ID: 52582
Title: The contribution of the fruit component to the hyperspectral citrus canopy signal
Author: Ben Somers, Stephanie Delalieux, Willem W. Verstraeten, Annelies Vanden Eynde, Graham H.Barry, and Pol Coppin
Editor: Russell G Congalton
Year: 2010
Publisher: ASPRS, Vol 76, No 1, January 2010
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing
Keywords: Fruits, Leaf, orange orchard, infrared region, electromagnetic spectrum
Abstract: Very few attempts have been made to qualify and quantify the contribution of fruits to the hyperspectral canopy signal. The interference of fruit may influence the effectiveness of spectral indices and radiative transfer models used to monitor leaf-related biochemical and biophysical parameters. In a series of experiments, the spectral characteristics (350 to 2,500 nm range) of fruit and its contributions to the canopy signature were investigated. Leaf, fruit and canopy spectra were collected in a "Midknight Valencia" orange orchard, evaluated, and cross-referenced against biophysical and biochemical tree characteristics in order to gain a better insight in the contribution of citrus fruits to canopy spectral reflectance. Results indicate that the presence of fruits leads to major reflectance decreases in the infrared regions (700 to 2,500 nm) of the electromagnetic spectrum. This may be explained by, on the one hand a partial obstruction of the volume scattering in the canopy, and on the other hand the significant contribution of the orange fruits ot the overall equivalent canopy water thickness. In the visible (VIS:350 to 700 nm) domain, the impact of the presence of fruit is much less evident. The occurrence of medium and heavy crop loads did not affect the visible reflectance signature significantly but was indirectly evidenced by leaf chlorosis mainly due to competition for nitrogen between the canopy elements. The knowledge gained from this study will contribute to better hyperspectral vegetation index design and improved radiative transfer models for fruit bearing perennial woody crops. What is more, the direct biochemical linkages between water, nitrogen, fruit biomass, and spectral characteristics are an important precursor for the development and implementation of an air-or space-borne crop load monitoring system for citrus orchards.
Location: 231
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52581
Title: A Self-organizing Fuzzy Segmentation (SOFS) method for Road detection from High resolution satellite images
Author: Ali Mohammadzadeh and Mohammad Javad Valadan Zoej
Editor: Russell G Congalton
Year: 2010
Publisher: ASPRS, Vol 76, No 1, January 2010
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing
Keywords: self-organizing Fuzzy Segmentation (SOFS), QuickBird color image
Abstract: This paper proposes an image segmentation algorithm based on fuzzy logic to detect raod pixels in high-resolution satellite images. Other image classification and segmentation appraoches require that the number of existing classes in the image scene be specified in advance. Additionally, supervised classification algorithms require sufficient samples from an image to identify the parameters of each class. The proposed method does not require specification of the number of classes. The mean and standard deviation of road pixels are automatically calculated using one up to three samples from its surface. This is an improvement on existing classification and segmentation methods. The proposed appraoch is tested on both simulated and real satellite images. A QuickBird color image is segmented into road and non-road zones using mean and standard deviation values calculated using the proposed method. Finally, advanced mathematical morphology algorithms are used to extract main road centerlines from the segmented image.
Location: 231
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52580
Title: Tephra from Quaternary sediments of western slope of Lakshadweep Ridge, Arabian Sea
Author: C.Jayaprakash, R.Jayakumar, A.C.Dinesh, N.Maran and N.M.Shareef
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Arabian sea, chemistry, shard morphology, Tephra
Abstract: Extensive occurrence of fallout tephra in teh Quaternary sediments of Arabian Sea is observed in the gravity cores collected from western slope of Lakshadweep Ridge between water depths of 2505 and 3481 m. The Western Lakshadweep Tephra (WLT) layer is associated with olive grey to dark grey, pelagic to hemi-pelagic clay and bioclasts, and occurs between depths of 95 and 156 cm below seafloor. The tephra layers are admixed with clayey sediments and are relatively hard, compact and partly dehydrated with lesser amount of biogenic material. The glass shards associated with the sediments are fresh, colourless and transparent with abundant pale brown pyroclastic aggregates. The glass shards are mainly bubble wall type, with some having forms like cuspate, curved platy, multi-junctional and pipe vesicles. The high silica, alumina and K2O and low FeO and MgO indicate rhyolitic composition of glass shards. In the Or-Ab-An plot the samples fall in the rhyolite field. Major element chemistry and morphology of WLT suggest Youngest Toba Ash as their source. This tephra-bearing zone may be used as a marker horizon for stratigraphic correlation and calculating the rate of sedimentation.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52579
Title: Vulnerability of corals to warming of the Indian seas: a projection for the 21st century
Author: E.Vivekanandan, M.Hussain Ali, B.Jasper and M.Rajagopalan
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Coral vulnerability, Indian seas, projection, seawater warming
Abstract: Indian seas experienced severe warming in 1998 and 2002 that resulted in large-scale bleaching and mortality of corals. Anticipating increased warming in future, we made an attempt to project coral vulnerability in the Andaman, Nicobar, Lakshadweep, the Gulf of Mannar and the Gulf of Kachchh regions for the 21st century. To project the number of bleaching events, the thermal threshold for bleaching, degree heating month (DHM) accumulations of the sea surface temperature (SST) hotspot anomalies, and the predicted increase in SST during this century were considered. The decadal DHM values are expected to gradually increase in all the five regions in the early decades of this century, but abruptly increase after the year 2050. The results indicate that if there is no increase in thermal tolerance capacity, bleaching would become an annual or biannual event for almost all reef regions along the Indian coast in the next 30-50 years. Reef building corals may lose dominance between 2030 and 2040 in the Lakshadweep region and between 2050 and 2070 in the other four regions.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52578
Title: Reconstruction of buried channel-floodplain systems of the northwestern Haryana Plains and their relation to the ' Vedic ' Saraswati
Author: H.S.Saini, S.K.Tandon, S.A.I.Mujtaba, N.C.Pant and R.K.Khorana
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Buried fluvial systems, northwestern Haryana Plains, OSL dating, ' Vedic ' Saraswati
Abstract: Based on the collection of subsurfac lithofacies data from well logs, this study attempts to map the buried channel-floodplain systems of a part of the northwestern Haryana Plains and provides evidence of buried major sand bodies at various depths; these belong to at least two separate phases of fluvial activity. The younger phase of fluvial activity includes the previously mapped palaeochannel segment between Tohana and Sirsa that was considered as a part of the ' lost ' Saraswati. The recognition of major palaeochannel belts in the subsurface provides definite proof of the presence of a strong fluvial regime sometime in the past. Based on OSL dating, it is inferred that these relatively older palaeochannel belts pre-date the Last Glacial Maximum and are related to the later part of the wetter MIS 3; and the younger fluvial activity, recognized in a limited part of the area, is date between ~6.0 and ~2.9 Ka BP. The analysis of these sub surface data suggests the existence of integrated drainage networks in the northwestern Haryana Plains in the 20-30 ka time interval.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52577
Title: Recent approaches in CO2 fixation research in India and future perspectives towards zero emission coal based power generation
Author: Malti Goel
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Climate change, coal combustion, CO2 fixation, energy, zero emission
Abstract: With an ultimate goal of stabilization of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, new scientific appraoches are being researched worldwide leading to a shift in the policies from low carbon and no carbon energy sources to fossil fuel sources with capture of carbon and its storage or permanent fixation. The carbon capture and storage is no doubt a progressive approach to limit CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. In India, CO2 fixation research has been initiated on novel amine based, multiphased absorbents and innovative adsorptive materials in different R & D laboratories. New possibilities exist in biofixation of CO2 from the flue gases through microbial and microalgal processes. There is need to intensify R&D efforts further for development of cost-effective regenerative adsorbents and processes. It is also important that advanced coal combustion technologies are investigated keeping in view the properties of coal and the concept of zero emission plants. Emerging trends in advanced coal combustion processes and challenges in R&D towards zero emission coal based power generation are enumerated.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52576
Title: Nuclear transfer: an example of responsive epistemologies
Author: Giuseppe Testa
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Epistemologies, embryonic stem, mammalian cloning, nuclear tranfer
Abstract: None
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52575
Title: Determining optimal levels of intellectual property protection in developing nations: is less really more? is more really less?
Author: Dov Greenbaum
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Biodiversity and traditional knowledge, intellectual property, optimal solution, policy makers
Abstract: Current patent reform efforts are not limited to the West. As globalization marches forward and developing nations trend toward greater roles in the world economy, many developing nations are faced with many difficult decisions in the reformation of their own intellectual property laws. Most current research offers one of two diametrically opposed views and promote simplistic one-size-fits-all solutions. The reality is that there is no one optimal solution-each nation needs to customize their intellectual property regimes to their own particular needs and strengths. To this end, this article describes the general goals for developing countries that need to be taken into account when determining an optimal level of intellectual property rights and notes how either strong or weak levels of intellectual property protection will help a country accomplish those goals. Such goals include: the need to increase domestic science and innovation, the need to avoid trade sanctions; a need to protect domestic industry and local resources and commercialize domestic innovation; attract foreign investment, create a system that allows for access to affordable health care and protect indigenous biodiversity and traditional knowledge. Although limited in scope, this article raises a number of issues that need to be considered by developing nations and proposes that a document that gives developing nations the knowlecge and the opportunity to optimize each element of their intellectual property regime is an optimal solution.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52574
Title: The tragedy of cognition: psychological biases and environmental inaction
Author: Dominic Johnson and Simon Levin
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Climate change, decision-making, environment, global warming, psycholgy
Abstract: In an ideal world, people would tackle major crises such as global climate change as rational actors, weighing the costs, benefits and probabilities of success of alternative policies accurately and impartially. Unfortunately, human brains are far from accurate and impartial. Mounting research in experimental psychology reveals that we are all subject to systematic biases in judgement and decision-making. While such biases may have been adaptive heuristics that promoted survival and reproduction in the Pleistocene environment of our evolutionary past, in today ' s world of technological sophistication, industrial power and mass societies, psychological biases can lead to disasters on an unprecedented scale. Beyond the exploding ecological and socio-economic research on climate change and how to deal with the ' tragedy of the commons ' , it is a better understanding of human psychology- ' the tragedy of cognition ' - that may ultimately tip balance against the seeds of our own destruction.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52573
Title: Drivers of regrowth in South Asia ' s human impacted forests
Author: Harini Nagendra
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Forest transition, institutions, protected areas, reforestation, South Asia
Abstract: While loss of forest cover continues to represent a serious environmental challenge, significant reforestation is taking place in many parts of the world. This article assesses the institutional factors that impact forest management in developing countries, with a focus on Nepal and India. Research methods link empirical results obtained from multiple mehtods in multiple field settings at different temporal adn spatial scales to look at the human drivers of forest cover change across a range of social-ecological cotexts. The legitimacy of ownership, degree of monitoring, density of forest users, and the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions appear critical factors, although the official designation of a forest tenure regime does not appear to be as important.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52572
Title: Children in time: community organization in social and ecological systems
Author: Ferenc Jordan
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Food web, network analysis, phenology, social network
Abstract: The hierarchical organization of many ecological and social systems calls for a better understanding of part-to-whole relationships. Network analysis provides a tool for this and it is routinely used for modelling interaction systems. I present a longitudinal social network analysis of a classroom focusing on properties ecologists would be most interested in . Analyses of ecological and social networks share many methodologies, and with many problems cross-relevant, I discuss the possibilites of cross-disciplinary thinking. I quantify the structural balance, the core-periphery organization, small-world character, the Key Player-nestedness and the invadibility of this human community, over time, in the social network setting and look for ecological parallels.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52571
Title: Evolution of reciprocal altruism by copying observed behaviour
Author: Claudia Rutte and Thomas Pfeiffer
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Agent-based simulations, copying, game theory, public information, reciprocal altruism
Abstract: To make decisions, animals frequently use information gained from observing other individuals. In some cases they simply copy observed behaviour. Using computer simulations, we here investigate the impact of copying on the evolution of reciprocal altruism. We show that in populations where individuals repeatedly interact within small groups, copying facilitates the evolution of cooperation even if the individuals do not take into account who is interacting. This mechanism, referred to as ' generalized indirect reciprocity ' allows cooperation to evolve for organisms with limited cognitive capacities and when acquisition of personal and individual-specific information is costly. We discuss implications of copying on the emergence and maintenance of altruistic behaviour in animal populations and the human society.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52570
Title: The tragedy of antimicrobial resistance: achieving a recognition of necessity
Author: Iruka N. Okeke
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance, drug resistance surveillance, prisoners ' dilemma, tragedy of the commons
Abstract: When moderage benefits might accrue to individuals, the absence of incentive for a more valuable common good can lead to consequent societal catastrophe. Proposals for dealing with this type of problem have been examined within multiple, typically economic or ecological frameworks. Antimicrobial resistance is a global and growing anthropomorphic problem. Pathogen susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs is a resource, whose exploitation has been likened to a Prisoner ' s Dilemma game or a Hardin-type tragedy of the commons. As with actual commons, motivating altruism and enforcing favourable outcomes are potential strategies for preserving an antimicrobial susceptibility commons. However, unlike the prototypical tragedy of the commons example of an overgrazed pastureland, users of the antimicrobial susceptibility commons are often blind to virtually complete deterioration of the resource, precluding timely implementation of interventions for control. Collection and dissemination of information about the state of the susceptibility commons is essential for achieving a ' recognition of necessity ' and for moderating the preservation of susceptibility. The most reliable information can only come from the dissemination of drug susceptibility data collected and compiled by laboratories. In developing countries, enhanced access to limited quantities of a smaller repertoire of antimicrobials is often coupled with a higher infectious disease burden, resulting in a considerably strained commons where the need to provide information to support and guide resistance containment is most pressing.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52569
Title: Genetics of behaviour and psychiatric disorders: from the laboratory to society and back
Author: Giovanni Frazzetto
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Genetics, gene-environment interactions, genetic variation, psychiatric disorders
Abstract: Behavioural genetics aims to explain in genetic and molecular units mental dysfunctions that carry heavy societal burdens, and behavioural patterns that are pertinent to a vast array of an individual ' s social competences. The purpose of this paper is twofold: to briefly assess the current conceptual and technological framework of this branch of experimentation, and to remind of its contextualization in contemporary society. Medicalizing forces in our society increasingly bring non-pathological conditions under the scrutiny of medicine and genetics. Reflexivity is required among practitioners of behavioural genetics, who need to be aware of how social norms and context can influence the selection of traits and behaviours as objects of their investigations.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 52568
Title: A meeting place: The science, art and writing initiative
Author: Anne Osbourn
Editor: P.Balaram
Year: 2009
Publisher: Current Science Association, Vol 97, No 11, 10 December 2009
Source: Centre for Ecological Science,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore-12
Reference: None
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: CP snow, science, art and writing initiative, science education, scientific images, specialization
Abstract: Specialism in different disciplines inevitability leads to the use of specialized language and jargon. This is important in order to enable rapid and specific communication within focused fields of activity. It is important, however, that specialists do not lose the ability to communicate with the ' real ' world-or if they do lose this ability that they should be nurtured and supported in re-gaining it. Scientific images offer a meeting place for people from all walks of life, regardless of age and experience. The Science, Art and Writing initiative is a cross-curricular science education initiative in which images from science provide the starting point for adventures- adventures that involve exploration through scientific experimentation , art and creative writing (www.sawtrust.org). This union of science, art and writing around a central scientific focus represents a powerful way of bringing science into everyday lives and learning.
Location: 241
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None