ID: 66470
Title: Birds of Indian airfields: an ecological approach to aviation safety assessment
Author: P. P. Ashiq, P. N. Anoop Raj, S. Jeevith, M. Sri Sowmiya, Angel Joy, P. V. Karunakaran and P. Pramod
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (5) 10 Sep 2025 434-447 (2025)
Subject: Birds of Indian airfields: an ecological approach to aviation safety assessment
Keywords: Air safety, aviation, avifauna, bird hit, problematic birds
Abstract: Understanding the risks posed by different bird species
to aviation safety at Indian airfields remains limited.
In the present study, we assessed the bird diversity
and composition of seven Indian civil airfields using the standard point count method. A total of 137
bird species belonging to 48 families in 18 orders were
recorded. Of the total birds, 21 species were classified
as the most common, and 14 as the most dominant in
the Indian civil airfields. We propose a new method to
assess the risk level of bird species in Indian airfields.
Using data collected on relative activity count, relative
body mass, and behaviour inside the airfield, we developed a bird hazard value (BHV) to categorise birds
into various risk levels based on their potential to cause
a bird strike. Based on the BHV scores on selected
bird species, we categorised them into high, potential
and low-risk groups. Based on their abundance and
behaviour in the airfield, rock pigeon (BHV = 144.47),
black kite (98.23), house crow (85.55), common myna
(54.05) and red-wattled lapwing (32.47) are the highrisk species, whereas cattle egret (BHV = 29.24) and
rose-ringed parakeet (14.64) belong to potential-risk
species, and black drongo (BHV = 2.47) was in the leastrisk species. The outcome of the present study serves
as a foundation for understanding bird communities
of Indian civil airfields and identifying problematic
species. This will help airport management authorities
develop appropriate, tailor-made bird hazard management practices for specific problematic species and help
to prevent collisions to save both aircraft and birds.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Corn, J. J., The Winged Gospel: America’s Romance with Aviation,
1900–1950, Oxford University Press, New York, 1983, pp. 177.
Bicudo, J. E. P., Buttemer, W. A., Chappell, M. A., Pearson, J. T. and
Bech, C., Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Birds, Oxford
University Press, Oxford, 2010, p. 336
Literature cited 2: Seiler, A. and Helldin, J. O., Mortality in wildlife due to transportation. In The Ecology of Transportation: Managing Mobility for the
Environment (eds Davenport, J. and Davenport, J. L.), Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands, 2006, pp. 165–189.
van Gasteren, H., Krijgsveld, K. L., Klauke, N., Leshem, Y., Metz,
I. C., Skakuj, M. and Shamoun-Baranes, J., Aeroecology meets aviation safety: early warning systems in Europe and the Middle East
prevent collisions between birds and aircraft. Ecography, 2019, 42(5),
899–911.
ID: 66469
Title: Crop diversification with pulses for enhancing soil nutrient dynamics in conservation agriculture
Author: Gunturi Alekhya , Sibananda Darjee , Gundreddy Rajareddy , Ankireddypalli Jayakishore Reddy and Kadapa Sreenivasa Reddy
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (5) 10 Sep 2025 425-433 (2025)
Subject: Crop diversification with pulses for enhancing soil nutrient dynamics in conservation agriculture
Keywords: Conservation agriculture, nitrogen economy, productivity, pulses
Abstract: Continuous rice–wheat cultivation in the Indo-Gangetic
Plains (IGPs) has resulted in declining soil health and
resource inefficiencies. Diversifying these systems with
pulses offers a sustainable alternative, particularly
by utilising 1.0 million hectares of underutilised rice
fallows. Pulses improve soil fertility through biological
nitrogen fixation, enhance nutrient cycling via residue
return, and increase water productivity while reducing
input costs and pest pressures. This review article highlights the potential of pulse integration under conservation agriculture frameworks, emphasising nitrogen
economy, improved nutrient use efficiency, and system
sustainability. Integrating pulses is crucial for resilient,
low-input and ecologically sound production systems in
the IGPs.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Jat, M. L. et al., Evaluation of precision land levelling and double
zero-till systems in the rice–wheat rotation: water use, productivity,
profitability and soil physical properties. Soil Till. Res., 2009, 105,
112–121.
Gupta, R. and Sayre, K., Conservation agriculture in south Asia. J.
Agric. Sci., 2007, 145(3), 207
Literature cited 2: Gill, M. S. and Brar, L. S., Cropping system diversification opportunities and conservation agriculture. In Conservation Agriculture-Status
and Prospects (eds. I. P. Abrol, R. K. Gupta and R. K. Malik), Centre for Advancement of Sustainable Agriculture, National Agriculture
Science Centre, New Delhi, 2005, pp. 64–71.
Kassam, A., Friedrich, T., Shaxson, F. and Pretty, J., The spread of
conservation agriculture: justification, sustainability and uptake. Int.
J. Agric. Sustain., 2009, 7(4), 292–320.
ID: 66468
Title: Unveiling the secrets of multitrophic interactions: leading advancements in biological weed control
Author: A. Mohammed Ashraf, S. Naziya Begam , H. A. Archana and Arya Suresh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (5) 10 Sep 2025 417-424 (2025)
Subject: Unveiling the secrets of multitrophic interactions: leading advancements in biological weed control
Keywords: Biocontrol agents, bioherbicides, biological weed control, deleterious rhizobacteria, insect agents, microbial interactions.
Abstract: Biological control is a key part of integrated weed management. Before using bio-agents, we need to better
understand how multiple agents interact to control
weeds. This includes knowing how plants respond to
and prioritise different attackers. Terrestrial ecosystems worldwide have many species and interactions,
including various trophic levels in the same food chain.
Plants are crucial in mediating interactions between
their microbes and insects. Changes in plants caused by
one species can cascade, affecting other species’ numbers and community structure. Studies show that using
multiple agents is more effective than single-agent releases. Synthetic herbicides are being discouraged due
to herbicide-resistant weeds and environmental concerns. Researchers are developing effective biological
control agents for a wide range of weeds. Sustainable weed management requires biological methods
like insect bio-agents, mycoherbicides and deleterious
rhizobacteria. Cultural practices and allelochemicals,
which are biological elements, contribute to sustainable
agriculture. Therefore, biological agents are more effective at reducing weed damage than allowing weeds
to grow unchecked. The challenge is to find suitable microbes/bio-agents that reduce weed growth.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Vikas, T., Kumar, A., Soni, S. and Sharma, M., Weeds - its causes and
management through biological means. Int. J. Adv. Res., 2016, 4(7),
790–798.
Biere, A. and Bennett, A. E., Three-way interactions between plants,
microbes and insects. Funct. Ecol., 2013, 27, 567–573
Literature cited 2: Caesar, A. J., Insect-pathogen synergisms are the foundation of weed
biocontrol. In Proceedings of the X International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds (ed. Spencer, N. R.), Montana State University, Bozeman, USA, 2000, pp. 793–798.
Syrett, P., Briese, D. T. and Hoffmann, J. H., Success in biological control of terrestrial weeds by arthropods. In Biological Control: Measures of Success (ed. Wratten, G. S.), Kluwer Academic Publishers,
Dordrecht, 2000, pp. 189–230.
ID: 66467
Title: Designing deviation settlement mechanisms for wind energy in India: balancing forecast accuracy, fairness and grid stability
Author: Anasuya Gangopadhyay and Ashwin K. Seshadri
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (5) 10 Sep 2025 401-405 (2025)
Subject: Designing deviation settlement mechanisms for wind energy in India: balancing forecast accuracy, fairness and grid stability
Keywords: None
Abstract: India’s electricity sector is undergoing
a major transition as the country
charts a path towards a low-carbon
future. Weather-dependent renewable
sources, including wind and solar, as
well as hydropower, are central to this
shift. Globally, renewable electricity
has witnessed exponential growth in
installed capacity in recent decades,
accounting for 44% (solar) and 38%
(wind) of total installed renewable capacity in 2024 (refs 1,2). Although renewable sources have lower capacity
utilisation factors than fossil-fuelled
sources, their contributions to the total electricity generation – 8.1% from
wind and 6.9% from solar – are no
longer negligible. In this context,
India is emerging as a global leader
in renewable electricity, ranking as
the world’s third-largest generator
of electricity from wind and solar
combined.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Renewable Energy Statistics 2022,
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Abu
Dhabi, 2022; https://www.irena.org/-
/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication
/2022/Jul/IRENA_Renewable_energy
_statistics_2022.pdf?rev=8e3c22a36f964fa2
ad8a50e0b4437870.
Renewable capacity statistics 2023,
International Renewable Energy
Agency (IRENA), Abu Dhabi, 2023;
https://mc-cd8320d4-36a1-40ac-83cc3389-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net/-
/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication
/2023/Mar/IRENA_RE_Capacity_Statistics
_2023.pdf?rev=d2949151ee6a4625b65c
82881403c2a7.
Literature cited 2: EMBER, Global Electricity Review 2025,2025; https://ember-energy.org/latest insights/global-electricity-review-2025.
Hunt, K. M. and Bloomfield, H. C.,
Meteorol. Appl., 2024, 31(3), e2196;
https://doi.org/10.1002/met.2196.
ID: 66466
Title: Designer clownfish
Author: P. R. Divya and T. T. Ajith Kumar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (5) 10 Sep 2025 398-400 (2025)
Subject: Designer clownfish
Keywords: None
Abstract: The global trade in ornamental fish
was valued at USD 5.95 billion in
2023 and is expected to expand at a
compound annual growth rate of 8.5%
by 2030. This includes both fresh
and marine water organisms, where
the trade in marine ornamentals is
dominated by wild-caught. Hatchery produced marine ornamentals are less
than 10%, which is mainly centred
around clownfish. Consequently, increasing captive propagation is the
only viable long-term sustainable option to alleviate the pressure on wild
populations and safeguard the fragile coral reef ecosystem and marine
biodiversity.
Clownfish form an important
group that attracts hobbyists because of their mutualistic relationship
with sea anemones. Thirty species
of clownfish are reported globally,
whereas India is home to 15 species1
.
Rapid diversification and speciation
are an attractive feature in the evolutionary timeline of clownfishes2
.
Recent studies suggested that hybridisation and mutualistic interaction with sea anemones might have
facilitated rapid diversification and
adaptive radiation in clownfish3
. Hybridisation is the process of breeding
an individual with another species
or variant. It can occur naturally in
the wild or be attempted in captivity.
Two recognised hybrid species, Amphiprion leucokranos and Amphiprion
thiellei, have been identified in the
wild. A. leucokranos is a hybrid
between Amphiprion chrysopterus
and Amphiprion sandaracinos, and
was found within the hybrid zone
of the two parental species4
. A.
thiellei is also suspected to be a natural hybrid between A. chrysopterus
and A. sandaracinos, or a cross between Amphiprion ocellaris and A.
sandaracinos
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: . Madhu, R., Madhu, K., Mohandas, M.
P., Abhilash, K. S., Mrudhula Mohan, K.,
Harikrishna, N. H. and Issac, M., Seed Production of Clown Fishes. Course Manual Winter School on Mariculture Technologies for Income Multiplication, Employment, Livelihood and Empowerment, ICARCMFRI, Kochi, 2023, pp. 220–231.
Rolland, J., Silvestro, D., Litsios, G.,
Faye, L. and Salamin, N., Proc. R.
Soc. B: Biol. Sci., 2018, 285, 20171796;
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1796.
Literature cited 2: Schmid, S., Micheli, B., Cortesi, F., Donati,
G. and Salamin, N., Extensive hybridization throughout clownfishes evolutionary
history. bioRxiv 2022.07.08.499304; doi:
https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.07.08.499304.
Schmid, S., Hartasánchez, D. A., Huang,
W.-T., Gainsford, A., Jones, G. P. and
Salamin, N., Genome Biol. Evol., 2025,
17(3), evaf031.
ID: 66465
Title: Land resource inventory for sustainable watershed management
Author: N. B. Prakash, Lingaraj Huggi , S. V. Lakshminarayana, H. L. Soundarya and K. S. Divyashree
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (5) 10 Sep 2025 396-397 (2025)
Subject: Land resource inventory for sustainable watershed management
Keywords: None
Abstract: India’s vast rainfed agricultural
landscapes, particularly in Karnataka
and other semi-arid states, are constrained by climatic uncertainties,
short growing periods and declining
soil productivity. These challenges,
coupled with the complex interactions between terrain, hydrology,
and soil characteristics, demand a
more refined, site-specific approach of Karnataka and other states, State
Agricultural Universities, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Indian
Institutes of Technology, Indian
Council of Agricultural Research
institutions, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid
Tropics, Hyderabad, and other
institutions were the participating institutions.
to land and water resource planning. Over the past decade, land
resource inventory (LRI) methods
have emerged as a promising tool to
address these concerns by generating
high-resolution, site-specific data on
soils, slopes and hydrology. To share
lessons from recent field implementations of the World Bank-assisted
REWARD (Rejuvenating Watersheds
for Agricultural Resilience through
Innovative Development) project and
to explore avenues for scaling up
this approach nationally, a National
Conference on Land Resource Inventory for Sustainable Watershed
Management was held from 3 June
to 5 June 2025, at the University of
Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bengaluru. This marked a pivotal moment
in India’s pursuit of science-based,
data-driven watershed planning. The
conference convened experts, practitioners, administrators and scientists from across India to deliberate
on the application of digital land resource data in addressing pressing
environmental challenges, especially
in rainfed and resource-constrained
regions. The Department of Land Resources and National Rainfed Area
Authority of the Government of India,
Watershed Development Departments
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1:
Literature cited 2:
ID: 66464
Title: Sulochana Gadgil (1944–2025)
Author: P. N. Vinayachandran
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (4) 370-371 (2025)
Subject: Sulochana Gadgil (1944–2025)
Keywords: None
Abstract: The passing of Sulochana Gadgil on 24 July 2025 has left an irreplaceable void in monsoon science. Sulochana Gadgil made pioneering contributions to the field of monsoon. She also made significant contributions to ocean dynamics and agricultural meteorology, including crop modelling. She played a pivotal leadership role in advancing the science of monsoons and their prediction. Among her most influential works was the discovery of a sea surface temperature threshold necessary for deep convection in tropical oceans, published in the reputed journal Nature. She uncovered the northward propagation of the Tropical Convergence Zone using satellite imagery – an insight that helped explain the onset and intraseasonal variations of the Indian Summer Monsoon. Furthermore, she identified the phenomenon of Equatorial Indian Ocean Oscillation and elucidated its links to monsoon variability, significantly advancing our understanding of tropical climate dynamics.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1:
Literature cited 2:
ID: 66463
Title: Incidence of pregnant endangered devil rays (Elasmobranchii: Mobulidae) from the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay, southeast coast of India
Author: L. Remya, Sujitha Thomas , M. Muktha and Shoba Joe Kizhakudan
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (4) 362-369 (2025)
Subject: Incidence of pregnant endangered devil rays (Elasmobranchii: Mobulidae) from the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay, southeast coast of India
Keywords: Conservation, mobulidae, pupping ground, reproductive biology, spatial management.
Abstract: Out of the nine valid extant mobulid species confirmed globally, seven have been reported in India. All mobulids are vulnerable due to anthropogenic pressure, i.e. commercial fisheries, for their gill plates, which are traded on the international market. Information on their reproductive biology including, the seasons of mating, pupping, and nursery grounds are still largely unknown from Indian waters. The present study reports the occurrence of pregnant endangered devil rays, longhorned pygmy devil ray Mobula eregoodoo, oceanic manta ray Mobula birostris and Bentfin devil ray Mobula thurstoni in Indian waters, off the southeast coast. All three species were observed to have a single pup each. Our observations of mobulid catch from 2020 to 2022 indicates a predictable occurrence of pregnant devil rays either for feeding or for pupping (July to November), with a peak during November in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay. The size-atbirth was in the order of 33.3 cm disc width (DW), 125.8 cm DW and 40.5–60.5 cm DW for M. eregoodoo, M. birostris and M. thurstoni respectively. Mobula thurstoni chiefly consumed needle squid and Acetes spp., while the gut contents of the other two species were completely digested. The observations on M. thurstoni suggests a pupping/nursery/feeding ground off the Gulf of Mannar, probably assist to develop area-based management interventions.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Adnet, S., Cappetta, H., Guinot G. and Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Evolutionary history of the devilrays (Chondrichthyes: Myliobatiformes) from fossil and morphological inference. Zool. J. Linn. Soc., 2012, 166, 132–159; https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2012.00844.x.
Poortvliet, M. et al., A dated molecular phylogeny of manta and devil rays (Mobulidae) based on mitogenome and nuclear sequences. Mol. Phyl. Evol., 2015, 83, 72–85; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2014.10.012.
Literature cited 2: White, W. T., Corrigan, S., Yang, L., Henderson, A. C., Bazinet, A. L., Swofford, D. L. and Naylor, G. J. P., Phylogeny of the manta and devilrays (Chondrichthyes: Mobulidae), with an updated taxonomic arrangement for the family. Zool. J. Linn. Soc., 2017, 20, 1–26; https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx018.
Hosegood, J. et al., Phylogenomic and species delimitation of mobulid rays reveals cryptic diversity and a new species of Manta Ray. Mol. Ecol., 2019, 29(24), 4783–4796; http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/458141
ID: 66462
Title: Digital mapping of the ancient port city of Kaverippumpattinam and its trade routes
Author: R. Neelakantan , V. Selvakumar, S. Rajavelu , S. Thamarai Kannan1 and M. Don Wesley
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (4) 350-361 (2025)
Subject: Digital mapping of the ancient port city of Kaverippumpattinam and its trade routes
Keywords: Digital archaeology, Indian Ocean trade, Kaverippumpattinam, Lower Kaveri Valley, marine archaeology, Pumpuhar, the early Cholas.
Abstract: Kaverippumpattinam is one of the celebrated ports of ancient India and was active around the early centuries of the Common Era. According to the texts, the port was destroyed by marine incursions. The cultural activities of the port that were connected with the regions of the Indian Ocean, Buddhism and the activities of the early historic Cholas (the Chozhas) have been documented in the early Tamil texts of Pattinappalai and other Sangam Tamil compositions, and the early medieval texts of Cilappatikaram and Manimekalai. Archaeological surveys, excavations and underwater explorations have exposed some of the vestiges of the ancient city. We explored the region and studied the textual and archaeological sources of the ancient city of Kaverippumpattinam and the associated landscapes and trade routes and have mapped them using geospatial technology. The present article presents the results of the study (part of PUHARETAR project) that sought to map the city and its links.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Hostettler, M., Buhlke, A., Drummer, C., Emmenegger, L., Reich, J. and Stäheli, C., Digital archaeology between hype and reality: the results of a survey on the use of 3D technologies in archaeology. In The 3 Dimensions of Digitalised Archaeology (eds. Hostettler, M. et al.), Springer, Cham, 2024; https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031- 53032-6_11.
Scianna, A. and Villa, B., GIS applications in Archaeology. Archeologie Calcolatori, 2011, 22, 337.
Literature cited 2: Rajan, K., Churning the Ocean: Maritime Trade of Early Historic Peninsular India, Heritage India Trust, Thanjavur, 2019.
Singh, P. et al., Fertile farmlands in Cauvery delta: evolution through LGM. Curr. Sci., 2015, 108(2), 218–225.
ID: 66461
Title: Study of attitude and rotation period of scientific payload using stratospheric small balloon missions
Author: Rupnath Sikdar, Sandip K. Chakrabarti and Debashis BhowmickC
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (4) 342-349 (2025
Subject: Study of attitude and rotation period of scientific payload using stratospheric small balloon missions
Keywords: Atmospheric turbulence, inertia measurement unit, meteorological balloon missions, payload attitude, rotation period, stratospheric balloons.
Abstract: The attitude and rotational frequency or period of a payload during a mission are usually measured by the time variation of the azimuth and elevation angles. So far, significant scientific results have been published using stratospheric balloon-borne experimental data of the Indian Centre for Space Physics, Kolkata. Measurements of ground radioactivity, secondary cosmic rays, detection of astronomical sources (Sun, Crab Pulsar, Cygnus X-1, etc.), and weather parameters such as temperature, pressure, wind velocity, etc., have been done. However, the dynamics of the payloads of these ‘Dignity missions’ have not been studied. In the present study, we analyse data from some of the flights to obtain the payload’s attitude and rotational period at each instant of time. We present how to determine the payload attitude from an attitude and heading reference system using micro-electronic modules, and also show the payload’s directional stability from the rotational period analysis of the scientific payload in the stratosphere for single balloon (rubber and plastic) missions. Our analysis suggests that though double balloon configurations often float the payloads for a longer duration, the period of rotation of the payload is lower, and as a result, pointing to any object is poorer. In the absence of a pointing device, a single balloon is preferred for receiving useful data.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Chakrabarti, S. et al., Study of properties of cosmic rays and solar Xray flares by balloon borne experiments. Indian J. Phys., 2014, 88, 333–341; doi: 1007/s12648-013-0424-z.
Chakrabarti, S., Bhowmick, D., Sarkar, R., Bhattacharyya, A. and Midya, S., Unique high energy experiment initiative by ICSP with weather balloons. In Proceedings of 22nd ESA Symposium on European Rocket and Balloon Programmes and Related Research (ed. Ouwehand, L.), Tromsø, Norway, 2015, p. 557
Literature cited 2: Chakrabarti, S., Sarkar, R., Bhowmick, D. and Bhattacharya, A., Study of high energy phenomena from near space using low-cost meteorological balloons. Exp. Astron., 2017, 43(3), 311–338; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-017-9540-7.
Sarkar, R., Chakrabarti, S., Bhowmick, D., Bhattacharya, A. and Roy, A., Detection of crab radiation with a meteorological balloon borne phoswich detector. Exp. Astron., 2019, 47, 345–358; doi: 10.1007/s10686-019-09632-0.
ID: 66460
Title: Optimising level of service scores for footpaths using multi-criteria decision-making approach
Author: Lalitha Sree Chintakayala and C. S. R. K. Prasad
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (4) 335-341 (2025)
Subject: Optimising level of service scores for footpaths using multi-criteria decision-making approach
Keywords: AHP, footpaths, pedestrians, TOPSIS, transit
Abstract: Existing methods for evaluating footpath quality often neglect user satisfaction and time-based variations, creating lacunae in comprehensive assessment models. The present study addressed these gaps by developing six-level optimised level of service scores to evaluate footpaths near transit stations. The present research integrated quantitative and qualitative attributes using the analytic hierarchy process and the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution. The results showed significant variations in footpath quality during peak and non-peak hours, revealing discrepancies between conventional grading systems and user perceptions. The findings support holistic planning for pedestrian infrastructure, enhancing last-mile connectivity and transit ridership.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Shkera, A. and Patankar, V., Navigating active transit: how built environments shape commuting and leisure journeys. Case Stud. Transp. Policy, 2024, 15, 101161; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cstp.2024.101161.
Rui, J. and Othengrafen, F., Examining the role of innovative streets in enhancing urban mobility and livability for sustainable urban transition: a review. Sustainability, 2023, 15(7), 5709; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075709.
Literature cited 2: United Nations, Sustainable Development Goal 11: make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, 2023; https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11.
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, National urban transport policy, 2006; https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files /Transport Policy (2).pdf.
ID: 66459
Title: Nitrous oxide (N2O) – responsibility and action
Author: J. R. Bhatt
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (4) 329-334 (2025)
Subject: Nitrous oxide (N2O) – responsibility and action
Keywords: Climate change, fertiliser use, India’s ranking, Nitrous oxide, N2O pledges
Abstract: India’s nitrous oxide emissions in 2019 were pegged at 161.84 million tons CO2e, which amounts to only 5.17% of the total annual greenhouse gas emissions of India. The two predominant sources of nitrous oxide emissions in India are agricultural soils and manure management. The country’s annual per capita N2O emissions are ∼116.63 kg CO2e, ranking it 147th in the world. However, India ranks 15th if we consider the historical cumulative emissions of the livestock sector. The USA, European Union, China, Russia, and Brazil are the top five nitrous oxide emitters in absolute terms. India ranks sixth, and the nitrous oxide emissions gap between the USA and India is substantial, India’s emissions being 86% less than the USA’s. Despite its low N2O emissions on an annual, cumulative and per capita basis, India is making all efforts to reduce its nitrous oxide emissions from fertiliser use by coating all agriculture-grade urea with neem oil and also subsidising it, leading to annual N2O savings of 7.529 MtCO2e. With India’s emphasis on equity, its national circumstances, and its refusal to allow the conflation of mitigation with adaptation in the agriculture sector, India has not signed any international pledge to reduce N2O. For a better understanding of the historical responsibility for and future reductions of N2O emissions by various countries, the article argues for the development of global N2O budgets on the pattern of global carbon budgets as refined recently by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in its Sixth Assessment Report.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: National Academy of Sciences, Climate change: evidence and causes: update 2020, The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2020; https://doi.org/10.17226/25733. (accessed on 05 August 2024)
Mitchell, R. et al., Agriculture, food systems, and rural communities. Fifth National Climate Assessment, 14 November 2023; https://nca2023.globalchange.gov/chapter/11/. (accessed on 05 August 2024).
Literature cited 2: Thompson, R. L. et al., Acceleration of global N2O emissions seen from two decades of atmospheric inversion. Nat. Clim. Change, 2019, 9(12), 993–998; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-019-0613-7. (accessed on 05 August 2024)
Schroeck, A. M., Gaube, V., Haas, E. and Winiwarter, W., Estimating nitrogen flows of agricultural soils at a landscape level – a modelling study of the Upper Enns Valley, a long-term socio-ecological research region in Austria. Sci. Total Environ., 2019, 665, 275–289; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.071. (accessed on 06 August 2024).
ID: 66458
Title: Regenerative agriculture and adaptive capacity of farmers
Author: Walter Mansfield and Richard J. Culas
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (4) 320-328 (2025)
Subject: Regenerative agriculture and adaptive capacity of farmers
Keywords: Adaptive capacity, conceptual model, regenerative agriculture, resilience theory, social-ecological systems, transformation
Abstract: Regenerative agriculture is a transformative approach to food and fibre production that has a strong emphasis on climate change mitigation and a host of environmental and sociological benefits. Hence, adaptive capacity is recognised as a crucial property for societies to adapt to and transform systems in response to changing conditions such as climate change. A key challenge in assessing adaptation strategies is balancing the environment, financial and social factors, and an assessment of the adaptive capacity determinants within regenerative agriculture is sparse. The present article explores resilience theory as a foundation for assessing the adaptive capacity determinants and analyses examples of regenerative agriculture practices. A conceptual model is therefore developed to highlight the circularity of regenerative agriculture with the environmental, financial and social benefits that the adaptation of regenerative agriculture can bring.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Campbell, B. M. et al., Agriculture production as a major driver of the Earth system exceeding planetary boundaries. Ecol. Soc., 2017, 22(4), 8.
Global Biodiversity Outlook 5, 2020. Retrieved from Montreal: https://www.cbd.int/gbo/gbo5/publication/gbo-5-spm-en.pdf.
Literature cited 2: Clark, M. A. et al., Global food system emissions could preclude achieving the 1.5°and 2°C climate change targets. Science, 2020, 370(6517), 705–708. 4.
Wallace-Wells, D., The uninhabitable earth: life after warming, Tim Duggan Books, New York, USA, 2019, 1st edn
ID: 66457
Title: Development of cognitive digital twin-aided emergency response and rescue systems for Matsya6000
Author: M. Palaniappan, N. Vedachalam, C. Jothi, Tamshuk Chowdhury, V. Bala Naga Jyothi and Dhinesh Ganapathy
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (4) 306-319 (2025)
Subject: Development of cognitive digital twin-aided emergency response and rescue systems for Matsya6000
Keywords: None
Abstract: Ensuring human safety is the key requirement for deep-ocean human-occupied scientific submersibles operating in remote, extreme environments. Even though human-rating standards are followed to reduce the failure of life-critical systems of Matsya6000 to as-low-as-reasonably-achievable, mechanisms should be in place to manage the residual risks. The present article describes the strategies adopted for reliability and safety-centred design of mission-critical and life-critical systems, design and development of a human-rated emergency rescue system (ERS) for Matsya6000, comprising a location marker cum rescue buoy, on-demand actuator release mechanism and situation-aware cognitive digital twin Chaitanya for proactive crew decision-support during energy-rationed emergency period. The location marker buoy is tested by releasing it from a 500 m water depth in the Bay of Bengal, and the time-to-surface was found to comply with the numerical simulation results with an accuracy of 90%, and the Chaitanya performance in predicting the last-time-to-actuate the ERS was found to have an accuracy of ∼97%.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Ravichandran, M., India’s deep ocean mission. Curr. Sci., 2025, 128, 227–228.
MoES, Matsya-6000: India’s fourth generation deep-ocean submersible successfully completes wet testing. Release ID: 2104039, Ministry of Earth Sciences, 2025.
Literature cited 2: DNV, Part 5 Types of UWT systems - Chapter 6 Manned submersibles, Rules for classification, 2019; https://www.dnv.com/services/underwatertechnology-services-1751/ (accessed on 15 January 2025).
Smith, D. J. and Simpson, K. G. L., The Safety Critical Systems Handbook: A Straightforward Guide to Functional Safety: IEC 61508 (2010 Edition), IEC 61511 (2015 Edition) and Related Guidance (ed. Butterworth, H.), Elsevier Ltd, Netherlands, 2020, 4th edn, p. 307.
ID: 66456
Title: Towards an integrated approach to optimal low-carbon energy system design for net zero India
Author: Rupsha Bhattacharyya, K. K. Singh, K. Bhanja and R. B. Grover
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2025
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 129 (4) 302-305 (2025)
Subject: Towards an integrated approach to optimal low-carbon energy system design for net zero India
Keywords: None
Abstract: For policymakers and the broader public, achieving the goal of net zero by a target year has become synonymous with human efforts to mitigate the consequences of climate change. While achieving net zero is a scientific concept, it must be aligned with socio-economic realities, including the principle of an equitable burden across societies. The energy sector (including fossil fuel based electricity production, domestic and industrial heating, and transportation) is known to be the main driver of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, a wide restructuring of how energy is currently produced and finally consumed is the essence of the energy transition. Energy availability, accessibility and affordability also determine the state of welfare and development of a nation. This means that emerging markets and developing economies like India must simultaneously address twin challenges - the development status-energy consumption linkage and the need for deep and economy-wide decarbonization. In short, India must formulate policies that result in a development-led transition.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Bhattacharyya, R., Singh, K. K., Grover, R. B. and Bhanja, K., Estimating minimum energy requirements for net zero developed India by 2070. Curr. Sci., 2022, 122(5), 517- 527; DOI: 10.18520/cs/v122/i5/517-527
Chaturvedi, V. and Malyan, A., Implications of a net zero target for India’s sectoral energy transitions and climate policy. Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), October 2021, New Delhi.
Literature cited 2: Johnson, N., Liebreich, M., Kammen, D. M., Ekins, P., McKenna, R. and Staffell, I., Realistic roles for hydrogen in the future energy transition. Nat. Rev. Clean Technol., 2025, 1, 351- 371; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44359- 025-00050-4
Bhattacharyya, R., Singh, K. K., Bhanja, K. and Grover, R. B., Multi-criteria assessments of low-carbon electricity generation mixes for India. e-prime: advances in electrical engineering, electronics and energy, 2025, 13, 101078; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prime.2025.101078.