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Light Microscopic photomicrographs of pollen (all scale ¼ 10 mm). 1 Casearia, 2 Sapotaceae Chrysophyllum, 3 Balanites aegyptica (desert date), 4 & 5 Nothopegia travancorica, 6
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A multi-proxy study was carried out to address climate–culture relationship from two trenches one each from Kaj and Kanjetar (mid-Saurashtra coast) deposited in a lacustrine setting, since ∼1960 Cal BC and ∼2230 Cal BC, respectively. The salinity of aqueous soil solution (0.1 ppt) and fresh water thecamoebians in both the sites indicate fresh water...
Citations
... The landscape characterizes a typical semi-arid biogeographical zone [19] with an aridity index of 20-40% [20]. The mean annual rainfall is~600 mm [21]. The area's mean maximum and minimum temperatures are 34˚C and 19˚C, respectively [22]. ...
The present study aimed to assess the population density, structure, and population change of nine wild prey species in the semi-arid landscape of Saurashtra, Gujarat, India. A total of eight sites, representing a gradient from highly protected woodlands and grasslands to unreserved grasslands, were selected for sampling. We employed the road transect methodology under a distance sampling framework to achieve our objectives. We evaluated the realized growth rate of the Gir ungulate population through linear regression analysis. Our findings revealed that deer species exhibited higher density and biomass in woodlands compared to grasslands and coastal forests. On the other hand, antelopes showed higher density and biomass in grasslands and coastal forests compared to woodlands. The density gradient of wild prey species was influenced by various factors, including habitat structure, social organization, grouping tendencies, and topography. Over the last four decades, the population of wild prey species in Gir showed minimal changes. Our study provides a comprehensive understanding of wild prey species’ density and biomass patterns at the landscape level. The inclusion of findings from ecologically significant and unique areas, such as coastal forests, further enhances the importance of this study. The implications of this study extend beyond the conservation of wild prey species alone; they also contribute to the conservation of the large carnivore guild in the Saurashtra landscape.
... The ratio of AP/NAP was highest (39%) and the vegetation here is perhaps the remains of plant diversity that flourished during a relatively warmer and humid climate prior to 5 ka during the Middle Holocene Climatic Optimum (MHCO: 9-5 ka). Similar evidence of rich plant diversity during MHCO has been reported in sedimentary profiles from the Gangetic Plain (Saxena and Trivedi, 2017;Tripathi et al., 2017;Trivedi et al., 2013) Central India (Chauhan and Quamar, 2012;Chauhan et al., 2013) Western Himalaya (Quamar, 2019), trans-Himalaya (Demske et al., 2009) and coastal areas (Farooqui and Nautiyal, 2016;Farooqui et al., 2013). Records of strengthened monsoon between 7-5 ka and subsequent increase in aridity throughout the Indian sub-continent have been documented (Phartiyal et al., 2020). ...
... The rise in temperature began both at higher and lower altitudes after ~10 ka until the cold spell ~8 ka (Achyuthan et al., 2016;Misra et al., 2019;Quamar et al., 2021). Broadly, moist conditions between 7 -6 ka and dry conditions since ~5 ka reached the climatic climax ~4.2 ka inducing extreme arid conditions which are also recorded the world over (Farooqui et al., 2013;Kathayat et al., 2017;Roy et al., 2022). Our results show intermittent wet conditions between ~4.5 and 4.4 ka and then between ~3.0 and 2.8 ka. ...
The Ganga-Sai River Interfluve contains several ox-bow lakes in the fertile Central Ganga plains (CGP). A ~2.20-meter deep sedimentary profile obtained near the Chandra Shekhar Azad bird sanctuary (Nawabganj lake-NL) of the CGP was studied to understand the evolution of the ecosystem and climate using pollen/spores, diatoms, testate amoebae, environmental magnetic data,and carbon and nitrogen isotopes. This sedimentary profile is chronologically well-constrained by five radiocarbon (14C) dates. Between 4.6 and 4.4 ka, the sandy sediment and pollen evidence for riparian forest, the absence of aquatic pollen and sponge spicules suggest scant water in the vicinity through the river channel. A semi-closed fluvial ecosystem between 4.4 and 4.2 ka is indicated by testate amoebae, sponge spicules and arboreal pollen. At least two intermittent warm conditions prevailed between 4.6 and 4.2 ka. Between 4.2 and 2.8 ka, high aquatic pollen, diatoms and testate amoebae indicate a lake ecosystem. By ~2.8–0.9 ka the gammoscleres from sponges formed during dry seasons indicate recharging during monsoon as the river shifted. Thereafter, agricultural pollen (Brassica and Apiaceae) indicates a further shift in the lake boundary exposing land. The highly sandy texture, fluctuating δ13C, δ15N and magnetic mineral values indicate an unstable fluvio-lacustrine deposition inducing hydroecological changes influenced by intermittent about 5–6 humid and dry climatic conditions since ~4.6 ka to present. The calcrete layer in the bottom sediments shows high aridity in CGP between ~5 and 4.6 ka reaching the climax cold-dry event of ~4.2 ka recorded worldwide. The spectral analysis of palynological data from NL and the contemporary Barela Lake, reveals de Vries and Gleissberg cycles of low and high solar irradiance at centennial to multi-centennial scale during the Holocene. The impact on vegetation, sediment depositional dynamics, and shift in river channel was more rapid showing the dominance of ~200 years. periodicity post ~5 ka as compared to ~300 years of dominance prior to this. This centennial timescale is of great speculation for future climate predictions in CGP coupled with the anthropogenic forcings.
... dry and hot summer (March-June), monsoon (July-October), and primarily dry winter (November-February). It receives a mean annual rainfall of ~ 600 mm, with most rainfall during the southwest monsoon 27 . The mean maximum and minimum temperatures are 34 °C and 19 °C, respectively 28 . ...
Endangered Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) are renowned for their resilience and as a flagship of successful conservation and management. Lions dispersing out of the Gir forest have established themselves in the coastal habitats for about 25 years. We propose that the home range and spatial distribution of lions inhabiting the coastal habitats would be distinct from the forested habitats of the protected area. Each individual was monitored for an average of 367.2 ± 99.05 days from 2019 to 2021. The mean core area was 33.8 km² (50% FK, SE 8.7 km²) and the overall average range was 171.8 km² (90% FK, SE 40.5 km²). The home ranges were significantly larger for lions residing in the coastal area compared to lions in the protected area. The lion distribution model was built on MaxEnt, and inputs included location fixes of lions and variables, including 18 land use categories and Euclidean distance to linear infrastructures and human settlements. Lions were shown to use forest habitat patches extensively, followed by available habitats around water sources and wasteland. The study highlights the importance of corridors connecting to the Gir protected area and the importance of coastal forest patches for lion conservation and management.
... The landscape represents a typical semi-arid biogeographical zone (Rodgers & Panwar, 1988) with an aridity index ranging between 20 and 40% (Jadav, 2010). Mainly received from the Indian south-west monsoon, the mean annual rainfall is 600 mm (Farooqui et al., 2013) [the average annual rainfall for the past 25 years in Gir PA is 976.50 mm; Vasavada et al., 2022]. The mean maximum and minimum temperatures are 34°C and 19°C respectively (Gundalia & Dholakia, 2013). ...
We studied the activity patterns and movement characteristics of 19 Asiatic lions (Panthera leo leo) monitored through satellite radio‐collars equipped with activity sensors. We investigated the variations in the daily distance covered (movement) and the daily activity patterns from acceleration sensors (activity) in relation to season, group size, age and sex. We hypothesised that for the Asiatic lions: (1) the movement and activity should be variable in relation to demographic parameters (age, sex and social status) and (2) the land tenure characteristics, such as home range and daily distance moved, may be variable within and outside Gir PA (PA). Adult lions' mean daytime activity was 20.37 ± 11.15, while the daily distance moved was 5.1 ± 4.0 km. There was a significant difference in the mean daily distance between males and females, but none between adult and sub‐adult males. Females showed significantly less activity and movement compared to adult males. Adult males were significantly more active than sub‐adult males. Compared to within PA, the mean daily movement for adult males and females ranging outside PA was not different but more significant for sub‐adult males. At the same time, the home ranges are larger outside PA compared to within PA. The difference in space use outside PA was an artefact of long distance forays by adult and sub‐adult males and females on certain days. The foraying distances showed a characteristic pattern for sub‐adult males, adult males and females. We recommend incorporating such intra‐specific variation in movement behaviour due to age–sex and lions' life‐history requirements in conservation planning. We further recommend a detailed investigation of resource and habitat use considering demographic variability for implementing management action for conserving Asiatic lions in multi‐use landscapes.
... Dung as a substrate that preserves pollen in arid regions can also be sampled at different times of the year and thus can provide a basis to determine seasonal changes in plant diversity and phenology especially flowering and fruiting period of different plant species in this arid region. Such studies can augment scattered palaeoclimatic and palaeocological work that has been carried out in the arid-semiarid environment of Gujarat (Laskar et al, 2010;Pokharia et al., 2011Pokharia et al., , 2017Pokharia et al., , 2020Farooqui et al., 2013;Prasad et al., 2014) in relation to the Indus and Harappan civilization (4600-3700 yr BP). ...
... The recovered pollen taxa were categorized as arboreal taxa (trees and shrubs), non-arboreal taxa (marshy and terrestrial herbs), fungal spores, Thecamoeba, and Botryococcus. For the identification of pollen grains, we consulted the reference slides at the Birbal Sahni Institute of J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f Journal Pre-proof Palaeosciences herbarium as well as published literature (Gupta and Sharma, 1986;Nayar, 1990;Farooqui et al., 2013) (Fig. 4). ...
The dung of the Indian wild ass was analyzed using biotic and abiotic proxies to determine its dietary habits in relation to the plant diversity and ecology in the arid region of western India. The presence of both micro and macrobotanical remains of Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae, and Fabaceae indicates they are the primary food plants of the wild ass. The continuous recovery of arboreal pollen taxa chiefly, Prosopis, Acacia, and Ephedra is indicative of dry thorny forest under semi-arid to arid conditions which display the existing vegetation and climate in the region. The recovery of marshy pollen taxa like Cyperaceae and Onagraceae along with Arcella indicates utilization of water-logged environments in the habitat. Spores of coprophilous fungi, Sporormiella, Sordaria, and Podospora are also present in the dung samples. The low value of stellate trichomes in winter dung samples reflects the seasonal migration of wild ass. Average δ¹³C values ranging between − 15.8‰ and–26.3‰ are indicative of a mixed diet of both C3 and C4 plants. The generated multiproxy data from dung samples can provide a reliable counterpart to modern data for the interpretation of the palaeoecology in relation to the palaeoherbivory and palaeodietary analysis in the region. This study also provides a basis to distinguish between wild and domesticated herbivores by analyzing coprolites and cultural sediments in archeological sites.
... Remains of wild and domestic animals and plants were also recovered from the site (Kharakwal et al. 2005(Kharakwal et al. : 115-123, 2007(Kharakwal et al. : 21-46, 2008(Kharakwal et al. : 5-23, 2009(Kharakwal et al. : 147-164, 2012Agrawal et al. 2010: 1-2). (Farooqui et al. 2013(Farooqui et al. : 2631. The distinctive features of the material culture of the Chalcolithic site(s) in Gujarat in the early stage was observed by a few scholars like Vats (1937), Dikshit (1950), Subbarao (1958), Nanavati (1962) and Wheeler (1959Wheeler ( , 1966. ...
... The Jorwe culture is divided into two phases, the early Jorwe (1500 -1200 BC) and the late Jorwe (1200 -900 BC) based on structures, subsistence economy and materials used. As per Dhavalikar (1979: 251) (Bisht 2000;IAR 1993-94), Surkotada ( Joshi 1990), Kanmer (Kharakwal et al. 2011(Kharakwal et al. , 2012, Loteshwar (Patel 2008), Datrana (Garcia-Granero et al. 2017), Ratanpura (IAR 1984-85;, Nagwada (Hegde et al. 1988;Hegde et al. 1990b;Possehl 1994b), Langhnaj (Sankalia 1965), Bagasra (Sonawane et al. 2003;Chase 2007Chase , 2010, Kuntasi (Dhavalikar et al. 1996), Jaidak (Sen 2009), Bet Dwarka (Gaur et al. 2005), Nageshwar (Hegde et al. 1990a), Somnath (Dhavalikar and Possehl 1992), Padri Ajithprasad 2002), Rojdi , Oriyo Timbo , Babarkot (Possehl 1994a), Vagad (Sonawane and Mehta 1985), Lothal , Malvan (Allchin et al. 1995), Bokhira (Gaur et al. 2006;Gaur and Sundaresh 2013), Kaj (Farooqui et al. 2013), ...
... Kanjetar (Farooqui et al. 2013), Khirsara and Navinal . ...
Haryana forms a portion of the Punjab plains and represents
one of the most fertile states of India. Since the
formation of the present river system during the Pleistocene
epoch, it has been the most congenial plain for
human habitation due to the availability of flat fertile
land and water. Due to this reason, Haryana became a
home to the early farming communities known as the
Ghaggar-Hakra culture during the Pre-Harappan period,
which was later incorporated into the Harappan
culture. In this paper various phases of Harappan Civilization in Ghaggar Basin are discussed.
... Classical Harappan pottery of the Indus Civilization is found mostly in walled settlements, with the characteristic Indus city plan and associated material culture, ranging from villages such as Shikarpur (Bhan and Ajithprasad, 2009) to major urban centers such as Dholavira (Bisht, 2015). Finally, Sorath Harappan pottery is the dominant regional ceramic tradition associated with the Harappan sites (mostly) of Saurashtra (see e.g., Farooqui et al., 2013Farooqui et al., , p. 2632 and references therein). Recent archeobotanical and zooarcheological research in northern Gujarat has provided extensive evidence for the production and distribution of plant and animal resources during the Chalcolithic and Harappan period. ...
This study attempts a holistic approach to past foodways in prehistoric northern Gujarat, India, by considering evidence of food production, distribution, preparation and consumption. We present here the results of a pilot residue study, integrating lipid and starch grain analyses, conducted on 28 ceramic vessels from three Chalcolithic/Harappan settlements (c. 3300–2000 cal. BC) in northern Gujarat, which are discussed in the light of previous evidence of plant and animal acquisition and preparation strategies in this region. We aim to explore how the prehistoric inhabitants of northern Gujarat transformed ingredients into meals, focusing on how different foodstuffs were processed. When assessed on their own, the lipid and compound-specific isotopic data suggest that animal fats were primarily processed in ceramic vessels, specifically non-ruminant fats. However, lipid residue analysis favors the detection of fat-rich animal products and is often unable to disentangle signatures resulting from the mixing of plant and animal products. The incorporation of starch grain analyses provides evidence for the processing of a range of plants in the vessels, such as cereals, pulses and underground storage organs. Together, the results provide a holistic perspective on foodways and a way forward in overcoming preservational and interpretational limitations.
... The early phase of Indus (Harappan) civilization (~3300 to ~ 2600 BCE) is known for its agricultural and pastoral activities (Sharma et al., 2020a). Earlier reported data from IVC archaeological sites suggest that early settlers induced substantial changes in agricultural strategies according to contemporary regional climate (monsoonal) changes (Farooqui et al., 2013;Pokharia et al., 2014;Khonde et al. 2017) and overall subsistence, cropping patterns, crop-manuring and animal husbandry were linked with prevailing climate. A number of sculptures, deities/ terracotta figurines, seals (of Swastika signature), fire alters have been reported from many of the IVC archaeological sites excavated from India and Pakistan (Jarrige and Lechevallier, 1979;Bisht, 1997;Lal et al., 2003;Shinde, 2016). ...
... Different plant sources have starch granules of different shapes, size and hilum positions (French and Wild, 1953). Starch grains could be identified to a plant family, genus based on its size, shape and morphological features like hila (the organic nucleus around which the starch granules are formed), ring like features in the boundaries having both crystalline and amorphous layers known as lamellae, cracks or fissures (Reichert, 2013;Pearsall et al., 2004;Piperno and Holst, 1998;Piperno et al., 2000;2004;Holst et al., 2007). ...
... During late mature phase, the millets has also been encountered as a part of food economy indicate that the agriculture strategy shifted from wetter conditions to drier (drought resistant crops) conditions, which suggests the human adaptation towards drought conditions (Sharma et al., 2020a). The climatic amelioration from 'warm and humid' to 'cooler and drier' conditions has been recorded from the Saurashtra coast (Farooqui et al., 2013) and Gujarat mainland in the western part of India . It could be anticipated that the early Harappan farmers (from western Rajasthan region) appear to have sensed importance of multi-nutritive food supplements for their better health and sustenance. ...
During excavation of a Harappan archaeological site 4MSR (29°12′24.48″N, 73°09′20.16″E) from western Rajasthan (India), seven closely spaced similar sized spheroids (food-balls) were recovered. Detailed microscopic, biochemical (organic), elemental and stable isotopic composition of the spheroidal-material was studied. δ¹³C value of organic fraction (−22.5‰) indicated agricultural origin of organic matter. Significant excesses of Magnesium (Mg) and Calcium (Ca) and Potassium (K) further supported organic (food material) dominance in the spheroids. Gas chromatography mass-spectrometry (GCMS) analysis showed dominance of plant derived organic compounds in the spheroid sample. Microscopic stain analysis using safranin and iodine dyes confirmed bulk of the spheroids was composed of organic material. Majority of starch granule morphotypes found in spheroid-material were made of legumes and cereals dominated by Mung (Vigna radiata). Siliceous phytoliths, Ca and Mg oxalate crystals along with a few Mg sulphate crystals were also observed in spheroids composition. We surmise these spheroids were mainly made up of food grains comprising both cereals and legumes. The concept of offerings for some ritual or multi-nutritive compact food balls for instant nutrition as food-supplement, perhaps prevailing during that period. The presence of bull figurines, hand held copper adze and a Harappan seal in the vicinity of these seven food balls signify that humans revered all these commodities due to their utility and importance to them.
... A similar, more or less contemporaneous climatic stress seems to have occurred along the Indus Valley, as well as along the shores of the Arabian Sea, where a 4.2 ka BP drought is suggested to be one of the causes of the decline of both Mesopotamia and Indus Civilizations (Staubwasser et al. 2003;Farooki et al. 2013;Dixit et al. 2014;Sarkar et al. 2016;Giosan et al. 2018). However, the effect the new conditions played in reshaping economy, social organisation, and land use of the ancient huntergatherers is unknown. ...
This chapter is a review of the prehistory of the fisher-gatherers who settled along the coasts of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. Previous research and studies have been centred mainly on the western coasts of the Indian Ocean. They have presented and discussed the general patterns and chronological frame of the coastal human adaptation since the early Holocene, and the recurrent presence of shell middens located close to mangrove environments. More recent research has been focussed on the northern shores of the Arabian Sea. From this region we have new evidence of the presence of fisher-gatherers communities that seasonally settled along the ancient coastline and islands of south-western Sindh and Las Bela (Balochistan) since the end of the eighth millennium BP indicating that early navigation already took place in that period. According to the archaeological evidence, the subsistence activities of these human groups were varied though seasonally based mainly on fishing and shellfish gathering. Broadly speaking marine and mangrove resources were widespread exploited along the two coasts of the Arabian Sea during favourable, well-defined periods of coastal adaptation following the varied environmental conditions and sea-level changes that took place since the beginning of the Holocene.
... The mean annual rainfall of the Saurashtra region is 600 mm with a precipitation maximum existing during June to September caused by ISM (Farooqui et al., 2013). The mean minimum and maximum temperature vary between 19 C and 34 C, respectively (Gundalia & Dholakia, 2013). ...
... Based on the forest type classification (Champion & Seth, 1968), the study area falls under 5A/C-1a (very dry teak forest) consisting of dry deciduous teak forest (Terminalia, Diospyros melanoxylon, Tectona grandis, and Wrightia tinctoria), Savannah includes Acacia grasses (Dicanthium annulatum, Sehima nervosum, Apludamutica, Chrysopogon, Heteropogon, Cymbopogon, and Aristida), and thorn scrub forest (A. catechu, A. marmalos, A. nilotica, B. aegyptica, A. leucophloea, etc.;Farooqui et al., 2013). Previous study at the Vasoj relict mudflat along southern Saurashtra coast nearly 1 km NE from the present core location suggested the presence of extensive mangrove forest with core mangrove species such as Sonneratia sp., Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Rhizophora mucronata, and Excoecaria agallocha (Banerji et al., 2015). ...
The climate variability over western India has been significantly influenced by the perturbations in the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) and thus, provides a crucial platform to investigate the paleomonsoon variations, weathering intensity, and sediment source. The mudflats of southern Saurashtra, western India are deprived of perennial rivers, but the region receives terrestrial contribution exclusively due to activation of seasonal rivers during the monsoon. In the present study, an attempt has been made to investigate the paleomonsoon and palaeoweathering using various geochemical proxies (detrital, productivity, redox, and weathering) on the mudflat sediment core of southern Saurashtra, western Gujarat. The core is chronologically constrained by 14C, 210Pb, and 137Cs dating techniques. The study suggests ISM strengthening during 2000–1800 cal yr BP with intermittent marginal ISM weakening during 1950–1970 cal yr BP and 1930–1890 cal yr BP associated with the reduced solar irradiance. Further, ISM weakening has been invoked during Dark Age Cold period (1800–1300 cal yr BP) and Little Ice Age (800–200 cal yr BP) interrupted by a marginal ISM strengthening during Medieval Warm period and the last two centuries witness climate warming. Based on historical rainfall data and Al2O3, an intermittent strengthening of ISM during 90–30 cal yr BP has been suggested while a gradual increase in the weathering intensity synchronous to the rise in sea surface temperature (SST) during the last 200 cal yr BP revealed the role of temperature on the intensity of chemical weathering in the study area. In spite of changes in the geochemical proxies as a function of ISM fluctuations, the palaeoweathering intensities has remained nearly consistent wherein the chemical weathering was less operative and accompanied by the deposition of texturally immature sediments. The sediments of Diu mudflat indicate mafic signatures thereby underscoring a major contribution of the Deccan basalts along with other variable sources. The downcore geochemical variability for the sediment core retrieved from Diu Island mudflat, western India was investigated for the past climate reconstruction and sediment source for the last two millennia. The study suggested ISM strengthening during Roman Warm Period and Medieval Warm Period during 2000–800 cal yr BP interrupted by ISM weakening. The sediment in the study area primarily sourced from deccan basalts along with other variable sources.
