Aasif Lone

Geochemistry of Manasbal lake sediments, Kashmir: Weathering, provenance and tectonic setting

This paper presents a detailed sediment chemistry investigation of the Manasbal lake, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, which is one of the high altitude lakes in the Kashmir valley. 22 lake floor sediment samples covering the entire lake were collected and analyzed for textural characteristics, CaCO3, organic matter, TOC, TN contents, C/N ratio, major and trace element chemistry. These analyses were conducted to trace the provenance of the sediments. Textural parameters reveal that the lake sediments consist predominantly clay and silt fractions. The C/N ratio of the sediments indicates a mixed source of TOC, both autochthonous and allochthonous in origin. The log (Fe2O3/K2O) Vs. log (SiO2/ Al2O3) graph of the sediments discriminates the rock types of the catchment area that are Fe-shale, Fe-sand, wacke, shale and litharenite. The Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) falls between 59.11 to 90.16% and Chemical Index of Weathering (CIW) between 63.97 to 99.68% and these values are higher than the Post-Archaean Australian Shale (PAAS), indicating moderate to highly chemically weathered lake floor sediments. Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA) values (60.74-99.63%) suggests the occurrence of plagioclase feldspars in the lake floor sediments. Geochemical characteristics signify a mixed-nature of provenance of the lake floor sediments due to the tectonic settings of the lake basin in a complex catchment area.

Diatoms, spatial distribution and physicochemical characteristics of the Wular lake sediments, Kashmir valley, Jammu and Kashmir

Lakes and wetlands are dynamic geomorphic units of a landscape that hold geochemical signatures of sediment provenance and paleo-environmental shifts and are major sinks for organic matter accumulation. The source of organic matter is diverse in lake sediments and varies widely with the type and size of the lake and hence it is important to understand the source of organic carbon (terrestrial or in situ) in lake systems in order to monitor the health of the lake. Wular lake, located in north Kashmir, is one of the largest fresh water lake in India, situated at an average elevation of 1580m ASL. The lake is fed by a number of watersheds that bring a diverse type of sediments and organic matter and thus deposit them into the Wular lake basin. In order to understand sediment distribution pattern, content and source of organic matter, sediment provenance and the persisting environment in the Wular lake, 32 lake floor sediment samples covering the entire lake were collected and analyzed for organic element analysis, CaCO3, organic matter, sediment texture and diatom analysis. The results indicated that sediments in the lake are dominated by silt and silty clay. The organic carbon in the lake ranged from 0.83%-4.52% and nitrogen varied from 0.06%-0.5%. The Carbon to Nitrogen (C/N) ratios (9.04 to 22.03) indicate a mixed source of organic carbon but dominated by in situ lake sources from the vascular and lake biota accumulation. The diatom analysis revealed the occurrence of a diverse type of species along the sampling sites present within the lake. The wide distribution of the diatom species such as Cymbella, Cyclotella and Tabularia etc. in the lake indicate high organic pollution and alkaline fresh water environment prevailing in the lake.

Evaluation of environmental status and geochemical assessment of sediments, Manasbal Lake, Kashmir, India

The present study was conducted on the Manasbal Lake (34°14′N: 74°40′E) to assess the geochemical characteristics of the lake bottom sediments, its environmental implications and its response in the local catchment area. This study tracks the spatial distribution of grain size, geochemical analysis, C/N ratio, calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and organic matter (OM) of the lake bottom sediments. It is observed that the clay fraction (49.79%) is predominant in the lake bottom sediments, followed by silt (35.88%) and sand (14.33%) and its spatial distribution is controlled by water depth. Geochemistry and normalized diagrams for the major oxides and trace elements reveal enrichment of CaO, K2O, P2O5, S, Cl, Ni, Zn and Sr. Chemical index of alteration (CIA) reflects low to moderate weathering intensity and near compositional similarity with the bedrock exposed in the catchment area around the lake. Environmental indices (EF, Igeo) suggest that the sediments are enriched in Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Co, Pb followed by Mn content. Pollution load index (PLI) reveal that all the sampling sites reflect low to moderately polluted category except for few stations that are towards the southern and southeastern side of the lake. OM (16.85%), CaCO3 (14.04%) and C/N ratio (15.5) of the lake bottom sediments is attributed to high organic activity within the lake, shell fragments, contributions from the lake flora and fauna adhering to the clayey silty sediments. The C/N ratio of 15.5 suggests a mixed source of organic matter both terrestrially and in situ formation within the lake. Sulphur and chlorine are high amongst the trace elements suggesting anthropogenic detritus input into the lake and this is due to the chemical fertilizers from the agricultural runoff and organic load into the lake. Thus, the present study suggests that in order to preserve the pristine lake ecology and the environment; continued monitoring and restoration efforts need to be undertaken.

Reconstruction of Paleoclimate and Environmental Fluctuations Since the Early Holocene Period Using Organic Matter and C:N Proxy Records: A Review

In this review, the shifts in organic matter (OM) accumulation and C:N ratios in lake sediments to reconstruct paleoclimate and paleo-environmental changes since the early Holocene period are presented. The C:N proxy data of total OM reflect wet climatic conditions during early Holocene (10 to 8.2 kyrs BP) due to enhanced southwest monsoon. This was followed by intermittent arid conditions during the mid and late Holocene period (8.2 to 2.8 kyr BP). Enhanced values of C:N ratio during middle to late Holocene (7.8–2.3 kyrs B.P) indicate periods with lower lake levels and minimum precipitation, while decreased C:N ratio point to stronger SW monsoon and expansion of the lakes. Further, C:N and δ13C results from the lake sediments reveal a detailed and continuous paleo-environmental changes in the relative sources of OM (allochthonous vs autochthonous). Proxy records using such natural archives have also been utilized to reconstruct past extreme events and environmental changes around the lake systems, such as causes for lake desiccation, hydrographic changes, alternations between C3 and C4 vegetation and historical disturbances in the catchment area since the early-late Holocene period coupled with the Indian summer monsoon.

Ferricretes of Sriperumbudur: Micromorphology and Geochemistry

Earlier studies on the ferricrete of Sriperumbudur Formation were focused on their types of occurrences and mode of formation. However, in the present study, an attempt is made to understand the physico-chemical changes across seven saprolite-ferricrete profiles developed over sedimentary protolith after upliftment to decipher the paleoenvironmental conditions to which the Sriperumbudur Formation was exposed and to understand the processes of ferricretisation. For this purpose, the ferricrete exposures around Sriperumbudur were surveyed and mapped for their occurrences and types of ferricretes, collected samples were examined for various physio-chemical aspects. Geochemical and petrographic studies exhibit a relatively high percentage of iron content. The Fe2O3 content varies from 7.71% to 14.9% followed by the higher concentration of Al2O3 and SiO2 as a result of deep weathering of the Sriperumbudur beds. Other major oxides such as CaO, MgO, Na2O, K2O, MnO and TiO2 show lower concentrations. The bulk X-ray diffraction of the ferricrete samples shows the occurrence of tourmaline, muscovite and magnetite. SEM analysis of the ferricrete samples exhibits solution channels and pits in the matrix, on the limonite, quartz and magnetite revealing intense chemical weathering. Petrographic studies show the occurrence of quartz in a variety of shapes, sizes and sediment sorting, cemented by iron oxides in varying stages. It also reveals iron oxide mobilization due to the alteration of ferruginous sandstone forming a hard ferricrete crust. Iron oxide cementation is due to leaching and re-cementing from the parent sedimentary rock with subsequent re-deposition of the earlier material taking place in a near shore environment and in wetter conditions after the Sriperumbudur beds were exposed since the lower Cretaceous period.

Report on Quantitative Reconstruction and Numerical Methods for Analysis of Past Climate Variability Using Diatoms

251 Report on Quantitative Reconstruction and Numerical Methods for Analysis of Past Climate Variability Using Diatoms – Aasif Mohmad Lone1, Rayees Ahmad Shah1, Rikee Dey2, Pooja Ghadi3, Mohammad Nuruzzama3 and Abdur Rehman4 (1Department of Geology, Anna University Chennai, Tamil Nadu – 600025 2Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleosciences, Lucknow 226007; 3National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Goa, 403 804; 4Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad 380 009. E-mail: 1geoaasif@ gmail.com; 1shahrayees04@gmail.com; 2rikeedey@gmail.com; 3ghadip6@gmail.com; 3mohammadnuru zzama@gmail.com; 4rabdur709@gmail.com)

Correction to: Geomorphic investigation of the Late-Quaternary landforms in the southern Zanskar Valley, NW Himalaya

The affiliations of the authors were inaccurate in the original publication.

Geomorphic investigation of the Late-Quaternary landforms in the southern Zanskar Valley, NW Himalaya

The Suru, Doda and Zanskar river valleys in the semi-arid region of Southern Zanskar Ranges (SZR) preserve a rich repository of the glacial and fluvial landforms, alluvial fans, and lacustrine deposits. Based on detailed field observations, geomorphic mapping and limited optical ages, we suggest four glaciations of decreasing magnitude in the SZR. The oldest Southern Zanskar Glaciation Stage (SZS-4) is inferred from glacially polished bedrock and tillite pinnacles. The SZS-4 is ascribed to the Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS)-4/3. The subsequent SZS-3 is represented by obliterated and dissected moraines, and is assigned to MIS-2/Last Glacial Maximum. The multiple recessional moraines of SZS-2 glaciation are assigned the early to mid Holocene age whereas, the youngest SZS-1 moraines were deposited during the Little Ice Age. We suggest that during the SZS-2 glaciation, the Drang-Drung glacier shifted its course from Suru Valley (west) to the Doda Valley (east). The study area has preserved three generations of outwash gravel terraces, which broadly correlate with the phases of deglaciation associated with SZS-3, 2, and 1. The alluvial fan aggradation, lacustrine sedimentation, and loess deposition occurred during the mid-to-late Holocene. We suggest that glaciation was driven by a combination of the mid-latitude westerlies and the Indian Summer Monsoon during periods of cooler temperature, while phases of deglaciation occurred during enhanced temperature.

Diatom diversity and organic matter sources in water bodies around Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Freshwater ecosystems are crucial for human survival, central to ecological structure and function, and arguably the most valuable habitats on the landscape. They also serve as important sentinels of past environmental changes across multiple temporal and spatial scales.1 Sediment texture and its distribution are one of the most fundamental and pervasive method undertaken for the analysis of sediments and soils.2 Grain size analysis describes the sediment size distribution and provides environmental information as mechanism of how the sediments are deposited in different sedimentary basins.3 The particle grain size in water bodies is very sensitive to small changes in the catchment and the turbulence of water and wave energy is the main cause for grain size distribution in marine as well as in fresh water bodies.4 Carbon and nitrogen are continuously added to the sediments of aquatic ecosystems by mixing of terrestrial and autochthonous organic matter.5 Carbon and Nitrogen as nutrients play a vital role in maintaining tropic levels in different water bodies all over the world. The ratio of total organic carbon to total nitrogen (C/N ratio) has been used as an indicator of the source of organic matter (OM) in sediments.6 Diatoms are microscopic aquatic unicellular autotrophic eukaryotic algae having a cell wall made of silica (hydrated silicon dioxide) belonging to the Kingdom Protista and Class Bacillariophyceae.7 They are usually yellowish or brownish in color ranging in size from approximately 5 microns to 1000 microns and are found in fresh water and marine water in moist soil and on the surface of plants.8 They are important contributors to the primary productivity in aquatic ecosystems, sitting at the bottom of the food chain, but usually grow better in unpolluted ponds and streams and could be useful for biological monitoring of pollution levels and ecosystem integrity.9