Palaeoenvironmental and stratigraphical implications of the palynoflora and macro–charcoal from the early Permian of the Chuperbhita Coalfield, Rajmahal Basin, Jharkhand, India

Abstract

Palynological and macro–charcoal studies have been carried out on fossiliferous material from the upper seam of the Barakar Formation of Simlong Open Cast Mine (OCM), Chuperbhita Coalfield, India. The palynoassemblage exhibits a dominance of non– striate bisaccate pollen, mainly Scheuringipollenites, and a subdominance of striate bisaccate pollen assignable to Faunipollenites, suggesting an early Permian age (Artinskian). The presence of macro–charcoal indicates the occurrence of wildfire at the time of deposition of the Barakar Formation at Simlong OCM. The composition of the palynological assemblage, as well as anatomical details of the macro–charcoal, indicate that the source vegetation was dominated by gymnosperms. The non–abraded edges of many charcoal fragments suggest that the charcoal has not been transported over a long distance, indicating local to regional fires. Together with previous records of macro–charcoal, and the high inertinite contents of many Permian coals from India, this study further supports the widespread occurrence of palaeo–wildfires as frequent sources of disturbance in continental ecosystems in this part of Gondwana during the early Permian.