37,000-Year-Old Bamboo Fossil From Manipur Reveals Ice Age Climate Clues

37,000-Year-Old Manipur Bamboo Fossil Sheds Light on Ice Age Climate in Asia

A fossilised bamboo specimen discovered in Manipur’s Imphal Valley has become a landmark finding for Asian palaeobotany, offering an unprecedented look into plant evolution during the Late Pleistocene. The 37,000-year-old fossil , retrieved from sediment layers along the Chirang River, contains rare structural features — including well-preserved thorn scars — that are almost never seen in fossil records of bamboo due to its fragile anatomy.

Discovery Marks a Major Breakthrough

The research team from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) analysed the stem, nodal growth rings and thorn impressions to identify the specimen as belonging to genus Chimonobambusa — a group still native to parts of Northeast India and Southeast Asia. Radiometric dating confirmed its age, classifying it among the oldest thorn-bearing bamboo fossils ever recorded in Asia , and one of the only examples with clearly visible defensive traits.

Rare Fossil Preservation Reveals Thorn Evolution

Unlike woody plants, bamboo decomposes rapidly, making fossilisation extremely uncommon. This exceptional preservation helped scientists conclude that spines and thorn evolution had already developed as a defence mechanism against grazers during the Ice Age , when large herbivores dominated forest systems. The fossil reflects remarkable anatomical continuity when compared with modern thorny bamboo species.

Manipur as an Ice Age Refuge Zone

The discovery also supports the theory that the Indo–Burma region acted as a climatic refuge during periods of global glaciation . While bamboo vanished from colder parts of Eurasia, Northeast India likely maintained humid microclimates that allowed species survival. This reinforces the region’s importance in sustaining biodiversity during environmental stress cycles.

EXAM–ORIENTED FACTS

• Fossil age estimated at ~37,000 years (Late Pleistocene)

• Identified as genus Chimonobambusa

• First thorn-bearing bamboo fossil of this age found in Asia

• Indicates Northeast India functioned as a biodiversity refugium during the Ice Age

Relevance for Evolutionary Biology & Conservation

The fossil proves that thorn evolution predates modern bamboo lineages, surviving drastic climate shifts over millennia. By highlighting the resilience of ancient forests in the Northeast, the study strengthens the argument for urgent conservation of biodiversity hotspots , which have historically protected species during climate instability.