Palaeoenvironment and Palaeobiodiversity during Permian Triassic Period in and around Belpahar area Ib River Coalfield Jharsuguda District Odisha

Abstract

Palaeobotanical (morphotaxonomical), palynological and organic geochemistry newlinestudies have been carried out in five different study areas viz. Chaurimal stone quarry section (21° 50and#8242; 9.38and#8243;/83° 48and#8242; 23.51and#8243;), Chaurimal nala section (21° 51and#8242; 9.38and#8243;/83° 48and#8242; 52.51and#8243;), Thungiadera section (21° 49and#8242; 58.41and#8243;/83° 51and#8242; 45.52and#8243;), Kendudihi nala section (21° 59and#8242; 32.01and#8243;/83° 39and#8242; 49.26and#8243;) and Ustali pond section (21° 57and#8242; 45.62and#8243;/83° 43and#8242; 21.97and#8243;) of Ib River newlineCoalfield, Odisha, India. Palaeobotanical (megafossil) studies have been carried out in all the newlinefive areas whereas palynology and biomarker (organic geochemistry) studies have been newlineundertaken in the samples collected from Ustali village. newlineMegafloral assemblages have been reported from five investigated localities [three newlineLower Kamthi Formation exposures (Chaurimal quarry section, Charurimal nala section and newlineThungiadera); one Raniganj Formation exposure (Kendudihi) and one Barakar Formation newlineExposure (Ustali)] of Ib River Basin in and around Jharsuguda district and in parts newlineSundargarh District border to Jharsuguda District. Altogether 668 fossil specimens have been newlinecollected from these localities. Megafloral assemblages consist of 11 genera belonging to 5 newlinedifferent plant groups (Equisetales, Sphenophyllales, Filicales, Cycadales, and newlineGlossopteridales) and comprise both pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. Pteridophytes such as newlineEquisetales (equisetaceous stems and Schizoneura gondwanensis), Spenophyllales (Trizygia newlinespeciosa) and Filicales (Neomariopteris polymorpha, N. talchirensis). Gymnosperms newlinecomprise Cycadales (Macrotaeniopteris feddenii) and Glossopteridales leaf forms (42 taxa newlineconsisting of Glossopteris and Gangamopteris), root form (1 taxon: Vetebraria), seed forms newline(seven taxa consisting of Cordaicarpus, Rotundocarpus, Samaropsis), scale leaf (one taxon: newlinePartha) and stem cast. As a whole 39 Glossopteris species have been reported in the present newlinedoctoral study namely Glossopteris angustifolia, G. barakarensis, G. bosei, G. browniana, G. newlinecommunis, G. decipiens, G. densinervis, G. formosa, G.