Modern pollen and vegetation relationship in the teak deciduous forest in Sehore District, Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

Pollen analyses of 19 surface soil and mud samples in and around Kusumelli Swamp near Shahganj, Sehore District of Madhya Pradesh were carried out to understand modern pollen and vegetation relationship in the dry deciduous teak dominated forest region. The palynological assemblage demonstrates pervasiveness of non–arboreal (herbs) forms in comparison to arboreal (trees and shrubs) taxa. Maximum arboreal pollen are recorded in forest floor (average 37%) in comparison to lake floor sediments (average 33%) followed by forest vicinity mud (average 29%) and forest edge open area (average 24%). The most common constituent of modern forest floristic, i.e. teak (80–90%) is recorded by average of 1% in lake, forest and adjoining floor sediments. The other members such as Madhuca indica (average 2.1%), Syzygium sp. (average 1.6%), Terminalia sp. (average 1.4%), Butea monosperma (average 1%), Embilica officinalis (average 0.7%), Diospyros sp. and Lannea grandis (average 0.6%) are also recorded in low frequencies. This discrepancy in the pollen deposition pattern is possibly due to their low pollen production and partial preservation in sediments. Stumpy pollen frequency of Sal (average 0.4%) recovered in open area and lake floor sediments could be ascribed to its anemophilous mode of pollination and transportation through low turbulent winds and water from nearby area. However, better representation of Holoptelea (average 4.4%) and Buchanania lanza (average 3.8%) in all sediment samples can be substantiated through their huge pollen production and higher dispersal efficiency. In addition, non–arboreal representatives such as Asteraceae (Tubuliflorae and Liguliflorae), Caryophyllaceae, Malvaceae, Brassicaceae, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae and Cannabinaceae, etc. more or less reflect actual composition of the ground flora. The comparative database generated on pollen–vegetation spectra will serve a modern pollen analogue for factual appraisal of fossil pollen successions deposited during Quaternary Period in the region.