heartbreaking every time you hear about another species that has gone extinct. Millions of years of evolution gone forever.«

I go out into nature and surround myself with it to find joy and balance. I think that is where I draw my strength

Ana Prohaska

But Ana Prohaska is not someone who lets herself be discouraged—neither in her research nor in her outlook on the future. Optimism and perseverance are important to her, even when discussing the dramatic consequences of climate change.

»Of course, I have good and bad days, just like everyone else. But life is an incredible force. It has been here for a long time, and its ability to adapt is extraordinary.«

She continues:

»I need to believe that biodiversity can adapt to the extent that avoids the collapse of our ecosystems. And that we can develop and implement strategies to facilitate this adaptation.«

When hope in the resilience of nature and humanity is not enough, Ana Prohaska finds comfort in reminding herself of all the beauty that still exists:

»I go out into nature and surround myself with it to find joy and balance. I think that is where I draw my strength when I feel down about the state of the world.«

Seedlings in the academic environment

In addition to looking forward to beginning her research, Ana Prohaska is excited to establish her own research group. »I see just as much value in building a collaborative and supportive research environment as in conducting groundbreaking research,« she says.

Her mission is to support the next generation of researchers and guide them on their path into academia.

She jokingly compares building a new research environment to forest regeneration:

»If there are no seeds and seedlings growing in the academic environment, research has no future. I love meeting people early in their careers when they are full of energy, passion, and curiosity. Supporting them on their journey is a privilege.«

Ana Prohaska acknowledges that entering research can be challenging—especially for women in science. That’s why it’s important for her to be a research leader who builds and supports diverse teams.

For her, it’s about staying positive and finding avenues for positive change, even when it’s difficult.

»I believe many of my colleagues would agree that research is more of a vocation than a job for us.«

She is aware that progress does not happen on its own—whether it concerns protecting nature or ensuring a healthy research environment.

»We need to seize the opportunities that come our way, and when moving forward seems painfully slow it is important to keep our spirits up. Otherwise we could end up wasting our energy on frustration instead of doing something much more productive, like finding new solutions and supporting each other.«