Pollen analytical study of Quaternary deposits in the Bengal Basin

Abstract

The pollen analytical investigations carried out at Sankrail and Jangalpur, Howrah, in the Bengal basin has shown that the fresh water Heritiera forest with a slight brackish water conditions existed during Late Quaternary time and the sites have remained far remote from the Sunderbans as evidenced by the occurrence of Potamogeton. From pollen sequence there is hardly any indication of change in climate from the present during the last 6000 years in the Bengal basin. The profiles from Sankrail have been radiocarbon dated to T.F. 856-5810 ±110 B.P.-top of the bottom clay, T.F. 855-4720 ±135 B.P.-top of the peat layer in Sankrail Pit 2 and the peat layer in Sankaril Pit 1 is dated to TF 851-4075 ± 100 and TF 850-2615 ± 100 B.P. for lower and upper layers respectively.