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ID: 62275
Title: The legacy of G.N.Ramachandran and the development of structural biology in India.
Author: M.Vijayan
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (4) 535-542 (2016)
Subject: The legacy of G.N.Ramachandran and the development of structural biology in India.
Keywords: Legacy, GN Ramachandran, Development, Structural Biology, India
Abstract: G.N. Ramachandran is among the founding fathers of structural molecular biology. He made pioneering contributions in computional biology, modeling and what we now call bioinformatics. The triple helical coiled coil structure of collagen research at the molecular level. The Ramachandran map remains the simplest descriptor and tool for validation of protein structures. He has left his imprint on almost all aspects of biomolecular conformation. His contributions in the area of theoretical crystallography have been outstanding. His legacy has provided inspiration for further development of structural biology in India. After a pause, computational biology and bioinformatics are in a resurgent phase. One of the two schools established by Ramachandran pioneered the development of macromolecular crystallography, which has now grown into an important component of modern biological research in India. Macromolecular NMR studies in the country are presently gathering momentum. Structural biology in India is now poised to again approach heights of the kind that Ramachandran conquered more than a generation ago.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Ramachandran, G.N.and Kartha, G., Nature, 1954, 174, 269. Ramachandran, G.N.and Katha, G., Nature, 1955, 176, 593.
Literature cited 2: Ramachandran, G.N., Sassisekharan, V.and Ramakrishanan, C., J.Mol.Biol. 1963, 7, 95. Ramachandran, G.N.and Sassisekharan, V.Adv.Prot.Chem. 1968, 23, 283

ID: 62274
Title: Human resource development in Biotechnology.
Author: K. Dharmalingam
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (4) 533-534 (2016)
Subject: Human resource development in Biotechnology.
Keywords: Biotechnology, entrepreneurship, human resource development, industrial needs, teaching programme.
Abstract: Human resource in biotechnology meets creative thinking and advanced knowledge of the field. Programmes that impart both industrial training and research aptitude alone can provide suitable manpower for this unique industry. Therefore a concerted effort from all stake holders in general and DBT in particular is needed to make this programme a success in India.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None

ID: 62273
Title: Biology across Scales: historical perspective on some Indian contributions.
Author: Shekhar C.Mande
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (4) 529-532 (2016)
Subject: Biology across Scales: historical perspective on some Indian contributions.
Keywords: Biological scales, historical perspective, reductive and holistic approaches, self-assembly, systems biology.
Abstract: Understanding biological systems across scales has led to two apparently contradicting approaches -the reductive approach and the holistic approach. The former attempts to understand complex systems by reducing it into smaller components, whereas the latter attempts to combine information to integrate at the systems to combine information to integrate at the systems level. Many important contributions from India have been made in these areas. I attempt to present a view of these in this article to mark celebrations of 30 years of the Department of Biotechnology.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Oparin, A.I., Prioskhozhedenie Zhini Mosckovskii Rabochii, Moscow, Reprinted and translated in Bernal, J.D., The Origin of Life, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1967. Haldane, J.B.S., The origin of life. Ration. Annu, 1929, 148, 3-10.
Literature cited 2: Miller, S.L., A production of amino acids under possible primitive earth conditions. Science, 1953, 117, 528-529. Orgel, L.E., Evolution of the genetic apparatus. J. Mol. Biol., 1968, 38, 381-393.

ID: 62272
Title: Variations in the abundance and diversity of insects in apple orchards of Kumaun, Western Himalaya, India.
Author: Bhawana Kapkoti, Ravindra K.Joshi and Ranbeer S.Rawal.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (3) 438-443 (2016)
Subject: Variations in the abundance and diversity of insects in apple orchards of Kumaun, Western Himalaya, India.
Keywords: Apple orchards,Insect diversity, Landscape, Pollinator abundance
Abstract: Availability of pollinators in a landscape plays a significant role in pollination success, which is essentially important for crops like apple with high dependence on animal-mediated pollination. Realizing this, to estimate the availability (diversity and density) of insect visitors, including pollinators, the present study included pantrap experiments and transect walks for assessment of foraging resources across eight apple orchards in Kumaun, Western Himalaya, India. It was observed that insects were attracted more towards yellow traps, an availability was highest in summer season. Apple mass flowering during summer, in spite of lower diversity of other foraging resource, helps in maintaining availability of insect groups.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Klein, A.M.et al., Importance of pollinators in changing lasndscapes for world crops.Proc.R.Soc.B, 2007, 274, 303-313. Potts, S.G.et al., Global Pollinator declines: trends, impacts and drivers. Trends Ecol.Evol, 2010, 25, 345-353.
Literature cited 2: Free, J.B., Insect Pollination of Crops, Academic Pres, London, UK, 2nd edn, 1993. Westerkamp, C. and Gottsberger, G., Diversity pays in crop pollination. Crop Sci., 2000, 40, 1209-1222.

ID: 62271
Title: Life history fitness of giant ladybird predator (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of wooly aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in varying prey densities from northeast India.
Author: Basant K.Agarwala and Joydeb Majumder.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (3) 434-438 (2016)
Subject: Life history fitness of giant ladybird predator (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of wooly aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in varying prey densities from northeast India.
Keywords: Bamboo plants, ginat ladybird predator, life history fitness, prey requirement, woolly aphids prey.
Abstract: Quantity of natural prey available to insect predators varies in time and space and it influences the fitness of individual predators. This was examined for Anisolemnia dilatata (Fab).Which is a specialist predator of woolly aphids of bamboo plants and sugarcanes, and endemic to south Asia and Asia-Pacific regions. Results of a laboratory study using 45 larvae and 10 adult females showed that individual A.dilatata larvae performed best at an optimal density of 250 live aphids per larva per day, and adult females from these larvae matured faster and produced higher number of viable eggs than the larvae that grew and developed at sub-optimal prey density of 200 or less aphids. About 73-80 % of the larvae that survived at the density of 50 or 100 or 150 aphids per day took significantly longer time to complete development and to reach the age at maturity. Such females were significantly smaller in size and produced fewer viable eggs. Results showed that larvae an adult of A.dilatata required high density of aphid prey to support its optimal life history fitness. Results hold promise in the application of this predator in the control of waxy aphid pest of cultivated bamboos and sugarcanes.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Liu, C.Y., Notes on the biology of two giant coccinellids in Kwangsi (Caria dilatata Fabr.and Synonycha grandis Thunberg.).with special reference to the morphology of Cardia diltata.Yr.Book Bur.Entomol.Hangchow, 1933, 2,205-250. Agarwala, B.K. and Ghosh, A.K., Prey records of aphidophagous Coccinellidae in India: A review and bibliography.Trop.Pest Manage., 1988, 34, 1-14.
Literature cited 2: Arakakai, N., Predators of the sugarcane woolly aphid, Ceratovacuna lanigera (Homoptera: Aphididae) in Okinawa and predator avoidance of defensive attack by the aphid.Appl.Entomol.Zool, 1992, 27, 159-161. Agarwala, B.K., Saha, S.and Ghosh, A.K., Studies on Ceratovacuna silvestrii (Takahashi) (Homoptera: Aphididae) and its predator Anisolemnia dilatata 9Fab) on Bambusa arundinacea.Rec.Zool.Sur.India, 1984, 81, 23-42.

ID: 62270
Title: Soybean (Glycine max) microRNAs display proclivity to repress Begomovirus genomes.
Author: Shunmugiah V. Ramesh, Girish K. Gupta and Syed M. Hussain.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (3) 424-428 (2016)
Subject: Soybean (Glycine max) microRNAs display proclivity to repress Begomovirus genomes.
Keywords: Antiviral resistance, Begomovirus, micro-RNA, soybean
Abstract: Small non-coding RNAs are important effector molecules in response to pathogen invasion in plants and animals. We conducted in silico analysis of the DNA genomes of two distinct species of genus Begomovirus (family Geminiviridae) -Mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) and Mungbean yellow mosaic virus (MYMV)-that infect soybean using a micro RNA (miRNA) target prediction algorithm, plant small RNA target prediction algorithm, plant small RNA target analysis server. MYMV displays greater vulnerability to plant miRNAs with 99 miRNAs targeting its genome, whereas 70 miRNAs appear to be targeting the MYMIV genome. miRNAs derived from Glycine max, Glycine soja and Cajanus cajan display 63, 18, and 8 potential target sites on the begomovirus genomes. Among the non-host plants, begomoviruses exhibit seven and six potential target sites for O. sativa, and p. trichocarpa-derived miRNAs respectively. Begomovirus ORFs encoding viral movement proteins reveal greater vulnerability for G.max derived miRNA binding and repression. Computational analysis with ssDNA animal virus genome as negative control sequences further emphasizes that plant miRNA binding and repression. Computational analysis with ssDNA animal virus genome as negative control sequences further emphasizes that plant miRNAs preferentially target begomovirus genomes. Nine prospective soybean-derived miRNAs targeting begomovirus genes have been shown to play a role in host-microbe interactions and abiotic stress responsiveness. The study thus provides in silico evidence for the plant-derived miRNAs in antivirtal immunity.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Reinhart, B.J. et al., MicroRNAs in plants. Genes Dev., 2002, 16, 1616-1626. Llve, C., MicroRNAs: more than a role in plant development? Mol. Plant Pathol, 2004, 5 (4), 361-366.
Literature cited 2: Amin, I.et al., A common set of developmental miRNAs are upregulated in Nicotiana benthamiana by diverse begomoviruses.Virol.J. 2011, 8 (143), 300. Ramesh, S.V. et al., Plant miRNA ome an antiviral resistance: a retrospective view and prospective challenges. Virus Genes, 2014, 48, 1-14.

ID: 62269
Title: Evidence of wildfires in the Late Permian (Changsinghian) Zewan Formation of Kashmir, India.
Author: Andre Jasper,DieterUhl, Deepa Agnihotri, Rajni Tewari, Sudeep K.Pandita, Jose Rafael Wanderley Benicio, Etiene Fabbrin Pires, Atila Augusto Stock Da Rosa, Gulam D.Bhat and S.Suresh K.Pillai.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (3) 419-423 (2016)
Subject: Evidence of wildfires in the Late Permian (Changsinghian) Zewan Formation of Kashmir, India.
Keywords: Charcoal, Gondwana, Himalayan region, Late Palaeozoic, Marine environment.
Abstract: The first record of palaeo-wildfire evidence in the form of charcoal is documented from the Late Permian Zewan Formation of the Kashmir region, northwest Himalaya. This evidence is in the form of fragments of tracheids that show homogenized cell walls, a characteristic feature of charcoal. Considering that palaeo-wildfire studies provide important palaeoecological information, the present study is significant, as it allows reconstructing new information about environmental conditions during the depositions of the sediments of the Late Permian Zewan Formation.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Tewari, R. et al., The Permian palynological transition in the Guryul Ravine Section, Kashmir, India: implications for Tethyan-Gondwana correlations. Earth Sci.Rev., 2015, 149, 53-66; doi: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2014.08.018. Abu Hamad, A.M.B., Jasper, A. and Uhl, D., The record of Triatmospheric charcoal and other evidence for palaeo-wildfires: signal for atmospheric oxygen levels, taphonomic bias or lack of fuel? Int.J.Coal Geol., 2012, 96-97, 60-71.
Literature cited 2: Jasper, A., Guerra-Sommer, M., Abu Hamand, A.M.B., Bamford, M., Bernardes-de-Oliviera, M., Tewari, R. and Uhl, D., The burning of Gondawana Res., 2013, 24, 148-160. Glasspool, I.J.,A., major fire event recorded in the mesofossils and petrology of the Late Permian, Lower Whybrow coal seam, Sydney Basin, Australia, Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol, 2000, 164, 373-396.

ID: 62268
Title: A study on general allometric relationships developed for biomass estimation in regional scale taking the example of Tectona grandis grown in Bundelkhand region of India.
Author: D. Deb, A. Ghosh, J.P. Singh and R.S. Chaurasia.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (3) 414-419 (2016)
Subject: A study on general allometric relationships developed for biomass estimation
Keywords: Allometry, Bundelkhand region, normalized difference vegetation index, residual diagnostics, Tectona grandis.
Abstract: In this communication an effort has been made to develop a general non-site specific allometric relationship taking Tectona grandis grown in semi-arid Bundelkhand region without harvesting any tree. To determine the most appropriate predictor variable for producing the relationship, different physiological parameters of this tree species like diameter at breast height (dbh), basal diameter, tree height, forking height, collar diameter, etc. were collected from the standing trees from MP part of Bundelkhand region, comprising a total of 45 sites of 4 districts namely Guna, Vidisha, Chhatarpur and Tikamgarh. The dataset contained 418 trees with biomass ranging from 12.79 kg/tree to 1270.92 kg/tree, height ranging from 1.5 to 18.5, and dbh ranging from 0.03 to 0.44 m. For developing the models; dbh, height, dbh x height and dbh2x height were used as predictor variables. All four contrasting sites were taken for developing allometric models and after examining model residuals and site-specific relationships, it was found that using dbh2 x height alone as the predictor variable produced the most stable model. Thus it makes regional estimation of aboveground biomass production easier with precision as accurate as site-specific allometry.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Gould, S.J., Allometry and size in ontogeny and phylogeny.Biol.Rev. 1966, 41, 587-638. Peng, C., Growth and yield models for uneven-aged stands: past, present and future.For.Ecol.Manag. 2000, 132, 259-279.
Literature cited 2: Favrichon, V., Modeling the dynamics and species composition of tropical mixed-species uneven-aged natural forest: effects of alternative cutting regimes.For.Sci. 1998, 44, 113-124. Namaalwa, J., Eid, T. and Sankhayan, P., A multi-species density-dependent matrix growth model for the dry woodlands of Uganda.For.Ecol.Manage. 2005, 213, 312-327.

ID: 62267
Title: Rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield gap using the CERES-rice model of climate variability for different agroclimatic zones of India.
Author: P.K. Singh, K.K. Singh, L.S. Rathore, A.K. Baxla, S.C. Bhan, Akhilesh Gupta, G.B. Gohani, R. Balasubramanian.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (3) 405-413 (2016)
Subject: Rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield gap using the CERES-rice model of climate variability for different agroclimatic zones of India.
Keywords: Agroclimatic zones, genetic coefficients, rice model, yield gap.
Abstract: The CERES (Crop Estimation through Resource and Environment Synthesis)-rice model incorporated in DSSAT version 4.5 was calibrated for genetic coefficients of rice cultivars by conducting field experiments during the kharif season at Jorhat, Kalyani, Ranchi and Bhagalpur, the results of which were used to estimate the gap in rice yield. The trend of potential yield was found to be positive and with a rate of change of 26, 36.9, 57.6 and 3.7 kg ha-1 year-1 at Jorhat, Kalyani, Ranchi and Bhagalpur districts respectively. Delayed sowing in these districts resulted in a decrease in rice yield to the tune of 35.3, 1.9, 48.6 and 17.1 kg ha-1 respectively. Finding reveals that DSSAT crop simulation model is an effective tool for decision support system. Estimation of yield gap based on the past crop data and subsequent adjustment of appropriate sowing window may help to obtain the potential yields.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Patel, H.R. and Shekh, A.M., Yield gap and trend analysis of wheat using CERES-wheat model in three districts of Gujarat state.J.Agrometeorol, 2006, 8 (1), 28-39. Patel, V.J., Patel, H.R. and Pandey, V., Estimation of wheat yield gap in Anand and Panchmahal districts using CERES-wheat model.J.Agrometeorology. 9Spec.Issue-part-2), 2008, 393-397.
Literature cited 2: Bell, M.A. and Fischer, R.A., Using yield prediction to assess yield grains: a case study for wheat. Field Crops Res., 1994, 36, 161-166. Aggarwal, P.K. and Kalra, N., Analysing the limitation set by climatic factors, genotype and water and nitrogen availability on productivity of wheat II. Climatic potential yield and management strategies. Field crops Res., 1994, 38, 93-103.

ID: 62266
Title: Chromium toxicity to tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) Susceptible to Fusarium wilt pathogen.
Author: Saba Kurshid, Amna Shoaib and Arshad Javaid.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (3) 399-404 (2016)
Subject: Chromium toxicity to tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) Susceptible to Fusarium wilt pathogen.
Keywords: Chromium, Fusarium oxysporum, Physiological response, tomato growth and yield.
Abstract: Fusarium wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.lycopersici (FOL) and toxicity of Cr (III) and Cr (VI) in agricultural soils adversely affect growth and physiology of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill).The present study was conducted in vitro to assess growth and physiology of tomato under single and combined stress of conidial suspension of FOL, and Cr (III) or Cr (VI).Polygonal interactions of metal-pathogen-plant were studied in petri plates lined with sterilized filter papers provided with conidial suspension of FOL (1x 106) and six different concentrations (50-300 ppm) of Cr (III) and Cr (Vi) under controlled laboratory condition in completely randomized design. Maximum inhibition in growth, biomass and chlorophyll contents of tomato seedlings was due to conidial suspension of FOL. The toxicity of Cr ions was influenced by their concentration in the solution and speciation. Therefore, growth, biomass and physiology of tomato seedlings were more significantly affected by ions of Cr (VI) than those of Cr (III).The drastic influence of both oxidation states of metal ions increases with increase in concentration of the metal ions. When FOL was given in combination with Cr (III) of Cr (VI), negative effect on the studied parameters of tomato seedlings was less pronounced compared to solitary influence of either FOL or Cr ions.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Kumar, K.R., Jagadeesh, K.S., Krishnaraj, P.U. and Patti, M.S., Enhanced growth promotion of tomato and nutrient uptake by plant growth promoting rhizo bacterial isolates in presence of tobacco mosaic virus pathogen. Karnataka J. Agric. Sci., 2008, 21, 309-331. Agriculture Statistics of Pakistan, Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture and Division (Economic Wing),Islamabad, Pakistan, 2007, pp.12-13.
Literature cited 2: Arie, T., Takahashi, H., Kodama, M. and Teraoka, T., Tomato as a model plant for plant pathogen interactions. Plant Biotechnol, 2007, 24, 135-147. Abd-Allah, E.F., Hashem, A.and Al-Huqail, A., Biologically-based strategies to reduce post-harvest losses of tomato.Afr.J.Biotechnol. 2011, 32, 6040-6044.

ID: 62265
Title: Cr (VI) removal from synthetic textile effluent using Tamarindus indica barks: a kinetic and thermodynamic study.
Author: Sudesh and Varsha Goyal
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (3) 392-398 (2016)
Subject: Cr (VI) removal from synthetic textile effluent using Tamarindus indica barks: a kinetic and thermodynamic study.
Keywords: Adsorption isotherm, biosorption, chromium, kinetic and thermodynamic study, Tamarindus indica.
Abstract: Discharge of untreated textile effluents containing heavy metals is a serious environmental issue. Biosorption is a promising method for the removal of heavy metals. The present study analyses the biosorption of Cr (VI) from synthetic textile effluent onto tamarind bark biomass as a function of initial metal ion concentration, contact time, pH, sorbent dosage, shaking speed and temperature. The optimum pH and temperature are found to be 2 and 20?C respectively. The maximum biosorption capacity qe is 21.001 mg/g. Freundlich isotherm model fitted well with correlation coefficient of 0.9.Kinetic study reveals that the biosorption of Cr (VI) follows a pseudosecond-order model. The biosorption of Cr (VI) is spontaneous and exothermic as shown by negative free energy change (?G?) and negative enthalpy (?H?).Desorption experiments with 2M NaOH, infer the reusability of the biomass up to five times with high efficiency.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Bai, R.S. and Abraham, T.E., Biosorption of chromium (VI) from aqueous solution by Rhizopus nigricans.Bioresour.Technol., 2001, 79, 73-81. Yadav, S., Shukla, O.P and Rai, U.N., Chromium pollutionand bioremediation.Environ.News Newslett Int.Soc.Environ.Bot., 2005, 11, 1.
Literature cited 2: Bulut, Y.and Baysal, Z., Removal of heavy metal Pb (II) from waste water using wheat bran.J.Environ.Manage, 2006, 78, 107-113. Sari, A.and Tuzen, M., Biosorption of cadmium (II) from aqueous solution by red algae (Ceramium virgatum): equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamic studies.J.Hazard Mater, 2008, 157, 448-454.

ID: 62264
Title: High cadmium contamination at the gateway to Sundarban ecosystem driven by Kolkata metropolitan sewage in India.
Author: Anirban Akhand, Abhra Chanda, Sourav Das, Pranabes Sanyal and Sugata Hazara.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (3) 386-391 (2016)
Subject: High cadmium contamination at the gateway to Sundarban ecosystem driven by Kolkata metropolitan sewage in India.
Keywords: Cadmium, contamination, heavy metals, metropolitan sewage, pollution load index.
Abstract: Cr, Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni, Cu, Co and Fe content in the surface sediments was studied at three sites along a 20 km stretch on the Bidyadhari River (situated at the gateway to Indian Sundarban mangrove ecosystem) starting from the sewage outfall zone of the Kolkata metropolis (northern limit of Sundarban) during the dry (March) and wet (August) seasons in the year 2011.The concentration levels of the heavy metals (mg kg-1) were in the following order: Fe (30399 ?3679) > Cr (68.16 ?39.28) >Zn (61.33 ? 10.47) >Ni (32.50 ? 4.79) >Cu (27.67 ? 6.59) >Pb (19.69 ? 5.20) > Ni (32.50 ?4.79) >Cu (27.67 ? 6.59) >Pb (19.69 ? 5.20) >Co (15.23 ?4.39) > Cd (1.70 ? 0.63).Computation of pollution load index comprising all the heavy metals was found higher during the wet season, mainly due to the enhanced surface run-off led by monsoonal rain. Concentrations of Cr and Co were found higher than the world average in a few cases (especially during wet season); however, computation of pollution indices like contamination factors, enrichment ratio and geo-accumulation index exhibited extremely high Cd contamination in all the sites and during both seasons.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Li, Z., Ma, Z., van der Kujip, T.J., Yuan, Z. and Huang, L., A review of soil heavy metal pollution from mines in China: pollution and health risk assessment. Sci. Total Environ, 2014, 468, 843-853. Quan, S.X., Yan, B., Lei, C., Yang, F. Li, N., Xiao, X.M. and Fu, J.M., Distribution of heavy metal pollution in sediments from an acid leaching site of e-waste. Sci. Total Environ. 2014, 499, 349-355.
Literature cited 2: Singh, K.P., Mohan, D., Singh, V.K. and Malik, A., Studies on distribution and fractionation of heavy metals in Gomti River sediments-a tributary of the Ganges, India. J. Hydrol., 2005,312, 14-27. Kemble, N.E. et al., Contaminants in stream sediments from seven United States metropolitan areas: Part II-sediment toxicity to the amphipod Hyalella azteca and midge Chronomus dilutes.Arch.Environ.Contam.Toxicol, 2013, 64, 52-64.

ID: 62263
Title: A Comparative study on application of time series analysis for traffic forecasting in India: prospects and limitations.
Author: Kartikeya Jha, Nishita Sinha, Shriniwas S.Arkatkar and Ashoke K.Sarkar.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (3) 373-385 (2016)
Subject: A Comparative study on application of time series analysis for traffic forecasting in India: prospects and limitations.
Keywords: Regression model, time-series analysis, traffic forecasting, transportation engineering.
Abstract: Modelling of growth trend and improvement in forecasting techniques for vehicular population has always been and will continue to be of paramount importance for any major infrastructure development initiatives in the transportation engineering sector. Although many tradition al as well as some advanced methods are in vogue for this process of estimation, three has been a continuous quest for improving on the accuracy of different methods. Time-series (TS) analysis technique has been in use for short-term forecasting in the fields of finance and economics, and has been investigated here for its perspective use in traffic engineering. Towards this end, results obtained from two other traditional approaches, namely trend line analysis and econometric analysis, have also been collated, under-lining the better results obtained from TS analysis. A regression model has been developed for predicting fatality rate and its results have been compared with those from TS analysis. Based on the incentive provided by reduced errors obtained from using increasing number of data points for using increasing number of data points for model-building, forecasting has been done for the year 2021 using time-series modeling. With most of the datasets used and locations analysed for forecasting, the TS analysis technique has been found to be a useful tool for prediction, resulting in lower-estimation errors for almost all the cases considered. It has also been inferred that the proximity of the forecasting window to the sample dataset has a noticeable effect on the accuracy of time-series forecasting, in addition to the amount of data used for analysis.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Dhingra, S.L.et al., Application of time series techniques for forecasting truck traffic attracted by the Bombay metropolitan region.J.Adv.Transp, 1993, 27 (3), 227-249. Matas, A.et al., Demand forecasting in the evaluation of projects. Working Paper in Economic Evaluation of Transportation Projects , Centro de Estudios y Experimentacion de Obras Publicas (CEDEX), 2009, pp.1-31.
Literature cited 2: Skamris, M.K. and Flyvbjerg, B., Inaccuracy of traffic forecasts and cost estimates on large transport projects.Transp.Policy, 1997, 4 (3), 141-146. Cervero, R., Are induced traffic studies inducing bad investments? ACCESS, 2003, 22, 22-27.

ID: 62262
Title: Sediment pathways and emergence of Himalayan source material in the Bay of Bengal.
Author: K.S.Krishna, M.Ismaiel, K.Srinivas, D.Gopala Rao, J.Mishra and D.Saha.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (3) 363-372 (2016)
Subject: Sediment pathways and emergence of Himalayan source material in the Bay of Bengal.
Keywords: Asian climate, Bengal Fan, continental collision, Himalayan tectonics, Ganges and Brahmaputra Delta.
Abstract: The sediment succession in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) records the signatures corresponding to India-Asia collision, regional climate change, and erosional processes of both the Himalayan orogen and Indian subcontinent. The Bengal Fan-the world ' s largest submarine fan-has long been studied to understand the link between the Himalayan tectonics and Asian monsoon. But, lack of detailed information on corresponding signals hampered the understanding of related processes of tectonics, climate and erosion. The present study of long-streamer seismic reflection profile data and information from deep drill well logs in the western BoB has revealed two different phases of sediment deposition. In the first phase, until Oligocene-Miocene (~23 Ma), Indian peninsular rivers discharged sediments to the BoB which accumulated at a rate ~20 m/m.y.with an aberration of two fairly enhanced sediment pulses during the periods from 65 to 54 Ma and 34 to 23 Ma. In the second phase, since 23 Ma, the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers added huge volumes of sediments to the bat at variable rates ranging from 40 to 1000 m/m.y. A distinct increase in sediment discharge (~140 m/m.y) during the Oligocene-Miocene (~23 Ma) together with the development of regional on lap unconformity and the start of turbidity system provide an important age marker corresponding to rapid exhumation of the Himalaya, which intensified the erosional process and commencement of Bengal Fan sedimentation. Further rise in the rate of sedimentation during the period 6.8-0.8 Ma is coincident with the change in monsoon intensity, but surprisingly not in agreement with the decrease in sediment rate reported at ODP Leg 116 sites in the distal Bengal Fan, which can serve as benchmark in formation for understanding the interaction between the Himalayan exhumation and Asian climate.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Molnar, P.and Tapponneir, P., The collision between India and Eurasia.Sci.Am, 1977, 236, 30-41. Najman, Y. et al., Timing of India-Asia collision: geological, biostratigraphic, and palaeomagnetic constraints.J.Geophys.Res., 2010, 115, B12416; doi: 10.1029/2010JB007673.
Literature cited 2: Bouilhol, P., Jagoutz, O., Hanchar, J.M. and Dudas, F.O., Dating the India-Eurasia collision through arc magmatic records. Earth Planet.Sci.Lett, 2013, 366, 163-175. Prell, W.L.and Kutzbach, J.E., Sensitivity of the Indian monsoon to forcing parameters and implications for its evolution. Nature, 1992, 360, 647-652.

ID: 62261
Title: Assessing climate change impacts on forest ecosystems for landscape-scale spatial planning in Nepal.
Author: Gokarna Jung Thapa, Eric Wikramanayake, Shant Raj Jnawali, Judy Oglethorpe and Ramesh Adhikari.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2016
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 110 (3) 345-352 (2016)
Subject: Assessing climate change impacts on forest ecosystems for landscape-scale spatial planning in Nepal.
Keywords: Climate change, forest ecosystems, refugia, landscape conservation.
Abstract: Global climate change is affecting biodiversity and ecological processes. We coupled a general circulation model that uses global datasets with terrain-based analyses to identify potential climate refugia in two conservation landscapes in Nepal for climate change integrated conservation planning. The results indicate that lower and mid-montane forests are vulnerable climate change, but the temperate upper montane and subalpine forests are more resilient and represent macrorefugia. However, the terrain-based analysis indicates persistence of climate microrefugia in the lower and mid-mountains. Conservation strategies should prioritize the larger climate-resilient forests as macrorefugia, but also include the microrefugia in landscape conservation plans.
Location: T E 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Wikramanayake, E.D., Carpenter, C., Strand, H. and McKnight, M., Ecoregion-based conservation in the Eastern Himalaya. Identifying important areas for biodiversity conservation. World Wild-life Fund (WWF) and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, ICIMOD, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2001. Wikramanayake, E.D. et al., Terrestrial Ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific: A Conservation Assessment, Island Press, Washington, DC, 2001.
Literature cited 2: Chettri, N. et al., Biodiversity in the Eastern Himalayas: status, trends and vulnerability to climate change. In Climate change impact and vulnerability in the Eastern Himalayas-Technical report 2, ICIMOD, Kathmandu, 2010. Shrestha, U.B., Gautam, S. and Bawa, K.S., Widespread climate change in the Himalayas and associated changes in local ecosystems.PLoS ONE, 2012, 7, e36741; doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0036741.