The Journal of Indian Botanical Society

Fifteen samples (nine moss cushion and six subsurface soil) followed by one 1.3 meter sedimentary soil profile from Garobadha Swamp were pollen analysed to deduce vegetation development and climatic oscillations in West Garo Hills, Meghalaya. The present investigation has documented vegetation succession under three climatic regimes viz., onset of warm and humid, increasing warm and humid and warm and dry climatic condition since 1300 yrs BP. In the first phase (GA I) an open mixed deciduous vegetation was evidenced by the occurrence of Syzygium cumunii, Schima wallichii, Terminalia bellerica and Dilleniapentagyna, etc., during 1300 yrs BP reflected onset of warm and humid climatic condition. However, in the second phase (GA II) the vegetation scenario has been little changed during 752 yrs BP due to increased warm condition causing good monsoonal activity as inferred by the appearance of more mixed tropical deciduous arboreals than preceding phase. In the third phase (GA III), 322 yrs BP onwards arboreals, exotics and marshy/aquatic taxa have been decreased gradually, whereas, few nonarboreals like Artemisia etc., in the upper column indicating relatively drier condition than the preceding phases.