Palaeobotanical and biomarker evidence for Early Permian (Artinskian) wildfire in the Rajmahal Basin, India
Abstract This study provides a combined analysis on the palynology, fossil charcoal and biomarkers of the subsurface coal deposits from a borehole RMB #2 drilled at the Dhulia Coal Block, Rajmahal Basin, India, in attempts to establish the chronology of sedimentation and to propose palaeobotanical a...
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doaj-e6f89de26cdd48fba1e898c9aec1ff0f2021-03-11T11:37:35ZengSpringerOpenJournal of Palaeogeography2524-45072021-03-0110112110.1186/s42501-021-00084-2Palaeobotanical and biomarker evidence for Early Permian (Artinskian) wildfire in the Rajmahal Basin, IndiaSrikanta Murthy0Vinod Atmaram Mendhe1Dieter Uhl2Runcie Paul Mathews3Vivek Kumar Mishra4Saurabh Gautam5Birbal Sahni Institute of PalaeosciencesCSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel ResearchSenckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum FrankfurtBirbal Sahni Institute of PalaeosciencesCSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel ResearchBirbal Sahni Institute of PalaeosciencesAbstract This study provides a combined analysis on the palynology, fossil charcoal and biomarkers of the subsurface coal deposits from a borehole RMB #2 drilled at the Dhulia Coal Block, Rajmahal Basin, India, in attempts to establish the chronology of sedimentation and to propose palaeobotanical as well as geochemical evidence for the occurrence of wildfires in these sediments. The palynological investigation suggests a Scheuringipollenites barakarensis palynoassemblage from the lower Barakar Formation, dated as Artinskian (Early Permian) in age. This assemblage reveals the dominance of Glossopteridales and sub-dominance of taxa belonging to Cordaitales and Coniferales. Fossil charcoal in sediments is usually recognized as a direct indicator for the occurrence of palaeo-wildfires. More data involving the anatomical features of fossil charcoal analyzed by Field Emission Scanning Electronic Microscope broaden our knowledge on Early Permian wildfires from the peninsula of India. The studied macroscopic charcoal fragments exhibit anatomical details such as homogenized cell walls, uniseriate simple and biseriate alternate pitting on tracheid walls and rays of varying heights pointing to a gymnospermous wood affinitity. The excellent preservation of charcoal fragments, shown by their large sizes and almost unabraded edges, suggests a parautochthonous origin. The embedded biomarker study performed for charcoal sediments and its characterization demonstrate the presence of n-alkanes, isoprenoids, terpenoids and aromatic compounds. A bimodal distribution pattern of n-alkanes with a Cmax at n-C25 is identified. Diterpenoids and pentacyclic terpenoids are identified, indicating the input of an early conifer vegetation and bacterial activity, respectively. The identified polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds, together with the charcoal fragments, clearly suggest that repeated wildfire events occurred during the deposition of these Artinskian sediments in the Rajmahal Basin.https://doi.org/10.1186/s42501-021-00084-2Palaeo-wildfirePalynologyFossil charcoalBiomarkerBarakar FormationRajmahal Basin |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Srikanta Murthy Vinod Atmaram Mendhe Dieter Uhl Runcie Paul Mathews Vivek Kumar Mishra Saurabh Gautam |
spellingShingle |
Srikanta Murthy Vinod Atmaram Mendhe Dieter Uhl Runcie Paul Mathews Vivek Kumar Mishra Saurabh Gautam Palaeobotanical and biomarker evidence for Early Permian (Artinskian) wildfire in the Rajmahal Basin, India Journal of Palaeogeography Palaeo-wildfire Palynology Fossil charcoal Biomarker Barakar Formation Rajmahal Basin |
author_facet |
Srikanta Murthy Vinod Atmaram Mendhe Dieter Uhl Runcie Paul Mathews Vivek Kumar Mishra Saurabh Gautam |
author_sort |
Srikanta Murthy |
title |
Palaeobotanical and biomarker evidence for Early Permian (Artinskian) wildfire in the Rajmahal Basin, India |
title_short |
Palaeobotanical and biomarker evidence for Early Permian (Artinskian) wildfire in the Rajmahal Basin, India |
title_full |
Palaeobotanical and biomarker evidence for Early Permian (Artinskian) wildfire in the Rajmahal Basin, India |
title_fullStr |
Palaeobotanical and biomarker evidence for Early Permian (Artinskian) wildfire in the Rajmahal Basin, India |
title_full_unstemmed |
Palaeobotanical and biomarker evidence for Early Permian (Artinskian) wildfire in the Rajmahal Basin, India |
title_sort |
palaeobotanical and biomarker evidence for early permian (artinskian) wildfire in the rajmahal basin, india |
publisher |
SpringerOpen |
series |
Journal of Palaeogeography |
issn |
2524-4507 |
publishDate |
2021-03-01 |
description |
Abstract This study provides a combined analysis on the palynology, fossil charcoal and biomarkers of the subsurface coal deposits from a borehole RMB #2 drilled at the Dhulia Coal Block, Rajmahal Basin, India, in attempts to establish the chronology of sedimentation and to propose palaeobotanical as well as geochemical evidence for the occurrence of wildfires in these sediments. The palynological investigation suggests a Scheuringipollenites barakarensis palynoassemblage from the lower Barakar Formation, dated as Artinskian (Early Permian) in age. This assemblage reveals the dominance of Glossopteridales and sub-dominance of taxa belonging to Cordaitales and Coniferales. Fossil charcoal in sediments is usually recognized as a direct indicator for the occurrence of palaeo-wildfires. More data involving the anatomical features of fossil charcoal analyzed by Field Emission Scanning Electronic Microscope broaden our knowledge on Early Permian wildfires from the peninsula of India. The studied macroscopic charcoal fragments exhibit anatomical details such as homogenized cell walls, uniseriate simple and biseriate alternate pitting on tracheid walls and rays of varying heights pointing to a gymnospermous wood affinitity. The excellent preservation of charcoal fragments, shown by their large sizes and almost unabraded edges, suggests a parautochthonous origin. The embedded biomarker study performed for charcoal sediments and its characterization demonstrate the presence of n-alkanes, isoprenoids, terpenoids and aromatic compounds. A bimodal distribution pattern of n-alkanes with a Cmax at n-C25 is identified. Diterpenoids and pentacyclic terpenoids are identified, indicating the input of an early conifer vegetation and bacterial activity, respectively. The identified polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds, together with the charcoal fragments, clearly suggest that repeated wildfire events occurred during the deposition of these Artinskian sediments in the Rajmahal Basin. |
topic |
Palaeo-wildfire Palynology Fossil charcoal Biomarker Barakar Formation Rajmahal Basin |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s42501-021-00084-2 |
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