Plant fossils are good indicators of palaeo-climate

1. SEMINAR ONSEMINAR ON

2. • Introduction
• How palaeoclimte determines from the plant
fossils?
• Parameters for interpretation of
Palaeoclimate.
• Evolution of Palaeoclimate through
morphological characters.
• Morphographic characters changes for
various climate.
• Case study form Gondwana Group
• Conclusions

3. Xerophytes
Condition plants
Grow in desert
condn.
Hydrophytes
Condition plants
Plants in Water
Tundra Condition
plants – Ice
condition
Each plants grows in different Environmental
conditions and produces its own kind of spores and
pollens according particular climates

4. Paleoclimateisdefined astheclimatethat exist in the geologicalpast. The
plant fossilspreserved in therocks areuseful to study thepaleoclimateof
that region / sediments/ Basinsetc.,.
Thesynthesishasbeen donemainly on theavailabledataof plant
charctersticesfloraand vegetation
Sporesand pollensaregood indicatorsof palaeoclimateand other
geological information. Thestudy of sporesand pollensarerefered as
Palynology
Application of palynology to geologic or stratigarphic problems
involvesthedefination and delination of specific strata, areseggments
of stratigraphic column, in termsof palnomorphsderived from these
rocks

5. Ecological factors like environment and climate shows contineous changes from
one time to other. The climate of the past life was so much different then the
present.
Continuous climate changes during the earth’s past age the climate effect on the
flora of plant fossil.
The flora changes found in the particular geological strata reflects the climate
changes during the formation of the strata
So we can determine the climate of the strata that exist in geological past by using
these fossil evidence
The flora of the plants can also change due to the evolution of that plants. It is
difficult to distingush the flora changes due to the climate and flora changes to
the evolution

6. 1)Sediment-types pointer to climate ex:carbonates
evaporates tilltes
2)Flora and fauna
3)Oxygen isotope ratio
4)Palaeowind direction
5)Direction of flow of ice sheets in
the past

7. Fossils spores and pollens exhibit various morphographic characters with
specific configuration and structure, each with a precise function.
Dense central body thin central body
It develops dense central body to withstand at extreme climate conditions,
central body
Sacs

8. Fossils spores and pollens exhibit various morphographic characters with
specific configuration and structure, each with a precise function.
Thin body wall could indicate amelioration of intensive situation
Dense central body thin central body
central body

9. Saccate pollen:
Function of saccus to be an aid of floating ,they are two
types
1)Monosaccate 2)Disaccate
Saccate pollen
1)Monosaccate
This organization helps in floating of pollen during dispersal
climate conditions

10. Disaccate
2)Disaccate
Haploxylonoid Diploxylonoid
Grow in cold temperature
conditions
Grow in hot temperature
conditions

11. Leathery saccus Non- Leathery saccus Tetrad of spores
These morphological characters reflects the changing climate
conditions

12. Suite-1
Radial monosaccate , Dense central
body, Haploxyonoid construction,
Leathery saccus, Callumispora
In these suite having the extremely cold
condition with low humidity
Suite-2
Radial monosaccate, Thin central body,
Haploxyonoid construction, Leathery saccus,
Tetrads
In these suite palynoflora indicates amelioration
of the climate.
Suite-3
Thin central body, Radial
monosaccate, Haploxylonoid
construction, Non leathery saccus,
Callumispora
suggests a relatively favourable
conditions like cold with medium to
high humidity
Suite-4
Radial monosaccate, Thin central body,
haploxylonoid construction, Non leathery
saccus
The upper Karharibari indicates a very cold
situation with medium to high humidity but not
the extreme cold and dry climates as of lower
Talchir

13. Suite-5
Thin central body, Haploxylonoid
construction, Non leathery saccus
Lower barakar ,In these suite a
favourable cool with high humidity
climate. The combination of the
above
Suite-6
Thin central body, Diploxyonoid
construction, Non leathery saccus, Stration
diversity.
In these suite suggests better climate than
that previous i.e., moderately warm with
high humidity.
Suite-7
Dense central body, Diploxylonoid
construction, Non leathery saccus,
Striation diversity, Densipollenites,
Radial monosaccates.
In kulti palynoflora, they indicate a
adverse condition than suites 5 &6 i.e.,
warm with low to medium humidity
Suite-8
Thin central body, Diploxylonoid
construction, Non leathery saccus,
Striation diversity.
These characters supports warm climate
with very high humidity. Such
combination identified in lower raniganj.

14. Suite-10
Dense central body, Haploxylonoid
construction,non leathery saccus, Tetrad,
Radial monosaccates, Callumispora
In panchat palynoflora shows recurrence of
certain characters of suite-1 to suite-3 and
indicates a moderately cool climate with low
humidity.
Suite-11
Thin central body, Diploxylonoid
construction, leathery saccus, Taeniate
complex,
These suite found in the later part of
lower panchet assemblage indicates
warming of climate with medium to low
humidity.
Suite-9
Thin central body, Haploxylonoid
construction, Non leathery saccus,
Striation diversity, Densipolenites.
It represents the upper most raniganj
palynoflora. It is similar to suite-8 .

15. In these series Pollens are monosaccates type were very dominant.
It can be conclude this is mostly covered with thick ice sheets having a
small crevices.
In these Pollens are monosaccates were very dominant.
It can be conclude that land was completely free of ice and temperature
become much high.
In these series Pollens are bisaccate were very dominant.
It can be concluded that the climate during the barakar was warm
temperature, with appreciable amount of humidity.

16. In these series pollens are striate disaccate
It can be concluded that the climate was arid under the present state of evidences warm,
humidity and temperature climate prevailed.
In these series pollens are striate disaccate with triletes.
It can be concluded that the presence of warm, humid temperature climate with
intermittent rainfall is indicated.
In these series no pollens.
It can be concluded that the favourable climate for plant growth,i.e warm and
humid.

17. Chart showing various morphic features v/s Paleoclimate
Proposed 11 Suits

18. Study of plant remains as fossils have more applications like
Spore and Pollens are good indicaters of palaeoclimate
1) Correlation of different rock beds of different geographic localities
2) To fix the geological age for the sediments
3) To determine the depositional conditions during sedimentary
formation
Based on Indicator and analogy palaeoclimate has been interpreted. By
analogy of the present day indicators ,palaeoclimate of particular period
can be determined by the signatures available in the strata.
The record of changes in the earth climate during the geological
ages can be scanned from various lines of evidence.
BY PLANT FOSSIL PLAYS IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF
STRATIGRAPHY/PALEOGEOGRAPHIC STUDIES
Vital role in Hydrocarbon exploration by investigating maturation of sediments

19. 1) Bharadwaj & Chandra (1987) The
Paleobotonist, vol. 36, Pp 75 -100
2) Tshcudy (1969) , Aspects of Palynology, Pp 127-
135
WEB ADDRESS:
3) www.wikipedia .com

20. Thank you