Studies in the late quaternary vegetational history in Himachal Pradesh- 2. Rewalsar lake

Authors

  • Chhaya Sharma Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, University Road, Lucknow 226007, India
  • Gurdip Singh Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, University Road, Lucknow 226007, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1972.1495

Abstract

The paper embodies the results of pollen analytical investigations carried out at Rewalsar lake in Himachal Pradesh. The whole pollen sequence has been divided into several stages (a-e) as to facilitate the description of the pollen diagram. The Rewalsar lake is nearly 800 cm deep and is C-14 dated at two levels, i.e., 170 and 290 cm to 520 ± 55 and 1410 ± 60 years B.P. respectively. The date for bottom portion of the profile can be extrapolated to about 4000 years B.P. and thus whole sequence belongs to the "Post-glacial period ".

The vegetational stages as marked in the pollen diagrams to show the vegetational changes. The ‘Stage a’ the lowermost part of the lake basin is comprised of the forest in which oak appears to be the most dominant element followed by Pinus and Corylus with an undergrowth of grasses together with Artemisia and Cheno-Amarant. The succeeding ‘Stage b’ is almost in accordance with the preceding ‘Stage a’ except for a little rise in Quercus. ‘Stage c’ is differentiated from the preceding stages by the consistent rise in the values of Corylus and corresponding fall in the values of Quercus. The high altitude elements such as Pinus wallichiana, Abies, Picea and Cedrus have either gained or emerged during this stage. The ground flora except for minor fluctuations remains the same. ‘Stage d’ is marked by the tremendous decline in oaks and Corylus corresponding with a sudden rise in the values of Pinus roxburghii from the beginning of this stage. ‘Stage e’ is characterized by tremendous fall of Quercus giving pace to the grasslands comprising Gramineae Cyperaceae, Compositae, Artemisia, Cheno-Amarant type and Cerealia type.

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References

Anonymous 1904. Punjab State Gazetteer Vol. VII-A Lahore.

Bor NL 1953. Manual of Indian Forest Botany. London.

Erdtman G 1943. An Introduction to Pollen-Analysis Waltham. Mass., U.S.A.

Kashyap SR 1920. Note on the floating islands of Riwalsar. J. Indian. bot. Soc. 1: 252-53.

Sharma Chhaya 1971. Origin of ‘Floating islands’ in the lakes at Khajiar and Rewalsar, Himachal Pradesh. The Palaeobotanist. 19(3): 270-276. https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1970.876

Sharma Chhaya 1973. Recent pollen spectra from Himachal Pradesh. Geophytology. 3(2): 135-144.

Sharma Chhaya & Singh G 1972. Late-Quaternary vegetational history in Himachal Pradesh 1-Khajiar lake. The Palaeobotanist. 21: 144-162. https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1972.1477

Singh G 1963. A preliminary survey of the Postglacial vegetational history of the Kashmir Valley. The Palaeobotanist. 12(1): 73-108. https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1963.645

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Published

1972-12-31

How to Cite

Sharma, C., & Singh, G. (1972). Studies in the late quaternary vegetational history in Himachal Pradesh- 2. Rewalsar lake. Journal of Palaeosciences, 21((1-3), 321–338. https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1972.1495

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Research Articles

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