Source: PIB
Subject: Mapping
Context: Scientists from BSIP (DST) discovered a 37,000-year-old thorny bamboo fossil in the silt-rich deposits of the Chirang River, Manipur, revealing the earliest evidence of thorniness in Asian bamboo.
About 37,000-year-old Bamboo from Manipur:
- What it is?
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- A remarkably preserved Ice Age–era bamboo fossil belonging to the genus Chimonobambusa, found with clear thorn scars, nodes and buds — features that almost never fossilise due to bamboo’s hollow, fragile structure.
- Discovery:
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- Microscopic analysis confirmed it as Chimonobambusa manipurensis, showing traits similar to modern thorny bamboos like Bambusa bambos.
- Significance:
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- Earliest fossil evidence of thorny bamboo in Asia, proving that herbivore-defence traits evolved before or during the Ice Age.
- Shows that Northeast India acted as a climatic refugium while harsh Ice Age conditions wiped bamboo out from regions like Europe.
- Offers rare insight into palaeoclimate, plant evolution, and biodiversity resilience in the Indo-Burma hotspot.
- Preservation of delicate structures (thorn scars, buds) marks a major palaeobotanical milestone, helping reconstruct ancient ecosystems.
About Manipur:
- Location:
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- Manipur lies on India’s eastern frontier, positioned between 23.83°N–25.68°N latitudes and 93.03°E–94.78°E longitudes.
- It covers an area of 22,327 sq. km, comprising a central valley surrounded by highlands.
- Neighbouring States & Nations: Myanmar (Burma), Nagaland, Assam, Mizoram and Myanmar.
- Geographical Features:
- Manipur consists of two major physical regions:
- Hills (≈ 90% of total area)
- Surround the valley on all sides, forming a protective mountain ring.
- Higher elevations in the northern ranges, gradually decreasing toward the south.
- Valley (≈ 10% of the area)
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- The central Manipur Valley sits at about 790 metres above sea level.
- The valley slopes gently southward, forming a natural drainage pathway.
- Chirang River:
- The Chirang River in Manipur’s Imphal Valley hosts silt-rich sediment deposits that preserve plant remains, including the newly discovered 37,000-year-old bamboo fossil.
