Palaeoclimate, Palaeoecology and Palaeovegetation in and around Nandira Colliery, Talcher Basin, Odisha, India during Early Permian: Inferences from Typical Karharbari Palynofloral and Palynofacies Analysis

Abstract

Palynofloral study along with palynofacies analysis has been undertaken in Nandira colliery, Talcher basin, Odisha, India. Recovered palynoassemblage is characterized by the dominance of monosaccate pollen grains viz., Parasaccites spp. (25%), Plicatipollenites spp. (5%), Potonieisporites sp. (1%) and Diavarisaccus lelei (1%) along with nonstriate bisaccate Scheuringipollenites maximus (35%). The recovered palynoflora shows its affinity towards the Upper Karharbari palynoflora of the early Artinskian age. The organic matter studied from the palynofacies investigation includes palynomorphs (SP), structured phytoclasts/ translucent phytoclasts (ST), opaque phytoclasts/ charcoal (CH), degraded organic matter (DOM), and amorphous organic matter (AOM). The carbonaceous shale (Sample Na) is dominated by SP (34.67%) and sub-dominated by ST (22%) along with CH (13.34%), DOM (19%), and AOM (11%). Coal samples (Nb to Ne) are completely devoid of palynomorphs. They are mainly dominated by CH (24.87-62.34%) and ST (20.20-73.38%) with presence of DOM (0.7-8.7%) and AOM (0.4-8.7%). Deposition of the sediments in a lower carbonaceous shale bed (Na) might have occurred in a dysoxic forest swamp in low-energy settings. The coal beds (Nb to Ne) have been deposited in the oxidized swamps in the proximal setting. The predominant occurrence of the opaque phytoclasts associated with the coal sediments may indicate a regular occurrence of palaeofires during the Artinskian.