1991-92 - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

BSIPB.K. MisraAnand PrakashG.K.B. Navale, Genesis of Indian Tertiary coals and lignites, Himalayan coals - their nature, formation, compositionand rank, Temporal and spatial variation of Gondwana coals- organic petrographic analysisSponsored ProjectsS.P. 2 ,Studies of palaeoclimateslion of palaeobotanicalES/63/028/86)through the applicamethods(DST No.Objective , To reconstruct regional palaeogeography and terrestrialpalaeoenvironmental history of the QuaternaryPeriod with special reference to HoloceneCompleted pollen analysis of a 1.3 meter deep profile from Mirik Lake e4Cdated to ca 18,000 years B.P.), Darjeeling. The study has revealed the dominanceof non-arboreals over arboreals. The sparse arboreal vegetation mainly consists ofQuercus followed by Alnus, Betula, Salix and Rhododendron. The herbaceous vegetationis dominated by grasses. Cheno/Ams, sedges, Asteraceae, etc. are alsoprominent constituents.Pollen analytical investigation of a 1.5 meter deep profile from Jore·Pokhari,Darjeeling has depicted equal representation of arboreals as well as non-arboreals.The good representation of Quercus followed by Corylus, Betula, Alnus, Rhododendron,etc. indicates the presence of mixed Oak forest in the region. Grasses togetherwith sedges, Asteraceae, Cheno/Ams, Caryophyllaceae and Ranunculaceaearc the chief representatives of non-arboreal vegetation. Fern spores are in abundancethroughout the sequence.Pollen analysis of 18 samples from BMT/GJR-Il Quaternary Section, Bilaspurhas revealed the dominance of non-arboreals over arborcals. Arboreals are few andscantily represen ted by Quercus, Alnus, Betula, Celtis, Ulmus, etc. The non-arborealvegetation is characterised by the frequent OCCUrrence of Poaceae, Cyperaceae,Ranunculaceae, Polygonum and Asteraceae.Chhaya Sharma, M.S. Chauhan and M.C. Pant54