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Radiocarbon Dating and Status of the Oldest Extant Ceylon Iron Wood (Manilkara hexandra) in the Riverine Ramsar Site of India


Affiliations
1 Botanical Survey of India, Central Regional Centre, Allahabad 211 002, India
2 Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Biology and Geology, RO-400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
3 Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, RO-400028, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
4 iThemba LABS, Private Bag 11, WITS 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa
 

During recent field surveys, a new Ceylon iron wood (Manilkara hexandra) population was discovered in the Upper Ganga Ramsar Site, Uttar Pradesh (UP), India. The largest specimen located at Van Khandeshwar partially collapsed in 2012, which led to a canopy impairment. The rupture enabled direct extraction of samples close to the pith of the main stem. The radiocarbon date of the oldest sample was 361 ± 23 BP, which corresponds to a calibrated age of 525 ± 25 cal yr. The results indicate the Ceylon iron wood of Narora, UP is the oldest dated extant M. hexandra with a calculated age of 550 ± 50 yr. Several protection measures are presented and urgent action is required to prevent the total collapse of this ancient tree.

Keywords

Manilkara hexandra, Radiocarbon Dating, Riverine Site, Tree Conservation.
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  • Radiocarbon Dating and Status of the Oldest Extant Ceylon Iron Wood (Manilkara hexandra) in the Riverine Ramsar Site of India

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Authors

Arti Garg
Botanical Survey of India, Central Regional Centre, Allahabad 211 002, India
Roxana T. Patrut
Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Biology and Geology, RO-400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Adrian Patrut
Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, RO-400028, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Stephan Woodborne
iThemba LABS, Private Bag 11, WITS 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa
Laszlo Rakosy
Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Biology and Geology, RO-400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Abstract


During recent field surveys, a new Ceylon iron wood (Manilkara hexandra) population was discovered in the Upper Ganga Ramsar Site, Uttar Pradesh (UP), India. The largest specimen located at Van Khandeshwar partially collapsed in 2012, which led to a canopy impairment. The rupture enabled direct extraction of samples close to the pith of the main stem. The radiocarbon date of the oldest sample was 361 ± 23 BP, which corresponds to a calibrated age of 525 ± 25 cal yr. The results indicate the Ceylon iron wood of Narora, UP is the oldest dated extant M. hexandra with a calculated age of 550 ± 50 yr. Several protection measures are presented and urgent action is required to prevent the total collapse of this ancient tree.

Keywords


Manilkara hexandra, Radiocarbon Dating, Riverine Site, Tree Conservation.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv120%2Fi3%2F562-566