Organisational Structure - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany
A systematic collection of paleosol samples
(about 450) from Upper, Middle and Lower Siwaliks
of Suraikhola has been done. The Isotopic analysis
of these samples is being carried out at PRL.
Investigated plant megafossils (petrified woods and
leaf-impressions) from Siwaliks of Lakshmi River
section, southeast Bhutan. A paper on this aspect
has been finalised. The presence of
Dipterocarpaceous taxa along with other moist to
evergreen elements in this assemblage indicate that
tropical evergreen forest with few moist deciduous
taxa flourished under warm humid climatic condition
in the Himalayan foothill of Bhutan during Mio-
Pliocene times.
M. Prasad [& Dr. S.K. Bhattacharya (PRL,
Ahmedabad)]
Finalization of palynological work carried out
on the Siwalik rocks of Arjun Khola section of Nepal
is continuing. Palynological analysis from a 3 m
thick peat profile from Sitalpur has been carried out.
The profile is dated 15320 ±280 yr. BP at base and
13270 ±190 yr. BP at the top. Data interpretation is
in progress.
S. Sarkar [& G. Corvinus (Nepal
Research Center, Kathmandu)]
A rich palynofloral assemblage (66 taxa) is
recovered from a measured stratigraphic section at
Inglis Island, Andaman Sea. Stratigraphically
important taxa suggest an Early Miocene age to the
strata and the assemblages indicate a tropical–
subtropical climate during the deposition of the
sequence. Finalized a manuscript on this study.
S. Sarkar [& J. Daneshian & V. Sharma
(Delhi)]
Finalization of palynological work carried out
on the Siwalik rocks collected from three measured
stratigraphic sections— Mansar, Uttarbaini and
Nagorta of Jammu.
S. Sarkar [& G.M. Bhatt (Jammu)]
Re-investigated some samples from 6.5 m
thick Quaternary section from Phulera (Champawat).
Around 18 ka the region had cold and dry climate,
depicted through open type vegetation comprising
chiefly the grasses, sedges, Cheno/Ams, Asteraceae,
Rannunculaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Primulaceae, etc.
Studies corroborate satisfactorily with the earlier
generated data from Bhimtal-Naukuchiatal Basin and
Wadda lake sites, depicting identical palaeoclimatic
scenario in the Kumaun region. Finalisation of
manuscript on the aspect is in progress.
C. Sharma [& Dr. B.S. Kotlia (Nainital)]
Completed pollen analysis of samples (23)
from a 2.3 m deep trench dug out at Sanai Jheel, Rai
Bareli (UP). Studies have revealed open type of
vegetation, dominated by grasses and followed by
sedges, Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae
together with sparsely distributed few arboreal
(Madhuca indica, Holoptelea, Aegle marmelos, etc.).
Pollen denote that the site was under cultivation.
Frequent encounter of aquatic elements (Typha and
Potamogeton) together with fresh water alga-
Botryoccocus indicates that a prominent lake was
present at this site.
C. Sharma & M.S. Chauhan [& Prof. I.B. Singh
(Lucknow University)]
Ultrastructural studies of Angiosperm leaf
cuticle and structure and development of epicuticular
wax layer— Processing of samples of Citrus species
has been initiated.
U. Bajpai [& Prof. C.L. Verma (Lucknow
University)]
Investigated plant megafossils from Tertiary
of Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh.
R.C. Mehrotra [& Dr. A. Joshi (GSI,
Itanagar)]
36