DR. MOHAN SINGH CHAUHAN
(Chamoli Garhwal, Uttarakhand)
Present position
: Scientist-F
Academic Qualification : M.Sc., Ph.D. (Botany)
Specializations
: Quaternary Palaeovegetation and Palaeoclimate
: Pollen morphological studies of modern plants
: Melittopalynology
: Ethnobotany and Biodiversity
Areas of investigation:
 Perused Quaternary palaeovegetation and palaeoclimatic studies from diversified
phytogeographical provinces of the India comprising Eastern Himalaya, Western
Himalaya, Northwest Himalaya, Gangetic Plain and Central India, based largely
on pollen and other proxies such as geochemical, sediment texture and isotopes
data retrieved from the lacustrine deposits. The studies conducted on the ancient
lakes lying close to settlement sites in the Central Ganga Plain have enabled to
reconstruct the changing vegetation scenarios and climatic events this region has
witnessed since Late Pleistocene. The pollen data have also been used to infer
commencement of agrarian practice and its subsequent course in relation to
monsoon variability and cultural history of this most fertile alluvial tract of the
country during the Holocene.
 Currently perusing Quaternary palaeovegetation and palaeoclimatic studies from
southern Madhya Pradesh and Central Ganga Plain.
Collaboration
i). National:
 Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
 Centre of Advance Study in Geology, Lucknow University, Lucknow.
 Uttar Pradesh State Archaeology Department, Lucknow.
 Kumaon University, Nainital, Uttarakhand.
 Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad.
 IIT, Kanpur.
 Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
 Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombey.
ii). International:
 Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia.
 Institute of Archaeology, University College, London.
 University of Oxford, U.K.
Memberships of professional societies
 Life member-Palaeobotanical Society of India, BSIP, Lucknow.
 Member - Botanical Society of India, 1993-1994.
 Life member-Palaeontological Society of India.
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 Member-International Society of Plant Morphologists, New Delhi, 20012002, 2010-2012.
 Member-The Pradesh Biodiversity Board, State Uttar Pradesh Department
of Forest, Lucknow, 2006-2007.
 Member-International Society of Applied Biology, Lucknow, 2008, 2009.
Ph.D. Thesis evaluation and viva-voce examinerships:
 Mahatama Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly (U.P.).
 Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar University, Agra (U.P.).
 Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj University, Kanpur (U.P.).
 Lucknow University, Lucknow (U.P.).
RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS
Papers published:
1. Bhattacharyya, A. & Chauhan, M.S. (1997). Vegetational and climatic changes
during recent past around Tipra Bank Glacier, Garhwal Himalaya. Current
Science, 72 (6): 408-412.
2. Chauhan, M.S. (1991). A Catalogue of Fossil Plants from India, Part-6: Cenozoic
(Quaternary) Palynology and Palaeobotany. Birbal Sahni Institute of
Palaeobotany, Lucknow: 1-50.
3. Chauhan, M.S. (1994). Modern pollen/vegetation relationship in the tropical
deciduous sal (Shorea robusta) forests in District Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh. Journal
of Palynology, 30: 165-175.
4. Chauhan, M.S. (1995). Origin and history of tropical deciduous Sal (Shorea robusta
Gaertn.) forests in Madhya Pradesh, India. Palaeobotanist, 43: 89-101.
5. Chauhan, M.S. (2000). Pollen evidence of Late-Quaternary vegetation and climatic
changes in northeastern Madhya Pradesh. Palaeobotanist, 49 (3): 491-500.
6. Chauhan, M.S. (2002). Holocene vegetation and climatic changes in southeastern
Madhya Pradesh, India. Current Science, 83:1444-1445.
7. Chauhan, M.S. (2004). Late-Holocene vegetation and climatic changes in Eastern
Madhya Pradesh. Gondwana Geological Magazine, 19 (2): 165-175.
8. Chauhan, M.S. (2005). Pollen record of vegetation and climatic changes in
northeastern Madhya Pradesh during last 1600 years. Tropical Ecology, 46 (2):
265-271.
9. Chauhan, M.S. (2006). Late Holocene vegetation and climate in the alpine belt of
Himachal Pradesh. Current science, 91 (11): 1572-1578.
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10. Chauhan, M.S. (2008). Pollen deposition pattern in tropical deciduous sal forests in
Madhya Pradesh. Geophytology, 37: 119-125.
11. Chauhan, M.S. & Bera, S.K. (1990). Pollen morphology of some important plants of
tropical deciduous Sal (Shorea robusta) forests, district Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh.
Geophytology, 20(1): 30-36.
12. Chauhan, M.S. & Bhattacharyya, A. (1992). A contribution to the ethnobotany of
Pokhari Block, Chamoli Garhwal, U.P. Himalaya. Journal Economic and
Taxonomic Botany, Additional Series, 10: 129-135.
13. Chauhan, M.S. & Chatterjee, S. (2008). Holocene vegetation, climate and human
habitation in the Central Ganga Plain, based on pollen records from the lake
deposits. Palaeobotanist, 57 (1&2): 265-275.
14. Chauhan, M.S. Kamlesh Kumar, Quamar, M. F. & Sharma, A. (2013). Loss-onignition data in agreement with pollen-based data on the climate change during
Late Quaternary Period from southwestern Madhya Pradesh, India. Current
Science, 104 (3): 299-301.
15. Chauhan, M.S., Khandelwal A., Bera, S.K. & Gupta, H.P. (1990). Palynology of
Kathauta Tal, Chinhat, Lucknow. Geophytology, 21: 191-194.
16. Chauhan, M.S. & Mandaokar, B.D. (2006). Vegetation and climate change during
recent past in southern Mizoram, India. Gondwana Geological Magazine, 21(2):
115-119.
17. Chauhan, M.S., Mazari, R.K. & Rajagopalan, G. (2000). Vegetation and climate in
upper Spiti region, Himachal Pradesh during late Holocene. Current Science, 79
(3): 373-377.
18. Chauhan, M.S. & Murthy, S. (2010). Melittopalynological investigation of honeys
from Chamaraja Nagar District, southern Karnataka. Geophytology, 39 (1-2): 4147.
19. Chauhan, M.S., Pokharia, A.K. & Singh, I.B. (2005). Preliminary results on the
palaeovegetation during Holocene from Lahuradewa Lake, District Sant Kabir
Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. Proceedings of Workshop on the Archaeology of the Middle
Ganga Plain, U.P. State Archaeology Department, Lucknow, Pragdhara, 15: 3338.
20. Chauhan, M.S., Pokharia, A.K. & Singh, I.B. (2009). Pollen record of Holocene
vegetation, climate change and human habitation from Lahuradewa Lake, Sant
Kabir Nagar District, Uttar Pradesh, India. Man and Environment, 34 (1): 88-100.
21. Chauhan, M.S. & Quamar, M.F. (2010). Vegetation and climate change in
Southeastern Madhya Pradesh during late Holocene, based on pollen evidence.
Journal of Geological Society of India, 76 (2): 143-150.
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22. Chauhan, M.S. & Quamar, M.F. (2010). Melissopalynological studies of honeys
from Harda District, Madhya Pradesh. Phytomorphology, 60 (3&4):122-127.
23. Chauhan, M.S. & Quamar, M.F. (2012). Pollen records of vegetation and climate
change in southwestern Madhya Pradesh (India since last 3,800 years. Journal of
Geological Society of India. India, 80: 470-480.
24. Chauhan, M. S. & Quamar, M. F. (2012). Mid-Holocene vegetation vis-à-vis climate
change in southwestern Madhya Pradesh, India. Current Science, 103 (12):14551461.
25. Chauhan, M. S. & Quamar, M. F. (2013). Pollen deposition pattern in tropical
deciduous Sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.) forests in Shahdol District, southeastern
Madhya Pradesh, India. Palaeobotanist, 62 (1): 47-53.
26. Chauhan, M.S., Rajagopalan, G., Shah, M.P., Philip, G. & Virdi, N.S. (2001). Pollen
analytical study of late-Holocene sediments from trans-Yamuna segment of
Western Doon valley of Northwest Himalaya. Palaeobotanist, 50: 403-410.
27. Chauhan, M.S. & Saini, D.C. (2007). Vegetation dynamics, climate change and
human habitation in the Central Ganga Plain during the last 10,000 years.
Proceedings of Biodiversity and Climate Change, Uttar Pradesh Biodiversity
Board, Uttar Pradesh Department of Forest, Lucknow, pp. 37-40
28. Chauhan, M.S. & Sharma, C. (1991). Modern pollen/spore rain study in Kumaon
Himalaya, India. In: Agrawal, O.P. & Dhawan, S. (eds.)-Biodeterioration of
Cultural Property, Proceedings of the International Conference on
Biodegradation of Cultural Property, NRLC, Lucknow, 412-426.
29. Chauhan, M.S. & Sharma, C. (1993). Modern pollen deposition in subtropical zone
of Kumaon Himalaya. Geophytology, 23 (1):147-153.
30. Chauhan, M.S. & Sharma, C. (1996). Late-Holocene vegetation of Darjeeling (JorePokhari), Eastern Himalaya. Palaeobotanist, 45:125-129.
31. Chauhan, M.S. & Sharma, C. (1996). Pollen analysis of mid-Holocene sediments
from Kumaon Himalaya. Geological Survey of India, Special Publication, 21 (1):
257-269.
32. Chauhan, M.S. & Sharma, C. (2000). Late-Holocene vegetation and climate in
Dewar Tal area, Inner Lesser Himalaya. Palaeobotanist, 49 (3): 509-514.
33. Chauhan, M.S., Sharma, C. & Rajagopalan, G. (1997). Vegetation and climate
during Late-Holocene in Garhwal Himalaya. Palaeobotanist, 46: 211-216.
34. Chauhan, M.S., Sharma, C., Singh, I.B. & Sharma, S. (2004). Proxy records of Late
Holocene vegetation and climatic changes from Basaha Jheel, Central Ganga
Plain. Journal Palaeontological Society of India, 49: 27-34.
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35. Chauhan, M.S. & Singh, S.K. (2010). Melittopalynological investigation of honey
from Unnao district, Uttar Pradesh. Journal of Applied Biosciences, 36 (2):133136.
36. Chauhan, M.S. & Trivedi, A. (2011). Pollen analysis of honey from Lucknow
District, Uttar Pradesh. Journal of Applied Biosciences, 37 (1): 48-51.
37. Kohli, D. & Chauhan, M.S. (1996). Rajasthan ke marubhoomi ka pura-vanaspatik
vishleshan. Vigyan Garima Sindhu (In Hindi), 19: 11-12.
38. Kotlia, B.S., Bhalla, M.S., Sharma, C., Rajagopalan, G., Ramesh, R., Chauhan,
M.S., Mathur, P.D., Bhandari, S. & Chacko, S.T. (1997). Palaeoclimatic
conditions in the upper Pleistocene and Holocene Bhimtal-Naukuchiatal Lake
basin in south-central Kumaon, North India. Palaeogeography Palaeoecology and
Palaeoclimatology, 130: 307-322.
39. Mandaokar, B.D., Chauhan, M.S. & Chatterjee, S. (2008). Fungal remains from Late
Holocene lake deposit of Demagiri, Mizoram, India and their palaeoclimatic
implications. Journal Palaeontological Society of India, 53 (2): 197-205.
40. Mazari, R.K., Bagati, T.N., Chauhan, M.S. & Rajagopalan, G. (1996). Paleoclimatic
record of last 2000 years in Trans-Himalayan Lahul-Spiti region. Proc.
Palaeoclim. Environ. Variability in Austral-Asian Transect during the past 2000
years, Nagoya Japan: 262-269.
41. Mehrotra, R.C., Liu Xiu-Qun, Cheng-Sen Li, Yu-Fei Wang & Chauhan, M.S.
(2005). Comparison of the Tertiary flora of southwest China and northeast India
and its significance in the antiquity of the modern Himalayan flora. Review of
Palaeobotany and Palynology, 35 (3 &4): 145-163.
42. Nautiyal, C.M. & Chauhan, M.S. (2003). Climate Change: The Palaeoclimatic
Angle. In: Dash, S.K. & Rao, P. (editors) - Assessment of Climate in India and
Mitigation Policies, Indira Gandhi Conservation Monitoring Centre, World Wide
Fund for Nature, India, New Delhi, 89-91.
43. Nautiyal, C.M. & Chauhan, M.S. (2009). Late Holocene vegetation and climate
change in Loktak Lake,
Manipur, based on pollen and chemical evidence.
Palaeobotanist, 58: 21-28.
44. Patnaik, R., Chauhan, P.R., Rao, M.R., Blackwell, B.A.B., Skinner, A.R., Sahni, A.
Chauhan, M.S. & Khan, H.S. (2009). New geochronological,
palaeoclimatological and archaeological data from the Narmada Valley hominin
locality, central India. Journal of Human Evolution, 56: 114-133.
45. Prasad, M., Chauhan, M.S. & Sah, M.P. (2002). Morphotaxonomical study on fossil
leaves of Ficus from late Holocene sediments of Sirmur District, Himachal
Pradesh, India and their significance in assessment of past climate.
Phytomorphology, 52 (1): 45-53.
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46. Quamar, M.F. & Chauhan, M.S. (2007). Modern pollen rains study in the tropical
deciduous forests in District Umaria, Madhya Pradesh. Journal Palynoogyl., 43:
39-55
47. Quamar, M.F. & Chauhan, M. S. (2010). Modern pollen rain-vegetation relationship
in the tropical deciduous Teak (Tectona grandis Linn. F.) forest in southwestern
Madhya Pradesh. Geophytology, 38 (1&2):57-64.
48. Quamar, M.F. & Chauhan, M.S. (2011) Pollen analysis of spider webs from Khelda
village, Betul district, Madhya Pradesh. Current Science, 101 (12): 1586-1592.
49. Quamar, M.F. & Chauhan, M.S. (2011). Late Holocene vegetation, climate change
and human impact in the southwestern Madhya Pradesh, India. Palaeobotanist, 60
(2): 281-289.
50. Quamar, M.F. & Chauhan, M.S. (2011). Modern pollen spectra from Hoshnagbad
District in southwestern Madhya Pradesh. Geophytology, 41 (1&2): 55-60.
51. Quamar, M.F. & Chauhan, M.S. (2012). Late Quaternary vegetation, climate as well
as lake-level changes and human occupation from Nitaya area in Hoshangabad
District, southwestern Madhya Pradesh (India), based on pollen evidence.
Quaternary International, 163: 104-113.
52. Rao, M.R., Chauhan, M.S. & Patnaik, R. (2005). Vegetation vis-à-vis climate
change, Central Narmada Valley. BSIP Newsletter, 8: 22-23.
53. Saxena, A., Prasad, V., Singh, I.B., Chauhan, M.S. & Hasan, A. (2006). Agricultural
activities in the central Ganga Plain based on phytoliths of rice recovered in the
sediment. Current Science, 90 (11): 1547-1551.
54. Sharma, C. & Chauhan, M.S. (1988). Studies in Late-Quaternary vegetational
history in Himachal Pradesh-4. Rewalsar Lake-II. Pollen et Spores, 30 (3 &4):
395-408.
55. Sharma, C. & Chauhan, M.S. (1988). Palaeoenvironmental inferences from the
Quaternary palynostratigraphy of Himachal Pradesh and Kumaon, India.
Proceedings of Indian National Science Academy, 54A (3): 510-523.
56. Sharma, C. & Chauhan, M.S. (1991). Palaeovegetational and palaeoenvironmental
inferences from the Quaternary palynostratigraphy of the Indian Plains. Man and
Environment, 15 (1): 65-71.
57. Sharma, C. & Chauhan, M.S. (1994). Vegetation and climate since Last Glacial
Maximum in Darjeeling (Mirik Lake), Eastern Himalaya. Proceedings of 29th
International Geological Congress, Japan, Part B: 279-286.
58. Sharma, C. & Chauhan, M.S. (2000). Palaeoclimatic inferences from Quaternary
palynostratigraphy of Himalaya. The Himalayan Environment, 193-207.
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59. Sharma, C. & Chauhan, M.S. (2001). Late-Quaternary pollen record from Kupup
(Sikkim), Eastern Himalaya. Journal Palaeontological Society of India, 46: 5158.
60. Sharma, C., Chauhan, M.S. & Rajagopalan, G. (2000). Vegetation and climate in
Garhwal Himalaya during last 4,000 years. Palaeobotanist, 49 (3): 501-507.
61. Sharma, C., Chauhan, M.S., Sharma, M., Sharma, S. & Singh, I.B. (2001). Proxy
records of Holocene vegetation and climate changes from Sanai Tal, central
Ganga Plain. Proceedings of National Symposium on Role of Earth Science and
Integrated Development and Related Societal Issue, Geological Survey of India,
Special Publication, 65 (3): 199-202.
62. Sharma, C., Chauhan, M.S. & Sinha, R. (2007). Studies on Holocene climatic
changes from Priyadarshini Lake sediments, East Antarctica, based on
palynological evidence. Journal of Geological Society of India, 69 (1): 92-96.
63. Sharma, S., Joachimski, M.M., Sharma, M., Tobschall, H.J., Singh, I.B., Sharma, C.
Chauhan, M.S. & Morgrenroth, G. (2004). Lateglacial and Holocene
environmental changes in Ganga plain, Northern India. Quaternary Science
Review, 23: 145-159.
64. Sharma, S., Joachimski, M.M., Tobschall, H.J., Singh, I.B., Sharma, C. & Chauhan,
M.S. Correlative evidence of monsoon variability, vegetation change and human
habitation in Sanai Lake deposit: Ganga Plain, India. Current Science, 90 (7):
973-978.
65. Shaw, J., Sutcliffe, J., Lloyd-Smith, L., Schwenninger, J., Chauhan, M.S., Mishra,
O.P. & Harvey, E. (2007). Ancient irrigation and Buddhist history in Central
India: Optically Stimulated Luminescence dates and pollen sequences from
Sanchi dams. The Asian Perspectives, 46 (1): 166-201.
66. Sinha, R., Sharma, C. & Chauhan, M.S. (2000). Sedimentological and pollen studies
of Lake Priyadarshini, Eastern Antarctica. Palaeobotanist, 49 (1): 1-8.
67. Singh, S.K. & Chauhan, M.S. (2008). Fungal remains from the Neogene sediments
of Mahuadanr Valley, Latehar District, Jharkhand, India and their climatic
significance. Journal Palaeontological Society of India, 53 (1): 73-81.
68. Singh, S.K. & Chauhan, M.S. (2008). Pollen remains from the Late Tertiary
sediments of Mahuadanr Valley, Latehar District, Jharkhand and their climatic
significance. Journal Applied Biosciences, 34 (2): 152-156.
69. Singhvi, A.K., Rupakumar, K., Thamban, M., Gupta, A.K., Kale, V.S., Yadav, R.R.,
Bhattacharya, A., Phadtare, N.R., Roy, P.D., Chauhan, M.S., Chauhan, O.S.,
Chakravorty, S., Sheikh, M.M., Manzoor, N., Adnan, M., Asharaf, J., Khan,
A.M., Quadir, D.A., Devkota, L.P. & Shreshta, A.B. (2010). Instrumental,
terrestrial and marine records of the climate of South Asia during the Holocene.
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pp. 54-124 in: Mitra, A.P. & Sharma, Chhemendra (eds.): Global Environmental
Changes in South Asia: A Regional Perspective, Capital Publishing Company,
New Delhi.
70. Tewari, R., Srivastava, R.K., Singh, K.K., Saraswat, K.S., Singh, I.B., Chauhan,
M.S., Pokharia, A.K., Saxena, A., Prasad, V. & Sharma, M. (2006). Second
preliminary report of the excavations at Lahuradewa, District Sant Kabir Nagar,
U.P.: 2002-2003-2004 & 2005-2006. Pragdhara: Journal of Uttar Pradesh State
Archaeology, 16: 35-68.
71. Trivedi, A. & Chauhan, M.S. (2008). Pollen proxy records of Holocene vegetation
and climate change from Mansar Lake, Jammu region, India. Current Science, 95
(9): 1347-1354.
72. Trivedi, A. & Chauhan, M.S. (2009). Holocene vegetation and climate fluctuations
in northwest Himalaya based on pollen evidence from Surinsar Lake, Jammu
Region, India. Journal of Geological Society of India, 74 (3): 402-412. (Impact
Factor 0.596)
73. Trivedi, A. & Chauhan, M.S. (2011). Modern pollen rain-vegetation relationship
study in Jalesar, Unnao District Uttar Pradesh. Journal of Palynology, 47: 11-21.
74. Trivedi, A., Chauhan, M.S., Sharma, A., Nautiyal, C.M. & Tiwari, D.P. Late
Pleistocene-Holocene vegetation, climate change and human impact in the Central
Ganga Plain: a study based on pollen organic-inorganic carbon distribution from
Jalesar Tal, Unnao District, Uttar Pradesh, India. Current Science, 103 (5): 555562.
75. Trivedi, A., Singh, D.S., Chauhan, M.S., Arya, A., Bhardwaj, V. & Awasthi, A.
(2011). Vegetation and climate change around Ropanchhapra Tal in Deoria
District, Central Ganga Plain during the last 1350 years. Journal Palaeontological
Society of India, 56 (1): 39-43.
76. Vishnu-Mittre, Sharma, C., Saxena, A.K., Bhattacharyya, A. & Chauhan, M.S.
(1984). Pollen stratigraphy of India. Puratattva, 13&14: 132-139.
77. Yadav, D.N., Chauhan, M.S. & Sarin, M.M. (2006). Geochemical and pollen records
from northeastern Madhya Pradesh: An appraisal of Late-Quaternary vegetation
and climate change. Journal of Geological Society of India, 68 (1): 95-102.
78. Yadav, S., Chauhan, M.S. & Sharma, A. (2007). Characterization of bio-aerosols
during dust storm period in N-NW India. Atmospheric Environment, 41 (28):
6063-6073.
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Paper in press:
79. Trivedi, A., Chauhan, M.S. & Malik, M.A. Holocene vegetation and climate change
in Jammu region, based on pollen evidence from the lake deposits. Man and
Environment.
80. Wasson, R.J., Chauhan, M.S., Sharma, C., Jaiswal, M., Singhvi, A.K. & Srivastava,
P. Erosion of river terraces as a component of large catchment sediment budgets:
a pilot study from the Gangetic Plain. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences.
Papers accepted:
81. Quamar, M.F. & Chauhan, M.S. Vegetation and climate oscillations in southwestern
Madhya Pradesh during the last 3300 years based on pollen evidence. Journal of
Indian Association of Sedimentologists.
82. Murthy, S. & Chauhan, M.S. Fungal remains from Denwa Formation, Satpura Basin,
Madhya Pradesh and their palaeoenvironmental implications. Journal of Indian
Association of Sedimentologists.
83. Trivedi, A., Tiwari, D.P., Chauhan, M.S., & Nautiyal, C.M. Preliminary results on
the palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate during Pleistocene-Holocene from Jalesar
Lake, District Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. Excavation of Sachankot, Uttar Pradesh.
Papers communicated:
84. Chauhan, M.S., Sharma A., Phartiyal, B. & Kamlesh. Vegetation and climate change
in southeastern Madhya Pradesh since Early Holocene, based on pollen and
geochemical evidence. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. (Revised)
85. Chauhan, M.S., Trivedi, A. & Sharma, A. Pollen analysis of multifloral honeys from
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Journal of Environmental Biology.
86. Farooqui, A., Swindles, G., Trivedi1, A. & Chauhan, M.S. Distribution of testate
amoebae (thecamoebians) in a dessicating lake, India. European Journal of
Protistology.
87. Trivedi, A., Chauhan, M.S., Sharma, A., Nautiyal, C.M. & Tiwari, D.P. Late
Pleistocene-Holocene palaeovegetation and palaeoclimatic records from Central
Ganga Plain: a multiproxy study from Jalesar Lake, Unnao District, Uttar
Pradesh, India. Quaternary International. (Revised)
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