In May of 2007, a study was initiated by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa, India, to investigate the influence of monsoonal rainfall on hydrographic conditions in the Mandovi River of India. The study was undertaken at a location ∼2 km upstream of the mouth of this estuary. During the premonsoon (PreM) in May, when circulation in the estuary was dominated by tidal activity, phytoplankton communities in the high saline (35–37 psu) waters at the study site were largely made up of the coastal neritic species Fragilaria oceanica, Ditylum brightwellii and Trichodesmium erythraeum. During the later part of the intermonsoon (InterM) phase, an abrupt decline in salinity led to a surge in phytoplankton biomass (Chlorophyll 𝑎 ∼14 mg m⁻³), of a population that was dominated by Thalassiosira eccentricus. As the southwest monsoon (SWM) progressed and the estuary freshened salinity and Chlorophyll 𝑎 (Chl 𝑎) concentrations decreased during the MoN, Skeletonema costatum established itself as the dominant form. Despite the low biomass (Chl 𝑎 > 2 mg m⁻³), the phytoplankton community of the MoN was the most diverse of the entire study. During the postmonsoon (PostM), the increase in salinity was marked by a surge in dinoflagellate populations comprising of Ceratium furca, Akashiwo sanguinea, and Pyrophacus horologium.

The palynostratigraphic data given here are based on the explored borecores (TRBD-2, TRBD-3 and TROD-1), by Geological Survey of India. The Permian strata worked-out is about 1174.00 m thick and comprises from base to top – Talchir, Barakar and Barren Measures formations. The palynological content enables delimitation of five palynological assemblages. (i) Scheuringipollenites barakarensis, (ii) Faunipollenites varius, (iii) Gondisporites raniganjensis, (iv) Densipollenites magnicorpus, and (v) Krempipollenites indicus in ascending order from the subsuface rock strata. The lithologically identified strata Talchir Formation in borecores TRBD-2 and TRBD-3 is palynologically dated late Early Permian in having the Scheuringipollenites barakarensis and the Faunipollenites varius palynozones. Subsequently, the part of Barakar strata in these borecores corroborates with Barakar Formation. In borecore TRBD-3, the Barren Measures rocks do not match with the palynological dates, and are affiliated with the palynoflora of the Raniganj Formation. In TROD-1, the strata identified as Barakar Formation is dated Late Permian in having Gondisporites ranigangensis Palynozone; while that of Barren Measures Formation is palynologically dated Early Triassic having Krempipollenites indicus Palynozone. The palynology has helped in the precise dating of the Lower Gondwana succession of Odari and Bartikhurd blocks in Tatapani–Ramkola Coalfield of South Rewa Gondwana Basin.

In the study area, changes in the facies of sediments and spores-pollen content appear to be all causally linked with the depositional set-up. Here, the qualitative and quantitative changes observed in the spores-pollen assemblages have led to recognize 10 Assemblage-zones representing from that earliest Permian in the Talchir Formation to that latest Late Triassic in the Parsora Formation. These sporespollen assemblages are obtained from the wider parts in the Singrauli Gondwana Basin that includes (i) Moher sub-basin (boreholes SSM-1 and 2), and (ii) Singrauli main sub-basin (boreholes SMJS-2, 3 and SMBS-1). The progressively changing spores-pollen content infer the hiatuses of varied magnitude in the sedimentary sequences during the extended time interval of Permian and Triassic.