Annual Report 2011-2012 - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

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• Continued documentation of spores-pollen assemblages from the coal-bearing sequences of Raniganj, Sohagpur, Ib-River, and Wardha-Godavari Valley coalfields in order to demarcate their significance in biostratigraphic interpretation and coal seam’s correlation. • Compiled the data of spores from Indian Permian successions, which provides comprehensive information in different coal-bearing sedimentary basins. • Generated additional data on plant megafossils from the Palaeogene horizons of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, MP, HP, Uttarakhand, Assam and Meghalaya in terms of their significance in palaeogeographic and palaeoecological significance, besides morphotaxonomy. • Presence of Palm leaves, along with the other known fossil records indicates that CMMT (cold month mean temperature) was not less than 18ºC with plenty of rainfall, in the Makum Coalfield (Assam) region during the period of deposition. • The epidermal and stomatal features of the fossil leaves collectively suggest the existence of a broad leaved mesophytic forest at low altitude all along the Himalayan foothills during 8-12 million years ago. • Analyzed palynofloral assemblages from various Tertiary sequences of north-west, and north-east Indian, Andaman-Nicobar regions for stratigraphic zonation and correlation. • Palynofloral and palynofacies analyses of Tikak Parbat Formation (Makum Coalfield, Assam) evidenced that the late Oligocene tropical delta vegetation has much in common with modern lowland wet megathermal forests from south-east Asia. • Integrative studies of the Um Sohryngkew Cretaceous-Tertiary transition in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya revealed biotic and environmental changes about 800 km from the Deccan volcanic province. • Recorded nannofossil assemblage from Kaladongar Formation (Patcham Island, Kachchh Basin) indicates that after faulting, the first transgressive event for the basin might have occurred during the Pleinsbachian- Toarcian boundary interval, some 15 Ma earlier than the much accepted Late Bajocian. • Attempted taphonomy and growth-form analysis of coralline algae, palaeodiversity of algal forms and benthic foraminifera from the late Middle Miocene sediments of Hut Bay Limestone (Little Andaman Island). • Evaluated Permian coal from Bhupalpalli area (Godavari Valley), and Tertiary lignites from Vastan and Mangrol (Cambay Basin) areas for their categorization in terms of economic suitability, besides depositional history. • Evidenced four climatic phases during the terminal Pleistocene and across the Holocene, while pollen analysed from sediment core of the Chilka Lake, Orissa. The overall vegetational sequence indicates that between 13,607 and 8,842 yrs BP, there is low recovery of core mangrove taxa. • Identified a new proxy (fresh water thecamoebians) with the work carried out from fresh water lakes, and its importance in understanding fresh-water palaeoecology and palaeo coastal-wetland changes has been established for the first time from India. ( iv )
• Variation in the palynofacies assemblages around Vembanad Estuary indicates that owing to variable carrying capacity of streams, differential runoff conditions, the rate of sediment influx during the monsoonal times, salinity changes, display differential productivity signals. • Pollen rain deposition pattern in tropical deciduous Sal forest in Shahdol district (south-eastern MP) revealed that Shorea robusta (sal) is recovered with average 2% pollen only, despite being a high pollen producers; attributing to their poor preservation in the sediments. • Record of Arecaceae pollen from Itanagar wildlife sanctuary is significant which is not growing in and around the sanctuary, needs further investigation. An urgent need is required for immediate steps to conserve the rich plant diversity in the sanctuary. • Studied spatio-temporal variability in Pinus trees of north-east India revealed inter-species tree growth variations are not uniform suggesting no common factor influenced the radial tree growth in this region, which may be related to anthropogenic impact or non-climatic factors. • Added more palaeo-ethnobotanical finds from Chalcolithic site Ahichchhatra, District Bareilly (UP), revealing advanced agricultural practices in this region of Upper Ganga Plain in ancient times. • The water geochemistry shows that Indus water (in Ladakh) is getting their ionic load largely from the silicate rocks; however all other smaller rivers show a mix of contribution from silicate and carbonate sources. • Radiocarbon dates on northern Indian materials of archaeological significance reflects the emerging opinion regarding greater antiquity for Indian cultural sites than usually believed. • Studied diatoms from the lake samples of Schirmacher Oasis to understand the impact of environmental factors; helping in to detect changes (if any) in the pristine Antarctic ecosystem. • Participated in the India’s Arctic Programme for Quaternary palaeoclimatic studies of Ny-Alesund (Swalbard) region, based on pollen and field records. • Documented floral elements of Dicroidium from the Triassic sediments of Lashly Formation, Allan Hills, Central Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica, and the megafossil assemblage has been compared globally. • Recorded a diverse assemblage of palynomorphs from the samples of Neyveli Lignite field (TN); indicating Early to Middle Eocene age and coastal (ranging from back-mangrove to mangrove) environment of deposition. Integrated collaborative research activities with institutions in India and abroad (China, USA, UK, Brazil, etc.) in several spheres, have helped to expand scientific knowledge. The collective research efforts are expressed in the form of 118 published papers, one book, 95 conference/symposia abstracts, besides 62 research papers accepted for publication. A dozen Ph.D. degrees were awarded to the scholars during the year. One scientist was deputed abroad (China) under Inter-academy Exchange Programme of INSA. Two scientists participated in the Indian Expedition to Arctic. Two scientists visited China on invitation, and another 20 scientists, 6 Research Associates, and one Technical personal were deputed for attending various conferences abroad (in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Romania, Scotland, Switzerland, Thailand and USA). Thirty-six scientists, 4 Research Associates, and 4 ( v )
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Annual Report 2011-2012 - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

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