ID: 58567
Title: Pill millipede compost: a viable alternative to utilize urban organic solid waste
Author: K R Sridhar and C N Ambarish
Editor: P. Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, No 11, Vol 104, 10 June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Composting, degradation, pill millipede, organic solid waste
Abstract: Urban organic solid waste needs appropriate attention for transformation into compost or manure through bioconversion to reduce the landfill and to avoid waste-borne hazards. This study proposes the possibilities of using pill millipedes (Arthrosphaera) as saprophagous fauna for transformation of urban organic solid waste into compost. Pill millipedes transform solid waste into compost. Pill millipedes transforma solid organic waste into quality compost (neutral pH, low phenolics, narrow C/N ratio and elevated nitrogen and phsophorus contents) within a short-time frame. Pill millipedes can be maintained or reared in the laboratory conditions throughout the year by feeding mixed organic waste (leaf litter) and soil. Various containers are recommended for bench-scale and green house conditions with a model compost bin to generate compost form organic solid waste using pill millipedes. Solid organic waste processing model has been proposed for eco-friendly production of manure using pill millipedes and earthworms.
Location: TE15, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58566
Title: Augmentation of groundwater recharge and water quality improvement by water harvesting structures in the semi-arid Deccan
Author: R N Adhikari, A K Singh, S K N Math, A Raizada, P K Mishra and K K Reddy
Editor: P. Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, No 11, Vol 104, 10 June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Check dam, groundwater, percolation tank, semi-arid regions, water quality
Abstract: The effect of water harvesting structures on groundwater recharge and water quality was evaluated in a watershed situated in a semi-arid region in Andhra Pradesh, India. Two percolation tanks and two check dams with a total storage capacity of 4.209 ha m were selected to assess their effect on groundwater recharge and water quality within the influence zone of the water harvesting structures. Daily rainfall, evaporation and storage depth in structures were measured to quantify percolation. Using rainfall-run-off relationship with antecendent precipitation index as a factor, compelet wate rbudgeting was carried out. Results show that the threshold value of rainfall for ensuring 1 mm potential recharge is 61 mm. Potential recharge is only 3% of annual rainfall received. Water quality analysis revealed that except pH, all other water quality parameters like electrical conductivity, sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate, total hardness, nitrate and fluoride content reached desirable limits in close vicinity (<100 m) to the water harvesting structures. Increased availability of groundwater led to subsequent over-exploitation in below-normal rainfall years and the number of bore wells increased by three times.
Location: TE15, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58565
Title: Is the North Indian continental margin a Palaeo-proterozoic magmatic arc? Insights from magnetomineralogy and geochemistry of the Wangtu Gneissic Complex, Himachal Lesser Himalaya
Author: Koushik Sen, Kavita Tripathi and A K Dubey
Editor: P. Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, No 11, Vol 104, 10 June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Granite, hornblende, Lesser Himalaya, magmatic arc, magnetic susceptibility, proterozoic
Abstract: Magnetomineralogical, petrographic and whole-rock geochemical studies on the Palaeo-proterozoic Wangu Gneissic Complex (WGC) of the Himachal Lesser Himalaya have been carried out to understand teh techtonic setting of the northern Indian continental margin during teh Palaeo-proterozoic. Petrography and magnetomineralogy suggest that, although the WGC is dominantly compsed of S-type/two-mica granitoids having two magnetic susceptabilty (<500 x 10-6 SI units), part of the complex consists of hornblende magnetite and biotite-magnetitie -bearing I-type granitoids having susceptibility greater than 500 x 10-6 SI units. Comparison of magnetic susceptibility with major element concentration reveals that the high susceptibility (>500 x 10-6 SI units) granites are low in silica content and enriched in ferro-magnesian content. Tectonic discrimination based on trace element concentration shows that both I- and S-type granitoids of the WGC contain concentration of Y, Nb and Rb consistent with a collisional /volcanic arc set up. It is concluded that the North Indian continental margin had an active collisional set up during the palaeo-proterozoic.
Location: TE15, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58564
Title: An early warning system for elephant intrusion along the forest border areas
Author: S J Sugumar and R Jayaparvathy
Editor: P. Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, No 11, Vol 104, 10 June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Early warning system, forest border areas, human-elephant conflict, migration data
Abstract: Man-animal conflict has been on the rise in the forest border areas wtih herds of wild pachyderms straying into human habitation. The surveillance and tracking of elephnat herds are difficult due to thier size and nature of movement. In this article, we present an analytical procedure to study the behaviour of elephants along forest border areas by taking migration data into consideration using a three-state Markov chain. The migration data over the whole year is divided into four different periods for the study. We also develop an intrusion detectin system to detect the intrusion of herds of wild elephants from the forests into the human habitation and to send an early warning through SMS to the forest officials to take necessary action. We validate the analytical results in comparison with the data obtained from the Forest Department. We also present a multi-class classification algorithm for providing zero false alarm rate. Species classification accuracy percentage is found to be 91.25.
Location: TE15, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58563
Title: Convective thundercloud development over the Western Ghats mountain sloe in Kerala
Author: R Vishnu, V Anil Kumar, Hamza Varikoden, K Sarath Krishnan, T S Sreekanth, V N Subi Symon, S Murali Das and G Mohan Kumar
Editor: P. Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, No 11, Vol 104, 10 June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Convective Cbs, disaster, lightning, mountain weather, updraft
Abstract: Studies were carried out on the data from Braemore mountain observatory (lat. 8045 ' N, long. 7705 ' E) using a single-lens ceilometer (LIDAR), an electric field mill and a portable automatic weather station throughout the year 2010. The simultaneous data collected using the above instruments indicate the existence of strong updrafts followed by the formation of thunderclouds, a characteristic of the mountain slopes, during the thunderstorm months.Changes in atmosphere related to condensation and formation of water droplets during updraft events on the mountain slope could be detected from the ceilometer scattering data. Results of the study point to the cause of relatively more thunderstorm activity in that zone. This seems to be due to excessive updraft, which is strongly related to lightning activity in the region.
Location: TE15, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58562
Title: Losing threatened and rare wildlife to hunting in Ziro valley, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Author: K Muthamizh Selvan, Gopi Govindan Veeraswami, Bilal Habib and Salvador Lyngdoh
Editor: P. Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, No 11, Vol 104, 10 June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Apatani, Arunachal Pradesh, mammals, Wildlife hunting, Ziro valley
Abstract: Harvesting wild animals through hunting has become a major conservation issue, especially for large-bodied animals. We surveyed the Ziro valley in Arunachal Pradesh in order to assess the socio-ecnomic status and dependence of indigenous people on wildlife species. We used structured questionnaire for the survey and houses were selected randomly. Species hunted include common leopard, clouded leopard, marbled cat, leopard cat, spotted linsang, otter sp., yellow-throated marten, orange-bellied squirrel, Malayan giant squirrel, sambar, barking deer, wild pig and birds. Hunting was carried out mainly for subsistence (55%), commercial purposes (25%) and medicine (10%). There is an urgent need to assess the impact of wildlife hunting and the sustainability of such practices on the hunted species to aid in adopting strategies to improve the protection measures and making informed conservation decisions.
Location: TE15, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58561
Title: Shrimps - a nutritional perspective
Author: J Syama Dayal, A G Ponniah, H Imran Khan, E P Madhu Babu, K Ambasankar and K P Kumarguru Vasagam
Editor: P. Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, No 11, Vol 104, 10 June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Daily value, dietary cholesterol, nutritional composition, shrimp
Abstract: This article presents the nutritional value of shrimp on the strength of its nutrient composition and daily value (DV%). With its relatively lower lipid content (~1%), the DV(%) of 100g shrimp for an adult human is 75%, 70% and 35% for eicosapentonoic acid + docosahexanoic acid, essential amino acids (methionine, tryptophan and lysine) and protein respectively. The lower atherogenic (0.36) and thrombogenic (0.29) indices of shrimp show its cardio-protective nature. The controversy relating to shrimp cholesterol and the overall health benefits of eating shrimp are discussed to indicate that shrimp should be a regular item in the diet of normolipidemic peoples.
Location: TE15, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58560
Title: Modern salt (halite) deposits of the Sambhar lake, Rajasthan and their formative conditions
Author: B P Singh, Neha Singh, S P Singh
Editor: P. Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, No 11, Vol 104, 10 June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: TE15, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58559
Title: Mountain tunnelling, aquifer and tectonics-a case study of Gran Sasso and its implications for the India-based Neutrino Observatory by V T Padmanabhan and Joseph Makkolil-a critique
Author: V Balachandran
Editor: P. Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, No 11, Vol 104, 10 June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: TE15, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58558
Title: The case for banning endosulfan
Author: G K Mahapatro and Madhumita Panigrahi
Editor: P. Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, No 11, Vol 104, 10 June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: TE15, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58557
Title: Conserving the endangered Mahseers (Tor spp) of India: the positive role of recreational fisheries
Author: Adrian C Pinder and Rajeev Raghavan
Editor: P. Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, No 11, Vol 104, 10 June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: TE15, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58556
Title: Change detection from remotely sensed images: From pixel-based to object-based approaches
Author: Masroor Hussain, Dongmei Chen, Angela Cheng, Hui Wei, David Stanley
Editor: Derek Lichti
Year: 2013
Publisher: Elsevier, Vol 80, June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
Keywords: Remote sensing, change detection, pixel-based, object-based, spatial-data-mining
Abstract: The appetite for up-to-date information about earth ' s surface is ever increasing, as such information provides a base for a large number of applications, including local, regional adn global resources monitoring, land-cover and land-use change monitoring, and environmental studies. The data from remote sensing satellites provide opportunities to acquire information about land at varying resolutions and has been widely used for change detection studies. A large number of change detection methodologies and techniques, utilizing remotely sensed data, have been developed, and newer techniques are still emerging. This paper begins with a discussion of the traditionally pixel-based and (mostly) statistics-oriented change detection techniques which focus mainly on the spectral values and mostly ignore the spatial context. This is succeeded by a review of object-based change detection techniques. Finally there is a brief discussion of spatial data mining techniques in image processing and change detection from remote sensing data. The merits and issues of different techniques are compared. The importance of the exponential increase in the image data volume and multiple sensors and associated challenges on the development of change detection techniques are highlighted. With the wide use of very-high-resolution (VHR) remotely sensed images, object-based methods and data mining techniques may have more potential in change detection.
Location: TE12, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58555
Title: Spectral discrimination of giant reed (Arundo donax L): A seasonal study in riparian areas
Author: Maria Rosario Fernandes, Francisca C Aguiar, Joao M N Silva, Maria Teresa Ferreira, Jose M C Pereira
Editor: Derek Lichti
Year: 2013
Publisher: Elsevier, Vol 80, June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
Keywords: Giant reed, Common reed, phenological period, Riparian vegetation, Invasive plant species, Field spectroradiometry
Abstract: The giant reed (Arundo donax L) is a amongst the one hundred worst invasive alien species of the world and it is responsible for biodiversity loss and failure of ecosystem functions in riparian habitats. In this work, field spectroradiometry was used to assess teh spectral separability of the giant reed from the adjacent vegetation and from the common reed, a native similar species.
The study was conducted at different phenological periods and also for the giant reed stands regenerated after mechanical cutting (giant reed_RAC). A hierarchial procedure using Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Classification and Regression Trees (CART) was used to select the minimum number of optimal bands that discriminate the giant reed from the adjacent vegetation. A new approach was used to identify sets of wavelengths-wavezones-that maximize the spectral separability beyond the minimum number of optimal bands, Jeffries Matusita and Bhattacharya distance were used to evaluate the spectral separability using the minimum optimal bands and in three simulated satellite images, namely Landsat, IKONOS and SPOT.
Giant reed was spectrally separable from the adjacent vegetation, both at the vegetation and the senescent period, exception made ot the common reed at the vegetative period. The red edge region was repeatedly selected, although the visible region was also important to separate the giant reef from the herbaceous vegetation and the mid infrared region to the discrimination from the woody vegetation. The highest separability was obtained for the giant reed_RAC stands, due to its highly homogeneous, dense and dark-green stands. Results are discussed by relating the phenological, morphological and structural features of the giant reed stands and the adjacent vegetaion with thier optical traits. Weaknesses and strengths of the giant reed spectral discrimination are highlighted and implications of imagery selection for mapping purposes are argued based on preesnt results.
Location: TE12, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58554
Title: Improved topographic mapping through high-resolution SAR interferometry with atmospheric effect removal
Author: Mingsheng Liao, Houjun Jiang, Yong Wang, Teng Wang, Lu Zhang
Editor: Derek Lichti
Year: 2013
Publisher: Elsevier, Vol 80, June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
Keywords: High-resolution, SAR Interferometry, Topographic mapping, SRTM, atmospheric stratification, Atmospheric turbulence
Abstract: The application of SAR interferometry (InSAR ) in topographic mapping is usually limited by geometric/temporal decorrelations and atmospheric effect, particularly in repeat-pass mode. In this paper, to improve the accuracy of topographic mapping with high-resolution InSAR, a new approach to estimate and remove atmospheric effect has been developed. Under the assumptions that there was no ground deformation within a short temporal period and insignificant ionosphere interference on high-frequency radar signals, e.g. X-bands, the approach was focused on the removal of two types of atmospheric effects, namely tropospheric stratification and turbulence. Using an available digital elevation model (DEM) of moderate spatial resolution, e.g. Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM, a differential interferogram was firstly produced from the high-resolution InSAR data pair. A linear regression model between phase signal and auxillary elevation was established to estimate the stratified atmospheric effect from the differential interferogram. Afterwards, a combination of a low-pass and an adaptive filter was employed to separate the turbulent atmsopheric effect. After the removal of both types of atmospheric effects in the high-resolution interferogram, the interferometric phase information incorporating local topographic details was obtained and further processed to produce a high-resolution DEM. The feasibility and effectiveness of this approach was validated by an experiment with a tandem mode X-band COSMO-SKyMed InSAR data pair covering a mountainous area in Northwestern China. By using a standard Chinese national DEM of scale 1:50,000 as the reference, we evaluated the vertical accuracy of InSAR DEM with and without atmospheric effects correction, which shows that after atmospheric signal correction the root-mean-squarred error (RMSE) has decreased for 13.6 m to 5.7 m. Overall, from this study a significant improvement to derive topographic maps with high accuracy has been achieved by using the proposed approach.
Location: TE12, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 58553
Title: Estimating crop net primary production using national inventory data and MODIS-derived parameters
Author: Varaprasad Bandaru, Tristram O West, Daniel M Ricciuto, R Cesar Izaurralde
Editor: Derek Lichti
Year: 2013
Publisher: Elsevier, Vol 80, June 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
Keywords: Agriculture, carbon flux, crop production, geospatial scaling, phenology, Satellite remote sensing
Abstract: National estimates of spatially resolved cropland net primary production (NPP) are needed for diagnostic and prognostic modeling of carbon sources, sinks, and net carbon flux between land and atmosphere. Cropland NPP estimates that correspond with existing cropland cover maps are needed to drive biogeo-chemical models at the local scale as well as national and continental scales. Existing satellite-based NPP products tend to underestimate NPP on croplands. An Agricultural Inventory-based Light Use Efficiency (AgI-LUE) framework was developed to estimate individual crop biophysical parameters for use in estimating crop-specific NPP over large multi-state regions. The method is documented here and evaluated for corn (Zea mays L) and soybean (Glycine max L Merr) in lowa and Illinois in 2006 and 2007. The method includes a crop-specific Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), shortwave radiation data estimated using the Mountain Climate Simulator (MTCLIM) algorithm, and crop-specific LUE per country. The combined aforementioned variables were used to generate spatially-resolved, crop-specific NPP that corresponds to the Cropland Data Layer (CDL) land cover product. Results from the modeling framework captured the spatial NPP gradient across croplands of Iowa and Illinois, and also represented the difference in NPP between years 2006 and 2007. Average corn and soybean NPP from AgI-LUE was 917 g Cm-2 yr-1 and 409 g Cm-2 yr-1, respectively. This was 2.4 and 1.1 times higher, respectively, for corn and soybean compared to the MOD1743 NPP product. Site comparisons with flux tower data show AgI-LUE NPP in close agreement with tower-derived NPP, lower than inventory-based NPP, and higher than MOD17A3 NPP. The combination of new inputs and improved datasets enabled the development of spatially explicit and reliable NPP estimates for individual crops over large reigional extents.
Location: TE12, New Biological Sciences, IISc
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None