European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference 2026

This study aims to establish a modern analogue and investigate the relationship between pollen depositional patterns and sediment grain-size characteristics using twenty surface sediment samples collected from three ecological zones of kaziranga national park in and around mona Lake, the marginal zone of lake, peripheral zone of lake, and forest zone. Pollen analysis reveals distinct assemblages across the three zones. The marginal zone is characterized by marshy and aquatic taxa, including Cyperaceae, Onagraceae, Polygonum, Potamogeton, and Nymphaea, reflecting waterlogged conditions. The peripheral zone is dominated by Duabanga, Salmalia, Emblica, Poaceae, Asteroideae, and Cyperaceae, representing a transitional environment influenced by both open and forest vegetation. Forest zone samples are dominated by Duabanga, Cinnamomum, Arecaceae, Litsea, Bombax, and Lagerstroemia, indicating dense forest cover and localized pollen input. Grain-size analysis shows predominance of coarse silt and clay in the marginal zone of lake, very coarse to coarse silt with clay in the peripheral zone of lake, and sand-rich sediments with coarser silt in the forest zone, reflecting a gradient from low- to high-energy depositional environment. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) demonstrates strong relationships between pollen assemblages and sediment texture, highlighting hydrodynamic control on pollen deposition. These findings provide a modern reference framework for palaeoecological and palaeoflood reconstructions in the Indian subcontinent and to correlate with other parts of the tropical regions.