ID: 57937
Title: Groundwater pollution modelling - A case study for Chennai (India)
Author: Usha Natesan and K Deepthi
Editor: Dr R K Trivedy
Year: 2012
Publisher: EM International, Vol 31 (4), 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Pollution Research
Keywords: Groundwater Hydrology, Modelling, MODFLOW, pollution, Chennai
Abstract: The waterways of Chennai city are currently under severe stress due to pollution. Efforts by the Government to reduce the influx of solid and liquid pollutants have had some success, although there much to be done. The major waterways that flow through Chennai City are Adyar and Coovum rivers and Buckingham Canal. The waterways are polluted due to increased urbanization and industrialization. As the rivers are flowing through the Chennai city, there is a likely possibility for the contamination of groundwater. Hence a study had been taken up to assess the groundwater pollution from these waterways. Study area comprises of Adyar and Coovum River and 5 km on either side of it. The data about aquifer characteristics viz., porosity, permeability, specific storage and specific yield were collected from different Government Departments. The water level and aquifer parameters were given an input to the groundwater model, visual MODFLOW and the groundwater flow was simulated. The validation of predicted and observed water levels has an RMS error of + 2.5m. The zone of influence for Coovum is upto 3 km South and Adyar river upto 2 km North. The study confirms that the waterways are polluting the groundwater and the results encourage the usage of models as a groundwater management tool for decision making.
Location: TE 15, Biological Science Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57936
Title: Estimation of microbial quality of a pond water at Nadia district, West Bengal with special reference to E. coli
Author: Bikash Kanti Biswas, Satabdi Das and Aparajita Biswas
Editor: Dr R K Trivedy
Year: 2012
Publisher: EM International, Vol 31 (4), 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Pollution Research
Keywords: Bacteria, total count, coliform, E coli, pond water, health hazard, pollution
Abstract: In rural West Bengal still same pond water is used for cultivation of fish, as drinking water and livestock, for wallowing of buffalo and also for washing of clothes as well as bathing. Water from such four ponds was screened for bacteriological study. The study revealed that total count was 2.8 x 1014, 3.7 x 1013, .8 x 1014, 3.8 x 1012 and 3.1 x 1013, coliform was 7.2 x 106, 5.8 x 105, 7.2 x 105 and 5.8 x 106, and E. coli was 9.2 x 103, 4.3 x 103, 9.2 x 102 and 8.3 x 102 per mL of water in four ponds respectively. There is no significant difference in the number of bacteria present in four different ponds.
Location: TE 15, Biological Science Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57935
Title: Carotenoids from the feathers waste of Gallus gallus and its antimicrobial activity
Author: S Priya and P Maheswari
Editor: Dr R K Trivedy
Year: 2012
Publisher: EM International, Vol 31 (4), 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Pollution Research
Keywords: Antimicrobial activity, Carotenoids, Gallus gallus
Abstract: In present study, the methanol method for carotenoids extraction from the feathers waste of Gallus gallus (chicken) was introduced. The antimicrobial activity of the carotenoids extract against Escherichia coli, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bacillus subtilis was also elucidated. Results showed that the optimum extraction conditions was at a temperature of 500C, a solvent-solid ratio of 10:1 and duration of 30 min. The disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination showed that the extract has a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity against E. coli, B subtilis and S cerevisiae with their inhibition zones ranging from 8.90 mm to 15.45 mm and the MIC ranging from 16.75 ?g/mL to 90 ?g/mL. However, it showed no inhibition effect on A. niger and A. flavus.
Location: TE 15, Biological Science Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57934
Title: Remote sensing-based hazard assessment of glacial lakes in Sikkim Himalaya
Author: K Babu Govindha Raj, S N Remya and K Vinod Kumar
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 104, No 3, 10 February 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Glacial lakes, hazard assessment, outbrust floods, remote sensing
Abstract: Glacial lake is a water body formed in/under/besides and/or in front of a glacier due to glacial dynamics. Such high-altitude glacial lakes are hazardous to humanity and infrastructure as they can drain instantaneous and create devastating floods in the downstream. The formation of moraine-dammed glacial lakes and glacial lake outbrust flood (GLOF) is major concern in countries such as Bhutan, Tibet (China), India, Nepal and Pakistan. The temporal satellite data analysis from CORONA to LISS III shows the glacier receded 1.9 km from 1962 to 2008 and the formation of a moraine-dammed glacial lake at the snout of South Lhonak glacier, Sikkim Himalaya. The lake outburst probability shows a very high value of 42% for the lake and peak discharge estimated using the empirical formula shows a discharge of 586 m3/s. A resolutin satellite data and in situ field survey is recommended and adaptation measures like early warning systems and mitigation measures are required in potential GLOF areas.
Location: TE 15, Biological Science Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57933
Title: Quantifying water stress using crop water stress index in mahogany (Sweitenia macrophylla King) seedlings
Author: C Sneha, A V Santhoshkumar and K M Sunil
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 104, No 3, 10 February 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Canopy air temperature difference, crop water stress index, mahogany, relative chlorophyll content
Abstract: The present study was made to quantify water stress in mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) seedlings using crop water stress index (CWSI). Seedlings were provided with four different level sof irrigation as treatments - irrgiation at irrigation water (IW)/evapo-transpiration (ET) =1, 0.6 and 0.3 at weekly intervals and a control with no irrigation (IW/ET=0). Canopy - air temperature difference (CATD) was recorded using an infrared thermometer. The non-water-stressed baseline (NWSB) was derived from CATD and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) in the well-watered treatment (irrigation at 1.01 W/ET). The lower baseline equation for CATD was -0.25VPD -2.9 and the upper baseline equation was -0.01 VPD+6.1. CWSI responded to irrigation events along the whole season and clearly detected mild water stress, suggesting extreme sensitivity to variations in plant water status. The present study reveals the potential of CWSI for early, non-destructive and less time -consumign estimation of water stress.
Location: TE 15, Biological Science Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57932
Title: A simple method for total genomic DNA extraction from water moulds
Author: T R Prabha, K Revathi, M S Vinod, S P Shanthakumar and Paul Bernard
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 104, No 3, 10 February 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Extraction, genomic DNA, molecular characterization, water moulds
Abstract: Water moulds grows on submerged and floating leaves, twigs and wood in well-aerated waters. The morphological descriptions of manyrare fungal species have been increasingly supplemented by their molecular characteristics. The isolation of genomic DNA is a pre-requisite for their molecular characterization. The DNA isolation procedure developed herein is based on the sodium dodecyl sulphate/phenol method, without the addition of beta-mercaptoethanol and proteinase K; instead it uses phenol/chloroform extraction. This protocol resulted in good quality DNA which was further validated using polymerase chain reaction amplification, cloning and sequencing and other downstream processes. The whole procedure can be done in a relatively short period of time without the need to employ beta-mercaptoethanol, CTAB, lysozyme digestion, proteinase K treatment, etc., thereby reducing the overall costs involved.
Location: TE 15, Biological Science Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57931
Title: Bad weather and aircraft accidents - global vis-a-vis Indian scenario
Author: Rajendra Kumar Jenamani and Ashok Kumar
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 104, No 3, 10 February 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Aircraft accidents, thunderstorms, visibility, weather hazards, wind
Abstract: It is of great significace to identify and clarify the circumstances and causes of any aircraft accident which will help avoid similar accidents in the future. Besides attribution of various aircraft accidents to avionic causes, bad weather is another prime cause for accidents of many aircraft and helicopters in India. But hardly any study is available in this regard in Indian using their longi-period data. Organizations like USA-based National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Geneva-based Aircraft Crashes Record Office (ACRO) and some other researchers have analysed factor-wise causes of aircraft accidents in percentage using their long-period data, including percentage of aircraft accidents due to various weather types, e.g. low visibility/ceiling, wind shear, squalls, etc. It is high time that similar attempts are made in India for their cumulative assessment and recommending better mitigation measures and regulations. In the present article, available data from NTSB, ACRO, etc. have been reviewed from the context of bad weather as the major factor of aircraft accidents. We have made similar study using data from Annual Aircraft Accident reports of 1992-2008 published by Director General Civil Aviation of India for the Indian region. We have also discussed how efficient use of newly available technology in meteorological services may help mitigate accidents to some extent.
Location: TE 15, Biological Science Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57930
Title: Correlation of data on loss-on-ignition and playnology for late quaternary climate change in southwestern Madhya Pradesh, India
Author: M S Chauhan, Kamlesh Kumar, M F Quamar, Anupam Sharma
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 104, No 3, 10 February 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: TE 15, Biological Science Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57929
Title: Grooming of sambar (Rusa unicolor) by rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, India
Author: Anirudhkumar G Vasava, Subhasis Mahato, M Navaneethan, Anil Dashahre
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 104, No 3, 10 February 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: TE 15, Biological Science Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57928
Title: Ambrosia psilostachya DC (Asteraceae) - a new record but a potential threat to Indian flora
Author: T V Ramachandra Prasad, R R Rao, M T Sanjay, R A Sharma
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 104, No 3, 10 February 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: TE 15, Biological Science Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57927
Title: Popularization of Perilla seed oil as a functional food source
Author: Nirpendra Chauhan, S Zafar Haider, Sher Singh and Hema Lohani
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 104, No 3, 10 February 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: TE 15, Biological Science Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57926
Title: Bio-toilets for Indian Railways
Author: Sudhir Kumar
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 104, No 3, 10 February 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: TE 15, Biological Science Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57925
Title: Growth and productivity of Cymopsis tetragonoloba under different trees species irrigated at varying levels in Indian desert region
Author: G Singh and T R Rathod
Editor: Dr P P Bhojvaid
Year: 2013
Publisher: The Indian Forester, Vol 139, No 1, January 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: The Indian Forester
Keywords: Competitive effects, controlled irrigation, tree-crop interactions, crop yield reduction
Abstract: Variation in yield of Cymopsis tetragonoloba L. due to companion 3-year old Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Dalbergia sissoo and Acacia nilotica plants irrigated at 36.2 mm (T1), 20.2 mm (T2), 20.2 mm (T3) and 18.1mm (T4) levels and a rainfed in which plants were irrigated once at 325 mm and left unirrigated (T5) were studied to monitor competitive effects of these species with agriculture crops at different soil water stress levels. Height and collar diameter of 3-year old plants ranged from 730 to 345 cm and 10.5 to 4.8 cm for E. camaldulensis, 520 to 230 cm and 10.9 to 6.1 cm for Dalbergia sissoo and Acacia nilotica plants irrigated at 36.2 mm (T1), 26.5mm (T2), 20.2 mm (T3) and 18.1 mm (T4) levels and a rainfed in which plants were irrigated once at 325 mm and left unirrigated (T5) were studied to monitor competitive effects of these species with agriculture crops at different soil water stress levels. Height and collar diameter of 3-year old plants ranged from 730 to 345 cm and 10.5 to 4.8 cm for E. camaldulensis, 520 to 230 cm and 10.9 to 6.1 cm for Dalbergia sissoo and 370 to 275 cm and 7.4 to 6.1 cm for Acacia nilotica. The highest and lowest growth variables were in T1 and T5 irrigation levels, respectively for all three species. Treatments were plant intact (IP), lopped plants with root only in which aboveground plant parts were removed from soil surface (LP) and a ' no plant ' control (WP). Germination of C. tetragonoloba was more favorable with intact plants of E. camaldulensis, but it was highest at T5 level of irrigation. Effect of A. nilotica was more adverse on both germination and crop yield. The association of D. sissoo was relatively positive. Though the yield of pod husk and grain decreased with decrease in irrigation level, but the effect was not significant suggesting the water stress tolerance nature of C. tetragonoloba.
Location: Kumta Field Station
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57924
Title: Diflubenzuron a new wood preservative chemical against Lyctus africanus
Author: Aparna Kalawate
Editor: Dr P P Bhojvaid
Year: 2013
Publisher: The Indian Forester, Vol 139, No 1, January 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: The Indian Forester
Keywords: Diflubenzuron, Lyctus africanus, powder post beetle, wood preservation
Abstract: Powder post beetle, Lyctus africanus Lesne (Coleoptera : Lyctidae) is the most economically destructive borer. In the laboratory bioefficacy study of diflubenzuron a chitin synthesis inhibitor was evaluated against Lyctus africanus.
Location: Kumta Field Station
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 57923
Title: Response of wheat to different irrigation regimes given under poplar (Populus deltoides Bartr. Ex . Marsh) based agro forestry system
Author: Avtar Singh, R P Singh and Harinderjeet Kaur
Editor: Dr P P Bhojvaid
Year: 2013
Publisher: The Indian Forester, Vol 139, No 1, January 2013
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: The Indian Forester
Keywords: Agro forestry, moisture stress, wheat, grain yield, quality, inter-cropping
Abstract: A recently released, short duration wheat variety PBW-550. was omtercropped in the poplar trees planted during February 2009 at a spacing of 5 x 4 m on sandy soil at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. The experiment was conducted using randomized block design with four irrigation treatments viz; I1(Irrigation after 40 mm CPE), I2 (Irrigation after 60 mm CPE), I3 (Irrigation after 80 mm CPE) and I4 (Irrigation after 100 mm CPE) given to poplar plantation and having six replication. The wheat yield was lower under the intercropping, more so during the second year, as compared to the pure crop. The reduced irrigation regimes further reduced the grain yield of wheat and the best results were obtained with teh I2 irrigation regime. The grain appearance score, test weight and grain hardness were all affected negatively during the second year of poplar growth and the restricted irrigation treatments. Consequently teh grain protein content increased with those treatments owing the shriveling of the kernels whereby teh bran to endosperm ratio increases. However the effect on the sedimentation value was not so pronounced.
Location: Kumta Field Station
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None