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Abstract
This paper presents a palynological examination of surface soil samples procured from butterfly mud puddling locations in northeast India and its comparison with forest surface samples from the immediate vicinity. The modern palynodata from different sites reflect a close similarity in the types and frequency of the pollen grains. However, the diversity of pollen taxa in butterfly mud puddle samples was comparatively higher than the forest surface samples. The pollen recovered in both the butterfly mud puddle location and forest surface samples reflects an evergreen forest composed of Dillenia, Elaeocarpus, Litsea, and Syzygium which exactly displays the current vegetation. The presence of cerealia, along with Brassicaceae, and Hibiscus in the butterfly mud puddle samples is suggestive of the human activity in the vicinity. However, the abundance of Lantana and Melastoma pollen in the mud puddle sediments is a strong indication of the conversion of forest vegetation in to open habitat, because these plants are correlated with human occupation. The extra-regional taxa, especially Rhododendron, in the mud puddle sediments are significant and strongly suggestive of butterfly migration from higher altitudes. Evergreen elements, along with ferns and fungal remains, in the palynoassemblage are strongly indicative of high rainfall under warm and humid climatic conditions. Thus, the main aim of this observation was to identify the potential of butterfly mud puddle samples and its comparison with other surface pollen traps in order to strengthen the relationship between modern pollen and vegetation in floristically rich areas of Assam, northeast India. The palynodata from the butterfly mud puddle locations is a useful source of palynological observation which should be considered in future palynological research.
Acknowledgements
We sincerely thank Professor Sunil Bajpai, Director, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, for providing laboratory facilities and permission to publish the manuscript. We are thankful to Dr. H. Gregory McDonald, National Park Service, USA, for his scientific suggestions to improve the paper. We are also thankful to Dr. Rajib Gogoi, and Dr. S. J. Bora, Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Arunachal Pradesh, India, for providing some field photographs.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Sadhan K. Basumatary
SADHAN K. BASUMATARY was awarded a BSc from the University of Gauhati, India in 1995, an MSc in Botany from the same institution in 1998 and a PhD on Quaternary palynology from the University of Lucknow in 2011. He is currently a Scientist “C” at the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany in Lucknow, working on Quaternary palynology using multiproxy data. Sadhan has 14 years research experience, and has published 65 papers in national and international journals.
Dhananjoy Narzary
DHANANJOY NARZARY is currently working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany in the Kokrajhar Government College of Assam, India. He was awarded a BSc in 1997 and an MSc in Botany in 2000 from Gauhati University, Assam. Dhananjoy was also awarded a BEd degree from Gauhati University in 2001. His research currently focuses on plant diversity and conservation.
Munmun Brahma
MUNMUN BRAHMA is working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology in the Kokrajhar Science College of Assam, India. She was awarded a BSc in 1995 from Kohima Science College of Nagaland and an MSc in Zoology in 1998 from Gauhati University, Assam. Munmun has five years research experience and has published three research papers in national and international journals.