bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Oligocene flora from Makum Coalfield, Assam, India
Authors: Awasthi N. , Mehrotra R.C. 
Published: September 2022

The coal bearing Oligocene sediments exposed in the Makum Coalfield, Assam contain rich assemblage of mega-plant remains. Out of a large number of leaves and fruits collected from the associated sediments at Baragolai. Ledo-Tirap and Tipongpani collieries of the Makum Coalfield, 24 species of dicotyledonous taxa have been identified. Of these, 22 are represented by leaves belonging to the genera Saccopetalum (Anonaceae); Calophyllum, Garcinia, Kayea (Clusiaceae); Pterygota (Sterculiaceae); Santiria (Burseraceae); Heynea (Meliaceae); Nephelium (Sapindaceae); Lannea, Mangifera, Parishia (Anacardiaceae); Rhizophora (Rhizophoraceae); Terminalia (Combretaceae); Memecylon (Memecylaceae); Avicennia (Avicenniaceae); Alstonia (Apocynaceae); Myristica (Myristicaceae), Apollonias (Lauraceae) and Bridelia (Euphorbiaceae). The remaining two taxa are based on fruit/seed comparable to those of Dalbergia and Entadu of Fabaceae.
The distribution pattern of comparable modern taxa of fossils and keeping in view the great amount and variety of plants preserved in the sediments, it is inferred that thick tropical evergreen to moist deciduous forest existed in this part of northeast India during Oligocene. Occurrence of Avicennia, Rhizophora and Terminalia catappa suggests deltaic, mangrove or agoonal deposition of coalseams and associated sediments in the Makum Coalfield.
Geology and organic petrology of some selected Permian and Jurassic coals of Western Australia
Authors: Sappal Krishna K. 
Published: September 2022

The commercial coal resources of Western Australia occur in sediments ranging in age from Permian to Jurassic. The coal from each period has distinctive geographical, biological and geological characteristics which effects its utilization in industry and power generation. Currently the Permian intracratonic Collect Basin is the only producing coalfield in Western Australia. The annual production from this coalfield is approximately 6million tonnes, which is mostly used for power generation. Another Permian coal deposit in the Vasse Shelf, located in the southern part of the Perth Basin has potential for export to Asian markets. The Early Jurassic coal of the Hill River area in the northern Perth Basin has been fully explored and is ready for mining as a source for power generation. All three coal deposits represent a measured in situ resource in excess of 1500 million tonnes for Western Australia.
Similar to the Gondwana coals of Australia, the coals are finely banded and the dominant lithotypes are dull banded with minor bright and bright banded types. The maceral composition of the coal is variable, however, the macerals of vitrinite and inertinite groups dominate, and the exinite and mineral matter contents are low, particularly in the Permian coals. On the basis of petrology of coal and the inter-seam sediments the depositional environment for the Permian coal was braided fluvial and fluvio-lacustrine, with marked fluctuations in the water table. The low water table accounts for fusain and inertodetrinite in the coal. The depositional environment for the Jurassic coal was of a low delta with some marine influence, supported by the presence of framboidal pyrite and acritarchs in the coal measures.
Early Silurian microfossil plants from the upper part of the Xiushan Formation in Guizhou Province, China and their palaeobotanical significance
Authors: Yi Wang , Shu Ouyang , Chongyang Cai 
Published: September 2022

The upper part of the Xiushan Formation outcropped at Fenggang, N. Guizhou, China, containing the megafossil plant Pinnatiramsos qianensis Geng, yields a remarkable assemblage of trilete spores (12 species referred to 5 genera), tetrads and acritarchs (11 species referred to 8 genera),tubular elements (6 species referred to 3 genera), leiosphere clusters and cuticle-like fragments (3 types). Evidence from a variety of fossil animal groups indicates that this stratum should be late Llandovery (Telychian). The discovery of trilete and retusoid spores and dispersed tubular elements provide reliable clues to suppose that vascular
Plants had come into existence in the Early Silurian. The presence of tracheids with border pits suggests that Pinnatiramosus qianensis is most likely the oldest known vascular plant.
Occurrence of Late Permian fossil plants in Hong Kong
Authors: Lee Cho Min  
Published: September 2022

A number of fossil plants collected from the north-eastern shore of the Centre Island, Tolo Harbour, New Territories, Hong Kong have been described. The specimens are preserved in black carbonaceous shale, silty shale and siltstone, which Allen and Stephen (1971) considered to be of Tolo Harbour Formation possibly of the Permian age, although they had no palaeontological evidence for this supposition.
The specimens which form the first report are: Pecopteris (Asterotheca) cf. norinii Halle, Pecopteris sp. (cf. P. lativenosa Halle); Compsopteris cf. contracta Gu et Zhi; Cordaites cf. shenkii Halle; Gigantopterides (cf. Gigantopteris sp.). They belong to the early Upper Permian (P21) Gigantopteris flora commonly seen in the Longtan Formation (formerly known as Longtan Coal Series) in Guangdong Province, China. Since the stratum yielding the above fossil plants is significantly different from the Tolo Harbour Formation in lithology, fossil contents and age, it has been proposed as a new stratigraphic unit- the Centre Island Formation.
A Jurassic species of Arctobaiera (Czekanowskiales) with leafy long and dwarf shoots from the Middle Jurassic Yima Formation of Henan, China
Authors: Zhiyan Zhou , Bole Zhang 
Published: September 2022

A new species of Arctobaiera, A. renbaoi is described based on well-preserved long shoots bearing either helically arranged elongate leaves or dwarf shoots with a bundle of elongate leaves and scales at bases, as well as detached leaves. All leaves are sessile with entire lateral margins and veins branched only at the lower part. They vary considerably in shape. Most commonly, they are entire, spathulate or paddle-shaped and with a more or less obtuse apex, but sometimes shallowly or even more deeply bilobed. The leaves are aniphistomatic with alternate stomatal and non-stomatal strips on both sides. Stomata are haplocheilic (mostly anomocytic) and monocylic to incomplete dicyclic, consisting of sunken guard cells and normally only slightly thickened subsidiary cells of irregular shape and size.
The new species shows some resemblance with the type-species A. flettii Florin, although only dwarf shoots were found in the latter and no anatomical details of leaves and dwarf shoots are known in the present species. The major distinctions between the two species are in the leaf shape and possibly in distribution of stomata. According to Florin, A. flettii bears leaves of the hypostomatic type. Comparisons have also been made between the present species with some other ginkgophytic leaf genera. It is believed that A. renbaoi is a new member of Czekanowskiales, though its fructification remains unknown.
Physical, chemical and biological changes at geological boundaries: causes, consequences and clues based on the study of Indian sections
Authors: Shukla P.N. , Bhandari N. 
Published: September 2022

Significant and abrupt biological changes are known to occur at the geologic boundaries and are invariably accompanied by some specific physical and chemical changes in the sedimentary deposits. At the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary (KTB), for example, shocked minerals, nickel-rich spinels, anomalously high iridium concentration and a variety of other physical and chemical markers have been found. It is generally believed that the biological changes are a consequence of physico-chemical processes which are triggered by some high energy, physical events such as a bolide impact, supernova explosion in the vicinity of the Earth or volcanic episodes. To understand the cause and nature of these physico-chemical processes, a high resolution stratigraphic analysis of physical, chemical, geological, environmental and biological markers of stratigraphic boundaries has been made over the past few decades.
In this article, we summarise the main features of some important bioevent horizons based on typical stratigraphic sequences and then dwell upon various processes which could possibly be responsible for them. The Cretaceous-Tertiary and Permian-Triassic boundaries are discussed in some detail. The clues obtained from the study of stratigraphic sections from India are used to build possible scenarios prevailing at these bioevents.
Preliminary relationships between climate and the apical extension, needle production and ring width of Pinus ponderosa in Arizona, USA
Authors: Hemming Debbie , Jalkanen Risto , Leavitt Steven W. 
Published: September 2022

Measurements of apical extension (height increment), needle production and ring width from a detailed sequence of measurements on one Pinus ponderosa tree from the Santa Catalina Mountains, southern Arizona, USA for the period 1962 - 1998 are presented. From these measurements the relationships between tree age and height, and tree height and diameter at breast height are determined. These are compared with the overall site trends for the same relationships determined from height and basal age of individual trees, and the site ring width chronology to test whether the growth of the individual tree is comparable with that of other trees at the study site.
Needle production and apical extension are highly correlated (r = 0.67) and show generally similar climate correlations. Ring widths are not significantly correlated with either of these series but all three series are significantly positively correlated with precipitation and dew point temperature during the relatively dry months of March, April and May of the growth year. This seems to be the dominant factor influencing ring width growth. However, needle production and apical extension also appear to be related to both climatological conditions during the year of bud formation as well as during the year of growth. These relationships can be explained by either bud formation processes, depletion of stored carbohydrates that would otherwise be used for bud formation or variations in the rate of apical growth. Further data are required to support some of the climate relationships.
Although there was suppression in the early growth of the individual tree, for the periods when the needle density data and isotope tracer results apply, growth of the individual tree corresponds with average site growth trends. Given this consistency, it is not unreasonable to use the needle production and stable isotope tracer results, which are only available for this tree, to calibrate, verify and parameterize the Tree Ring model.
New Biology towards Socio-economic Progress
Authors: Sharma Manju 
Published: September 2022

Prof. Birbal Sahni, the founder Director of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany paved the way for systematic developments in this field from botanical and geological aspects. Palaeobotany is the study of ancient life. The Indian sub-continent is bestowed with enormous biodiversity and richness of biological resources. The grave consequence of loss of biological diversity has to be understood on scientific basis. The global biological heritage, both for the present and for the future will have a proven influence on the potential of constructing a sustainable agriculture and forestry system which will produce useful products for the sustenance of human life. The work in new biology and the advent of biotechnology and genetic engineering have given a large number of fundamentals, innovations, tools and techniques. The scientists can produce crops with desired traits, enhance the food productivity and nutritional status of the crops, produce new vaccines and diagnostics, develop packages for environmental restoration and protection of biodiversity. The future advances in new biology offer enormous potential both for economic and societal development.
Keywords- Biology, Technology, Genome, Biodiversity, Protein.
Palynology of the Late Pliocene sediments of Pinjor Formation, Haryana, India
Authors: Rao M.R. , Patnaik R. 
Published: September 2022

Present study highlights the palynoassemblage consisting of algal and fungal remains, Pteridophytic spores, gymnosperm and angiosperm pollen recovered from the Pinjor Formation exposed at Nadah, Panchkula, Haryana. The assemblage is dominated by pollen of gymnosperms and angiosperms followed by pteridophytic spores. Algal remains assignable to the Zygnemataceae (Spirogyra, Mougeotia and Zygnema), fungal spores (Polyadosporites and Frasnacritetrus), pteridophytic spores Lycopodiumsporites (Lycopodium), Pteridacidites (Pteris) and Striatriletes (Ceratopteris), gymnosperm pollen Pinuspollenites (Pinus), Piceapollenites (Picea) and Abiespollenites (Abies) have been recorded. Angiosperm pollen are mainly represented by Pinjoriapollis (Magnolia), Retitrescolpites, Graminidites, Chenopodipollis and Malvacearumpollis. On the basis of their affinities with the modem equivalents, a warm and humid tropical-subtropical climate has been inferred for the Pinjor Formation. The presence of Spirogyra, Mougeotia, Zygnema, Lycopodium, Ceratopteris, fungal spores (Polyadosporites spp.) and angiosperm pollen (Malvacearumpollis) collectively suggest the existence of moist and swampy depositional environment. The presence of grass pollen (Poaceae) indicates the existence of herbaceous flora. The significant drop in grass pollen coinciding with the good proportion of ferns in the middle part of the Pinjor Formation suggests that the vegetation was changed from dry to mainly wet and marshy grassland. Based on the overall palynofloral assemblage. a wet grassland with open and mixed flora during the Pinjor sedimentation has been inferred. The temperate elements viz., Abies, Pinus and Picea appear to be derived from the nearby upland areas of the rising Himalaya.
Pollen analytical study of late-Holocene sediments from Trans-Yamuna segment of Western Doon valley of Northwest Himalaya
Authors: Chauhan M.S. , Rajagopalan G. , Sah M.P. , Philip G. , Virdi N.S. 
Published: September 2022

A trench across a Quaternary fault in a berm was dug out at Sirmuri Tal in the Trans- Yamuna segment of Western Doon valley in Himachal Pradesh. Pollen analytical investigation of 4.90 m deep trench profile from Sirmuri Tal has shown that between 2800 to l800 years BP, mixed open vegetation comprising chiefly grasses, sedges, Cheno/Am, Artemisia and Ranunculaceae together with sparsely distributed trees viz., Emblica officinalis, Shorea robusta, Holoptelea, Mallotus, Grewia, Meliaceae, etc. grew in the region under dry climatic regime. The lake did exist, but it was small in dimension as indicated by the meagre presence of aquatic taxa such as Typha and Potamogeton. Subsequently, between 1800 to 400 years BP, mixed deciduous forests were established as reflected by the improvement in Emblica officinalis, Mallows, Grewia, etc. as well as invasion of Terminalia, Adina cordifolia, Acacia and Syzygium in the region. The overall increased diversity in the forest floristics signifies that the moist climatic condition prevailed in the region during this period. Lake became wider in expanse as implied by the improved frequencies of Potamogeton and Typha and first encounter of Dinoflagellate cysts in good number. Since 400 years BP and onwards, the climate deteriorated as evidenced from the decline in the vegetation cover. The lake transformed into a swamp as evidenced by the increase in sedges and Chen/Am and a simultaneous decline in aquatic vegetation. The excessively high frequencies of Pinus pollen denote its transportation by wind and water from nearby subtropical belt where chirpine forests occur luxuriantly.
Some biodeteriorating air-borne fungi in and around Lucknow, India
Authors: Khandelwal Asha , Tewary Rashmi , Misra Lily , Saxena Rashmi 
Published: September 2022

The paper presents the result of qualitative and quantitative analyses of mycoflora in the air of Lucknow city and adjoining areas. Burkard slide sampler and Andersen two-stage volumetric samplers were employed for air sampling at forty places of Lucknow at different times of the year from January 1997 to February 1998. As many as thirty-five types of fungal spores and twenty-nine types of fungal colonies were registered.
It has been envisaged that certain fungi such as Alternaria, Aspergillus, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Diplodia, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Nigrospora, Penicillium. Rhizopus, Torula, Trichoderma, Trichothecium, etc., prevalent in the air are associated with the biodeterioration of cultural properties.
Early Holocene pollen data from Mikir Hills, Assam, India
Authors: Sera S.K. 
Published: September 2022

The pollen analytical studies of a 1.5 m deep soil profile (12210±110 years BP at 80 cm level) from Kaki Forest Division in Mikir Hills of Assam have been carried out. The pollen investigation of surface samples was made to understand the pollen/vegetation relationship in the forest. However, the study of surface samples does not fully cohere with the present day set up of vegetation. Palynological studies of the sediment profile indicate that since the last 15,000 years there have been three stages of vegetational developments followed by a reducing environment at the beginning (150-120 cm) reflecting directly on brief phases of climate such as arid, semi-arid and warm and humid. The abundance of grasses both cultivated as well as wild throughout the pollen diagram has revealed the existence of an open savanna forest for a long period. The arboreal vegetation is represented by mixed tropical and subtropical trees and shrubs. Both monolete and trilete ferns are well documented in the assemblage. Occurrence of some degraded pollen and spores indicate the biodegradation of microbiota as evidenced by the presence of fungal spores and hyphae in almost all the sediments.
The low occurrence of extra regional plant taxa like Pinus, Picea, Abies, Larix, Betula and Alnus in the sediments is indicative of long distance transportation of pollen from high elevation.
Non-geniculate coralline algae from the Uttatur Group (Early Cretaceous), south India
Authors: Misra P.K. , Jauhri A.K. , Singh S.K. , Kishore S. , Rajanikanth A. 
Published: September 2022

The present paper records 8 species of non-geniculate coralline algae from the Early Cretaceous of the Uttatur Group, Tiruchirapalli District, Tamil Nadu, south India. Of these, six species are distributed among three genera of the corallinaceae family: three species belong to Amphiroa, one species is assigned to Lithothamnion and two species are placed with Lithophyllum. Two species are referable to Sporolithon of Sporolithaceae. Taxonomic differentiation is based on growth form, cell fusions and nature of conceptacle pore.
The species of Amphiroa are recorded for the first time from the study area while Amphiroa kaskaella is recorded for the first time from India. Amphiroa foliacea and A. guatemalense are documented for the first time from the Uttatur Group (Cretaceous) of the Cauvery Basin. The algal association suggests depositional environments ranging from shallower to deeper parts of sea. The abundance of coralline algae indicates reefal environment.
Indian fossil monocotyledons: Current Status, Recent Developments and Future Directions
Authors: Bonde S.D. 
Published: September 2022

The megafossil records of monocotyledons assigned to Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) onward from India have been reviewed along with their possible resemblances with the extant members to have a meaningful taxonomic and phylogenetic relationship. The early record of angiosperm megafossils assigned to the dicotyledons is from the Lower Cretaceous horizon of Rajmahal Hills, Bihar (now Jharkhand). A thorough search for the monocotyledons is yet to be made from these beds. The Deccan Intertrappean beds which belong to Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) - Palaeocene age, are very rich in angiosperms comprising both dicotyledons and monocotyledons preserved especially in the form of permineralizations. The later epochs or series, however, are rich in compressions and impressions. The monocotyledonous flora is dominated mainly by palms (Family-Arecaceae) followed by the families of Scitamineae, Poaceae, Cyperaceae and Araceae.
In order to understand the early monocotyledonous diversification future work is to be concentrated in the Rajmahal Intertrappeans and contemporary horizons belonging to the Lower Cretaceous Period. Thorough search for entire herbaceous elements, woody juvenile and arborescent members (palms, pandans, aroids, liliales, grasses, Cyperaceae, etc.), reconstructions of entire plants based upon organic occurrences and associations in addition to the isolated reproductive and vegetative organs of taxonomic significance is to be given priority. In depth knowledge of morphology and anatomy of comparable extant flora is required for their phylogenetic assessments.
Palynostratigraphic considerations on the Pennsylvanian interglacial microflora from Monte Mor (SP), Itararé Group, NE, Paraná Basin (Brazil) and its diachronic correlations with Indian Gondwana microflora
Authors: Jha Neerja , Mune Sandra Eiko , Bernardes-de-Oliveira Mary E.C. , Mehrotra N.C. 
Published: September 2022

In the present communication the palynological contents of the Monte Mor taphoflora has been restudi ed in surface samples from the upper and lower levels of the coal beds from this type-locality and its Interval palynozone position has been reinterpreted and revised.
Four palynological Interval zones were recognized from the Upper Palaeozoic Brazilian Paraná Basin by Souza (2000, 2006) and Souza & Marques-Toigo (2001, 2003, 2005), where Monte Mor microflora was placed in the lowermost Ahrensisporites cristatus Interval Zone (tentatively Late Bashkirian to Kazimovian). On the basis of presence of Crucisaccites monoletus, Divarisaccus spp., Faunipollenites (=Protohaploxypinus) amplus, Faunipollenites sp., Scheuringipollenites maximus, Platysaccus sp. and Scheuringipollenites maximus in the recovered microflora it is suggested that Monte Mor palynoflora belongs to Crucisaccites monoletus Interval Zone, which is contrary to the earlier studies which indicated that the Monte Mor palynoassemblage belongs to Ahrensisporites cristatus Interval Zone.
Petrography and Diagenesis of the Jurassic Jara Dome sandstones, Kachchh, Gujarat
Authors: Khan Shaista , Ahmad A.H.M. 
Published: September 2022

The sandstones of Ridge and Athleta members of Callovian and Oxfordian age exposed at Jara Kachchh, Gujarat have been studied for their petrography and diagenetic history. These sandstones are medium– to coarse–grained, moderately to well sorted, subangular to subrounded and show medium to low spherecity. These sandstones were derived from a mixed provenance including granites, granite–gneisses, low–and high grade metamorphic and some basic rocks of the Aravalli Range and Nagarparkar Massif.
A critical analysis of the various factors that have modified the original detrital composition of Ridge and Athleta sandstones indicates that tropical weathering under warm and humid conditions and long residence time at the sediment water interface in a shallow marine environment destroyed the labile grains and enriched the sandstones in quartz. The dominance of floating grains and point contacts in the sandstones indicate that detrital grains do not show much pressure affects is a result of either shallow burial or early cementation. The sandstones were cemented by iron oxide, carbonate, silica, dolomite, glauconite and clay in order of abundance at a depth of burial in the range of 670–2600 m and 762–2750 m.