Fossilized Leaves Discovered in Assam

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Recently, 24-million-year-old fossilized leaves were found in Assam’s Makum Coalfield, which revealed insights into ancient plant life and ecosystems.

• Discovery of fossils – The study was led by scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow which is an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology.

The team used herbarium comparisons, cluster analysis, and CLAMP (Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program) to reconstruct the past environment.

• Plant species identified – Fossils were identified as the oldest known record of the Nothopegia genus, which no longer exists in Northeast India today.
• Modern comparison – They are closely related to modern Nothopegia species found in the Western Ghats, located thousands of kilometres away.
• Dating period – The fossils date back to the late Oligocene epoch (24–23 million years ago), a period of significant climatic and geological change.
• Ancient climatic conditions – Ancient Northeast India had a warm and humid climate, suitable for tropical species like Nothopegia — similar to today’s Western Ghats.
• Geological impact – The rise of the Himalayas due to tectonic movements drastically changed Northeast India’s climate, making it inhospitable for tropical plants which led to the disappearance of species.
• Species migration – Nothopegia disappeared from Assam but survived in the Western Ghats, a climatically stable region that became its refuge.
• Ecological significance – This shows how climate and geological forces can force species to migrate or vanish, affecting biodiversity over long periods.
• It also depicts that current climate change is much faster and human-driven, unlike slow ancient shifts.
• It also emphasizes the need to protect biodiversity hotspots like the Western Ghats, which act as climate refuges for ancient and rare species.

Reference

DD News| Fossil Leaves Unearthed in Assam