ID: 56721
Title: Occurrence of cyanobacteria - diatom symbiosis in the Bay of Bengal: implications in biogeochemistry
Author: Vinayaka V Kulkarni, Rajath R Chitari, Dhiraj D Narale, Jagadish S Patil, Arga Chandrashekar Anil
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2010
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 99, No 6, 25 September 2010
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56720
Title: Adaptive responses underpinning speciation in Pedicularis L. (Scrophulariaceae)
Author: Arti Garg
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2010
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 99, No 6, 25 September 2010
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56719
Title: India registers plant varieties under PPV & FR Act, 2001
Author: S Nagarajan, R K Trivedi, D S Raj Ganesh and A K Singh
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2010
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 99, No 6, 25 September 2010
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Pprotection of Plant Varieties and Farmer ' s Rights 2001
Abstract: The protection of Plant Varieties and Farmer ' s Rights 2001 came into force in 2005 and procedural details for the registration of 12 species of plants were completed by 2007. Applications were received from May 2007, and so far 168 varieties kinds have been registered. Here we present a brief on the same.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56718
Title: ' Mauhak ' - yet another mystery in the dictionary of bamboo flowering
Author: Ch. Sadananda, Salam Dilip, L B Singha, M L Khan
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2010
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 99, No 6, 25 September 2010
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56717
Title: Survey of plant and animal wealth of India
Author: Basavaraj Kore
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2010
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 99, No 6, 25 September 2010
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: None
Abstract: None
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56716
Title: Distance-related thresholds and influence of the 2004 tsunami on damage and recovery patterns of coral reefs in the Nicobar Islands
Author: Vardhan Patankar, Elrika D ' Souza, A K Kumaraguru and Rohan Arthur
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2012
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 102, No 8, 25 April 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Catastrophic damage, coastal ecosystems, coral reefs, distance gradient, tsunami
Abstract: The earthquake and tsunami of 2004 resulted in the devastation of marine and coastal ecosystems across the Indian Ocean. However, without adequate baseline information it has been difficult to properly gauge its full impact. The reefs of Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal lie on a path that ranges from 190 to 500 km from Banda Aceh, the epicentre of the 2004 tsunami. In 2008, we recorded benthic damage as a result of the tsunami to reefs off 14 Nicobar Islands across a gradient of distance from the epicentre. A clear pattern was observed in the demographic structure of the most abundant coral genera, Acropora and Porites across the distance gradient. Significantly, for the largest coral individuals of both general (> 50 cm diameter) there were distinct threshold effects- their abundance declining dramatically in reefs closer than 350 km from the epicentre. Corals between 20 and 50 cm diameter also increased with distance from the epicentre, but in a more linear fashion. Smaller size classes either showed no apparent trend (Acropora) or decreased linearly (Porites) with distance. These genera represent very different life-history strategies: Acropora is fast-growing and highly susceptible to a range of distubances, while Porites typically grows slowly but is resistant to disturbance. The fact that both genera showed similar thresholds indicates that, close to the epicentre, the impact of the earthquake and tsunami was large enough to override any species specific resistance. Also, algal cover was also much higher than at locations further north, linked to highe rcoral mortality at these locations. However, the fact that smaller size class coral individuals were relatively abundant and even increased close to the epicentre indicates possible paths of reef recovery after the catastrophe.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56715
Title: The Younger Dryas cold event in NW Himalaya based on pollen record from the Chandra Tal area in Himachal Pradesh, India
Author: Suman Rawat, N R Phadtare and S J Sangode
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2012
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 102, No 8, 25 April 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Cold event, lacustrine sediment, pollen record, radiocarbon dates
Abstract: Pollent record of an AMS radiocarbon dated lacustrine sediment profile underlying the Chandra peat deposit in Himachal Pradesh, yielded signatures of the globally reported Younger Dryas (YD) cold event. This report of the YD event in NW Himalaya, substantiated by mineral magnetic variations, also records significant wet and warm conditiosn prior to 12,880 cal yrs BP, depicting the ?ller?d interstadial preceding YD. The notable decrease in local (meadow) and regional (desert steppe) vegetatin indicates major climate shift towards cold and dry conditions marking the onset of YD that intensified progressively till 11,640 cal yrs BP. The YD terminates with gradual reappearance of local and regional flora, indicating initiation of the Holocene wet and warm conditions. The pollen-inferred floristic changes and mineral magnetic variations suggest that in NW Himalaya the initiation and termination of the YD cold event was probably gradual.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56714
Title: Morphometric control on glacier area changes in the Great Himalayan Range, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Author: A C Pandey, M S Nathawat and Swagata Ghosh
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2012
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 102, No 8, 25 April 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Glaciers, morphometric parameters, remote sensing, snout retreat
Abstract: We have utilized satellite images of 1975 and 2001 to reveal the slow response of glaciers to climatic warming in the Great Himalayan Range, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Correlation of various glacier morphometric parameters with reference to glacier area change and shift to the snout position revealed that morphotmetric parameters exert prime control on area changes over glaciers, but do not have much control on the snout retreat or advancement of glaciers. The snout of glaciers which possess low relief may witness more retreat and vice versa. Percentage of area loss was higher over smaller glaciers indicating significant sensitivity of smaller glaciers to area changes.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56713
Title: Can biodiversity study benefit from information on the vertical structure of forests? Utility of LiDAR remote sensing
Author: Matthias Dees, Christoph Straub and Barbara Koch
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2012
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 102, No 8, 25 April 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Biodiversity, forest gaps, LiDAR forest monitoring, stand height, vertical structure
Abstract: Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) remote sensing offers new and improved capabilities for vertical and structural characterization of objects, such as plant height and different growth stages/ strata, etc. Climate change will change tree and plant growth conditions and thus will change forest structure and distribution, which can potentially be studied using LiDAR remote sensing. LiDAR data were acquired during leafless season that was subjected to generation of digital terrain model, digital surface model, vegetation height model, forest height map, top height of forest stands, detection of gaps, detection and mapping of tree stands, mapping of density classes of middle layer and understorey detection of coniferous trees. The stand height and structural information derived from the LiDAR imagery would greatly contribute to the characterization of biodiversity through vertical stratification.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56712
Title: Geospatial approach to identification of ptoential hotspots of land-use and land-cover change for biodiversity conservation
Author: A Roy and V K Srivastava
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2012
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 102, No 8, 25 April 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Change dynamics, hotspots, land cover, land use, modelling
Abstract: Human-driven land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) is one of the most important causes for depletion of biodiversity. Few studies have been undertaken to spatially identify the natural areas prone to LULCC and hence biodiversity loss. This article describes a geospatial modelling technique using a combination of drivers of LULCC, spatial distribution of LULCC and topographic impedances for change in hotspot. A study has been carried out to establish the model. The model has shown that the natural area having high population density in the vicinity area highly prone to LULCC.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56711
Title: Impact of land-use and land-cover changes on temperature trends over Western India
Author: S Nayak and M Mandal
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2012
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 102, No 8, 25 April 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Land-use and land-cover changes, regional warming, temperature trends
Abstract: We study the reginal variation of temperature trends (warming or cooling) over Western India and the contribution of land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes towards htis warming or cooling based on temperature datasets of 37 years (1973-2009). The contribution of LULC to the warmign or coolign is estimated based on deviation in temperatuer in the observation and reanalyais datasets. The observed temperature dataset indicates that Western India is getting warmer by 0.130C per decade. This warming is the combined effect of increase in concentratin of greenhouse gases and LULC changes. The impact of LULC changes on temperature trends over Western India is estimated using ' observation minus reanalysis ' method. The results indicate that the LULC changes have contributed to warming over this region by 0.060C per decade. Comparison of the change in temperature trend with the change in LULC indicates warming due to LULC changes because of the reduction of area under opern forest and subsequent increase of the area under agricultural land. The study highlights the impact of land-use change to be more significant and the utility of satellite data for periodic LULC studies in climate change research
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56710
Title: Species distribution models: ecological explanation and prediction of an endemic and endangered plant species (Pterocarpus santalinus L. f.)
Author: Shilpa Babar, Giriraj Amarnath, C S Reddy, Anke Jentsch and S Sudhakar
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2012
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 102, No 8, 25 April 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Ecological niche modelling, hierarchial partitioning, Pterocarpus santalinus, species distribution
Abstract: Pterocarpus santalinus L.f. (Red Sanders) is an endemic and endangered species largely confined to the southern portion of the Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, India. To understand its ecological and geographic distribution, we used ecological niche modelling (ENM) based on field sample-based distributional information, in relation to climatic and topographic datasets. Before modelling, hierarchical partitioning was used to optimize the choice of variables for better prediction and reliability. We used three ENM approaches, namely GARP, Maxent and BIOCLIM for predicting potential areas of occurrence. The ENM successfully reconstructed key features of the species geographic distribution, mainly in the forest tracts of Chittoor and Kadapa districts. GARP appeared to be more robust in prediction capabilities compared to BIOCLIM. The potential distributional area identified by these models falls mainly in regions not protected and experiencing high anthropogenic pressure woing to economic and medicinal use. The success of this model indicates that ENM-based approaches provide a promising tool for exploring various scenarios useful in the study of ecology, biogeography and conservation.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56709
Title: Long-term ecological and biodiversity monitoring in the western Himalaya using satellite remote sensing
Author: Amit Chawla, Pawan K Yadav, Sanjay K Uniyal, Amit Kumar, Surender K Vats, Sanjay Kumar and P S Ahuja
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2012
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 102, No 8, 25 April 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Climate change, ecotone, forest vegetatin, permanent plots
Abstract: The IPCC in its Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) described the Himalayan Region as data-deficient in terms of climate monitoring. This is a serious impediment to global research initiatives and thus necessitates long-term ecological monitoring (LTEM) across the Himalaya. Being goverened by low temperature conditions, the high-altitude regions in Himalaya are more responsive to changing environmental conditions and hence serve as better indicators. We identified few Protected Areas (PAs) and selected forest core area and ecotones along the temperate, sub-alpine, alpine and cold desert ecosystems in Himachal Pradesh to establish a network of permanent monitoring plots (PMPs). Land and vegetation cover map of three selected PAs has been prepared using Landsate TM satellite data. Among the 10 PMPs, the temperate and tree line forests in the GHNP were found to have the highest tree diversity with Taxus wallichiana showing good stand density and regeneration. The soil pH was found to be higher for cold desert and lower for tree line forests and alpine meadows. Soil total carbon and nitrogen contents ranged from 1.08% to 13.37% and 0.094% to 1.14% respectively. It was observed that the herbs diversity shwoed a positive trend with increasing soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations. Satellite remote sensing proves to be a useful tool in an LTEM study, including biodiversity assessment and climate change research in comples terrains such as the Himalaya.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56708
Title: India ' s plant diversity database at landscape level on geospatial platform: prospects and utility in today ' s changing climate
Author: P S Roy, Harish Karnatak, S P S Kushwaha, A Roy and S Saran
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2012
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 102, No 8, 25 April 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Biodiversity characterization, landscape analysis, remote sensing, spatial database
Abstract: Characterization, quantification and monitoring of biodiversity have been among the major challenges in biodiversity conservation. Until recently, spatial ecological database in India was almost non-existent. There is need of a robust and quality database of the biological diversity at species, community, ecosystem and landscape levels for identification of vulnerable ecosystems and risk species. In order to have a national level database on the spatial distribution of biological diversity, a nationwide project on the biodiversity characterization at landscape level was implemented and studies were carried out between 1998 and 2010 to characterize and map the flowering plants richness in the forested landscpes. The spatial database on vegetation types generated from temporal IRS LISS-III satellite imagery, road/rail network and settlements from topomaps and high-resolution satellite images, and species richness from field sampling were used to generate the spatially explicit species distribution maps and statistics. This study has resulted in the creation of a large baseline spatial database on vegetatin types, porosity, patchiness, interspersion, juxtaposition, fragmentation, disturbance regimes, ecosystem uniqueness, terrain complexity and biological richness.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 56707
Title: Can the distribution of sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn. f.) shift in the northeastern direction in India due to changing climate?
Author: V S Chitale and M D Behera
Editor: P Balaram
Year: 2012
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 102, No 8, 25 April 2012
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Climate change scenario, maximum entropy method, species distribution model, timber species
Abstract: Sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn. f.) is a dominant tree species, whose natural range lies between 20-320N lat. and 75-950E long., is spread across 10 million ha in India. Species distribution models predict the species geographic ranges from occurrence records and site-specific environmental daa. Here, we have (i) generated the 1960s scenario for sal species on the basis of the existing published literature; (ii) confirmed the species occurrence data using satellite imagery for the period of 1972- 75; (iii) run the Maxent species distribution model to predict the distribution for the year 2020 under climate change scenario SRES A1-B and (iv) validated the prediction using more than double the amount of species occurrence data gathered during the last decade (1998-2008). The model identified moisture as the key player that would influence the distribution to shift towards northern and eastern India, with greater than 90% certainty. The study highlights utility of the archived remote sensing data in providing locational information in climate change studies.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None