Enter records

ID: 59685
Title: Consortium for e-resources in agriculture: qualitative and quantitative perspectives.
Author: Nirmal Singh.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (7) 1112-1117 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: CeRA, consortium, e-journals, impact factor, National Agricultural Research System.
Abstract: Consortium for e-Resources in Agriculture (CeRA) is the palpable effort of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to facilitate access to select scientific literature to the academic and research society in the National Agricultural Research System. The consortium provides access to articles from nearly 3000 journals in the broad spectrum of agricultural sciences, including 194 journals in the subjects of animal husbandary, livestock management and poultry sciences; animal nutrition, feed, feed additives and manufacture; dairy technology; fisheries and aquaculture and veterinary science. This article is an attempt to assess the journal collection of CeRA in the above-mentioned subjects. The review status of journals, impact factor, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences rating of scientific journals 2012 (effective from 1 January 2013) and access to archives, are the parameters used for assessment of the journal collection of the consortium.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Chand, P., Nishy, P. and Sen, I., Access to knowledge by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India: a case study. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Digital Libraries (ICDL), 5-8 December 2006, New Delhi. Cited by Varaprasad, S.J.D. and Madhusudhan, S., E-journal consortium: is it a success story always? DESIDOC J. LIBr. Inform. Technol., 2010, 30 (2), 92-96. Panitich, J.M. and Michalak, S., The serial crises: a white paper for the UNC-Chapel Hill Scholarly Communications Convocation, 2005; http:// www.unc.edu/scholcomdig/whitepapers/panitch-michalak.html (accessed on 6 January 2014).
Literature cited 2: Singh, N. and Kumar, D., Utilization of consortium for e-Resources in Agriculture (ceRA) by faculty of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU). J. Interlib. Loan Doc. Deliv. Electr. Reser., 2012, 22 (5), 205-221; http:// www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/1072303x.2012.737761 (accessed on 2 December 2013.) International Coalition of Library Consortia, Forum for Resource Sharing in Astronomy, 2005; http:// legacy.icolc.net /FORSA.html (accessed on 21 January 2014)

ID: 59684
Title: Nutritional properties of minor millets: neglected cereals with potentials to combat malnutrition.
Author: GIRISH CHANDEL, RAKESH KUMAR MEENA, MAHIMA DUBEY, MAMTA KUMAR.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (7) 1109-1111 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Nutritional properties of minor millets, neglected cereals, potential to combat malnutrition.
Abstract: Millet is a general term for a wide range of cereals. Minor millets are a group of grassy plants with short slender culm and small grains possessing remarkable ability to survive under adverse conditions like limited rainfall, poor soil fertility and land terrain. Minor millets categorized as coarse cereals are staple food for the tribal people where cultivation of major cereals like rice, wheat and maize is either not popular or fail to produce substantial yield. Millets differ from one another by their appearances, and morphological features, maturity grain type etc.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Adekunle, A. I., Gounga, M.E. and Le, G.W., Emir. J. Food Agric., 2013, 25 (7), 501-508. FAO, http: //faostat.fao.org/site/339/default.aspx.
Literature cited 2: Chopra, K. and Neelam, M., Health and Population-Perspectives and Issues, 2004, 27 (1), 40-48. Pradhan, A., Nag, S.K. and Patil, S.K., Curr. Sci., 2010, 98 (6), 763-765.

ID: 59683
Title: Some observations on a report on scientometric analysis on Botanical Survey of India.
Author: P.Venu and M. Sanjappa.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (7) 1103-1104 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Scientometric analysis, Botanical survey, India
Abstract: We happened to go through the article titled ' Botanical Survey of India (1971-2010): a scienctometric analysis by M. Pathak and A.K. Bharati. The organization under reference (Botanical Survey of India, hereafter, BSI) is one of the oldest institutions engaged in taxonomic /revisionary/monographic research and its core job revolves around exploration, inventorying and documentation of phytodiversity of the country. Having worked for almost three decades in this institution, we pertinently felt that the Survey ' s performance analysis which has been the prime objective of the cited article should have been based essentially on accomplishing targets envisaged in the core mandate and to a slighter and proportional extent on secondary mandates.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Pathak, M. and Bharti, A.K., Curr. Sci., 2014, 106 (7), 964-971. Venu, P. and Sanjappa, M., Curr. Sci., 2011, 101 (11), 1397.
Literature cited 2: Sanjappa, M., Venu, P. and Prasanna, P.V., Curr. Sci., 2010, 99 (4), 418-419.

ID: 59682
Title: Use of sugarcane bagasse ash as brick material.
Author: Mangesh V. Madurwar, Sachin A. Mandavgane and Rahul V. Ralegaonkar.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (6) 1044-1051 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Bricks, Quarry dust, lime, sugarcane bagasse ash.
Abstract: Application of bio-fuel by-product sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA) as a principal raw material for the manufacturing of bricks was studied. The bricks were developed using the quarry dust ( QD) as a replacement to natural river sand and lime (L) as a binder. SBA as a principal raw material was characterized using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) confirms SBA as a cementious material. TGA confirms thermal stability till 650 ? C, whereas SEM monograph shows individual ash with a rough surface and numerous fine pores. Elemental analysis of quarry dust and lime was also carried out using XRF and classic wet test. The physical properties of quarry dust and lime were determined using the laboratory test methods. SBA-QD-L combination bricks were designed and developed in different mix proportions. Physico-mechanical properties of commercially available burnt clay-and-fly-ash bricks. It was observed that SBA-QD-L bricks are lighter in weight, energy efficient and meet compressive strength requirements of IS 1077:1992. The bricks also serve the purpose of solid waste management and innovative sustainable construction material. The bricks can be used in local construction especially for non-load-bearing walls.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Madurwar, M.V., Ralegaonkar, R.V. and Mandavgane, S.A., Application of agro-waste for sustainable construction materials: a review. Constr. Build. Mater, 2013, 38, 872-878. Limam, S.A., Varum, H., Sales, A. and Neto, V.F., Analysis of the mechanical properties of compresed earth block masonry using the sugarcane bagasse ash. Constr. Build. Mater, 2012, 35, 829-837.
Literature cited 2: Faria, K. C.P. Gurgel, R.F. and Holanda, J.N.F., Recycling of sugarcane bagasse ash waste in the production of clay bricks. J. Environ. Manage. 2012, 101, 7-12. Raut, S.P., Sedmake, R., Dhunde, S., Ralegaonkar, R.V. and Mandavgane, S.A., Reuse of recycle paper mill waste in energy absorbing light weight bricks. Constr. Build. Mater, 2012, 27, 247-251.

ID: 59681
Title: Natural base isolation system for earthquake protection.
Author: Srijit Bandopadhya, Aniruddha Sengupta and G.R. Reddy.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (6) 1037-1043 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Base isolation, earthquake protection, shake table test, shredded rubber tyre.
Abstract: The performance of a well-designed layer of sand, geo-grid, geo-textiles and composites like layer of sand mixed with shredded tyre (rubber) as low-cost base isolators is studied in shake table tests in the laboratory. The building foundation is modeled by a 200 mm x 200 mm and 40 mm thick, rigid plexi-glass block. The block is placed in the middle of a 1 m x 1 m tank filled with sand. The selected base isolator is placed between the block and the sand foundation. Accelerometers are placed on top of the footing and foundation sand layer. The displacement of the footing is also measured by transducers. The whole set-up is mounted on the shake table and subjected to sinusoidal motion with varying amplitude and frequency. Sand is found to be effective only at very high amplitude (>0.65 g) of motion. Among all the different materials tested, the performance of a composite consisting of sand and 50 % shredded rubber tyre placed under the footing is found to be the most promising as a low-cost, effective base isolator.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Soong, T.T.., State-of-the-art review, active structural control in civil engineering.Eng.Struct, 1988, 10, 74-84. Jangid, R.S. and Datta, T.K., Seismic behavior of base-isolated buildings: a state-of-the-art review.Proc. ICE: Struct. Build. 1995, 110, 186-203.
Literature cited 2: Nagarajaih, S., Semi-active control of structures. In proceedings of structural Congress XV, ASCE, Portland, Oregon, USA, 1997, pp. 1574-1578. Ehrgott, R.C. and Masri, S.F., Structural control applications of an electro-rheological device. In proceedings of International Workshop on Structure Control, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA, 1994, pp. 115-129.

ID: 59680
Title: A weather-based forecast model for capsule rot of small cardamom.
Author: Prashant Goswami, Renu Goyal, E.V.S. Prakasa Rao, K.V.Ramesh, M.R.Sudarshan and D.Ajay.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (6) 1013-1018 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Capsule rot disease, forecasting, meteorological variables, small cardamom.
Abstract: Small cardamom is an economically important spice crop. However, cardamom is susceptible to several diseases that significantly reduce yield. Proactive prevention of these diseases based on advance warning can enhance the efficiency of disease control and reduce environmental load of pesticides. Many of these diseases are governed by weather variables (for example, through control of fungal growth). This work presents a disease (capsule rot of cardamom) forecast model based on a set of meteorological variables. While no single weather variable provides successful simulation, an optimal combination of weather variables provides sufficient skill for advance warning of the disease.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Menon, M.R., Sarjoo, B.V., Ramakrishnan, C.K. and Remadevi, L.A., New Phytophthora disease of cardamom.Agric.Res.J.Kerala, 1972, 11, 93-94. Suseela Bhai, R. and Sarma, Y.R., Characterization of Phytophthora de Bary inciting capsule rot/Azhukal and leaf blight disease of cardamom (Elettaria cardamom L. Maton). J. Plantation Crops, 2005, 33, 193-203.
Literature cited 2: Thomas, J., Suseela Bhai, R. and Naidu, R., Comparative efficacy of fungicides against Phytophthora rot of small cardamom. Pesticides (Fungicide Special), 1989, 23 (9), 40-42. Nair, R.R, Investigations of fungal diseases of cardamom. PhD thesis, Kerala Agricultural University, Trissur, p.161.

ID: 59679
Title: Inhibition of fungal endophytes by camptothecine produced by their host plant, Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Grahm) Mabb. (Icacinaceae).
Author: S.Shweta, M.B.Shivanna, B.R. Gurumurthy, R.Uma Shaanker, T.R. Santhosh Kumar and G.Ravikanth.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (6) 994-999 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Camptothecine, endophytic fungi, Nothapodytes nimmoniana, sensitivity and inhibition.
Abstract: Camptothecine (CPT), a monotarpene indole alkaloid, is a potent inhibitor of eukaryotic topoisomerase I. It is produced by a number of plants, including Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Grahm) Mabb. (Icacinaceae), occurring naturally in the Western Ghats, India. The plant is inhabited by a number of endophytic fungi, many of which have been isolated and shown to produce CPT, in culture, independent of the host. In this article, we examine the sensitivity if endophytic fungi isolated from N.nimmoniana to CPT. Contrary to our hypothesis that these fungi should be resistant to CPT (as they exposed to the host CPT as well as that produced by themselves), we report that these fungi are sensitive and thus inhibited by CPT. We discuss these results in the context of the role of CPT. We discuss these results in the context of the role of CPT in limiting endophytic fungal growth.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Hsiang, C.Y., Ho, T.Y., Lin, C.H., Wu, K. and Chang, T.J., Analysis of upregulated cellular genes in psedorabies virus infection: use of mRNA differential display.J.Virol.Methods, 1996, 62, 11-19. Pommier, Y., Topoisomerase I inhibitors: campothecines and beyond. Nature Rev.Cancer., 2006, 6, 789-802.
Literature cited 2: Uma shaanker, R., Ramesha, B.T., Ravikanth, G., Guanga, R., Vasudeva, R. and Ganeshaiah, K.N., Chemical profiling of Nothapodytes nimmoniana for camptothecin, an important anticancer alkaloid: toward the development of a sustainable production system. In Bioactive Molecules and Medicinal Plants (eds Ramawat, K.G. and Merillon, J.M.), Springer, UK, 2008, pp. 197-213 Ramesha, B.T. et al., New plant sources of the anti-cancer alkaloid, camptothecin from the Icacinaceae taxa, India. Phytomedicine, 2013, 20, 521-527.

ID: 59678
Title: Estimation of past atmospheric carbon dioxide levels using tree-ring cellulose ?13C
Author: Trina Bose, Supriyo Chakraborty, Hemant Borgaonkar, Saikat Sengupta and R.Ramesh.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (6) 971-982 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Atmospheric carbon dioxide, carbon isotope, cellulose, climate change, tree ring.
Abstract: We study the applicability of the Farquhar model for carbon isotopic discrimination (change in carbon isotopic composition from air CO2 to tree-ring cellulose) in C3 plants to trees growing in the field. Two new carbon isotope datasets from Himalayan conifers with published data from another eight sites across the world show disparate trends in the plot of carbon isotope discrimination versus atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, in contrast to the model prediction of absence of any trend. This is because the model assumes that the tree adjusts its stomatal conductance for water-use efficiency to maintain a constant ratio of carbon dioxide concentrations inside and outside the leaf and treats the diffusive and biochemical fractationation factors as constants. By introducing a simple linear dependence of these fractationation factors with ambient temperature and humidity, we have enhanced the applicability of the model to naturally growing trees. Further, despite the disparate trends exhibited by the 10 trees, we show using the inverse modeling that it is possible to derive a unique record of past atmospheric co2 concentrations using tree cellulose ?13 C data. The reconstructions also replicate the summer pCO2 gradient from tropics to mid-latitudes. We also discuss the merits and demerits of the model, and compare the model-derived pCO2 with that of the ice core-based records from Law Dome.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Rodenbeck, C., Houweling, S., Gloor, M. and Heimann, M., CO2 flux history 1982-2001 inferred from atmospheric data using a global inversion of atmospheric transport. Atmos. Chem, Phys, 2003, 3 (6), 1919-1964. Meure, C.M. et al., Law dome CO2, CH4 and N2 O ice core records extended to 2000 years BP. Geophys.Res, Lett, 2006, 33 (14).
Literature cited 2: Ahn, J. et al., Atmospheric CO2 over the last 1000 years: A high-resolution record from the West Antartic Ice Sheet (WAIS) divide ice core. Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 2012, 26 (2) Barnola, J.M., Anklin, M., Porcheron, J., Raynaud, D., Schwander, J and Be Stauffer, CO2 evolution during the last millennium as recorded by Antartic and Greenland ice. Tellus B, 1995, 47 (1-2), 264-272.

ID: 59677
Title: Operationalizing the concept of farming system for nutrition through the promotion of nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
Author: S. Nagarajan, R.V. Bhavani and M.S.Swaminathan
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (6) 959-964 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Community nutrition garden, Farming system for nutrition, nutritional security, nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
Abstract: Despite impressive gain in agricultural production and greater availability of food, a large population in India is suffering from nutritional imbalance. Improvements in total agricultural production leading to nutritive food would help combat under nutrition. To demonstrate the feasibility of agriculture-based remedy to malnutrition, five villages in Wardha district of Maharashtra were selected for validating the farming system for nutrition (FSN) approach. On-farm demonstrations of arable crops and women-managed community nutrition gardens (CNGs) of vegetables and fruits were initiated. A wide choice of nutritive vegetables to be grown was promoted to reduce the off-farm transport cost and ensure higher availability of nutritive vegetables to the households. The additional nutritional gain through FSN can be quantified in terms of equivalence and can be calibrated to ensure that the households get the recommended daily intake of nutrition. Accordingly, a FSN approach is evolved to provide nutritional security to every house-hold.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Mesham, A.R. and Chatterje, M., Wasting Away: The Crisis of Malnutrition in India, World Bank, Washington DC, 1999. Gulati, A., Ganesh-Kumar, A., Shreedhar, G. and Nandakumar, T., Agriculture and malnutrition in India. Econ. Polit. Wkly, 2012, 33, 74-86.
Literature cited 2: Swaminathan, M.S., Combating hunger. Science, 2012, 338, 1009. Kareemulla, K., Ramasundaram, P., Kumar, S. and Rao, C.A.R., Impact of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in India on rural poverty and food security. Curr.Agric.Res. J., 2013, 1, 13-28.

ID: 59676
Title: India ' s river linking project: will it benefit or backfire?
Author: Govindasamy Agoramoorthy
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (6) 951-955 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: India ' s river, project, benefit, backfire.
Abstract: Rivers are considered holy in India and the river Ganges is the most revered of all. The Government of India has decided to pursue a monumental engineering project to build a lengthy network of canals reaching up to 15,000 km for linking major rivers across India. This innovative river link is expected to transport 174 billion cubic meters of water annually, from water-rich rivers to water-scarce regions. Although the national river linking project has been talked about for many years, the central Government has finally decided to spend USD 168 billion to jump start this unique mission. The newly elected Prime Minister has called this undertaking ' a national dream. '
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Bhargava, D.S., Environ, Conserv, 1987, 14, 307-318. Bagla, P., Science, 2014, 345 (6193), 128.
Literature cited 2: Morrison, K.D., Conserv, Soc, 1987, 8, 182-195. Nehru, J., Nehru Speeches on Science and Society, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Delhi, 1988.

ID: 59675
Title: Yar tsa Gunbu (Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk) G.H. Sung et al]: the issue of its sustainability.
Author: Chandra S. Negi, Mukesh Pant, Paras Joshi and Sachin Bohra.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (5) 882-887 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Cordyceps sinensis, economy, harvest pressure, sustainability, traditional belief system.
Abstract: Any source of immense value and key relevance to rural livelihood as the main cash source, invariably runs the risk of being overexploited, more so when it remains a common property resource. The current harvest pressure on caterpillar fungus, yar tsa Gunbu (Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk) G.H. sung et al) serves, as a prime example. The ever-increasing demand for the commodity in the international markets and concomitantly its ever-increasing price, hovering at present at US$20,000 per kg, have resulted in not just its rampant exploitation ,but also in the degradation of the very habitat ,thus endangering its future. The present study conducted across nine broad landscapes in 110 villages and 2511 harvesters within pithoragarh district, central Himalaya , high lights the socio-economic changes brought forth by the harvesting of the ' green gold ' and discusses the prospects of future availability of the species. The study also provides suggestions for evolving sound mechanisms to lessen the pressure on the species.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Berkeley, M. J., on some entomogenous sphaeriae.London J. Bot., 1843, 2, 205-211. Saccardo, P.A., Enumeratio pyrenomycetum hypocraeceorum hucusque congitorum systemate carpologico dispositorum.Michelia, 1878, 1, 277-325.
Literature cited 2: Sung, G.H., hywel -Jones, N.L., Sung, J.M., Luangsa -ard, J.J., Shreshta, B. and the Clavicipitaceous fungi. Stud.Mycol. 2007, 57, 5-59 Li, S.P., Li, P. Dong, T.T. and Tsim, K. W., Anti-oxidation activity of different types of natural cordyceps sinensis and cultured cordyceps mycelia .Phytomedicine, 2001, 8(3), 207-212.

ID: 59674
Title: Mineralogy of Kaolin clays in different forest ecosystems of southern Western Ghats, India.
Author: S. Sandeep and M.P. Sujatha.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (5) 875-882 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Forest ecosystems, halloysite, kaolinite, Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction.
Abstract: Random x-ray poder diffraction (XRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to identify 1:1 clay minerals in soils of five different forest ecosystems such as moist deciduous forests, evergreen forests, shoal forests, grasslands and scrub jungles in the southern Western Ghats, India. The study sites experience a humid tropical climate with intense leaching and weathering, except scrub jungle which lies in the rain shadow area of the Western Ghats.XRD analyses of air-dried samples, confirmatory tests using formamide intercalation and SEM could establish kaolinite -halloysite coexistence in clay fractions of three different ecosystems of the Western Ghats. Earlier studies on clay mineralogy in the region failed to establish such coexistence because of the relative metastable nature of halloysite with respect to kaolinite.The identification of soil systems with metastable minerals liks halloysite presents interesting possibilities of further studies vis-?-vis soil genesis and management in the tropics.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Brindley, G.W., Souza Santos. and Souza Santos, H., Mineralogical studies of kaolinite -halloynite clays.1. Identification problems. Am. Mineral., 1963, 48, 897-910. Keller, W.D.Environmental aspects of clay minerals.J. Sediment.Petrol. 1970, 40,788-813.
Literature cited 2: Romero. Robert, M., Elsass, F. and Garcia, C. Abundance of halloysite neoformation in soils developed from crystalline rocks. Contribution of transmission electron microscopy.Clay miner. 1992, 27, 35-46. Jeong, G. Y., The dependence of localized crystallization of haloysite and kaolinite on primary minerals in the weathering profile of granite .Clays Clay Miner., 2000, 48,196-203.

ID: 59673
Title: Assessment and monitoring of deforestation from 1930 to 2011 in Andhra Pradesh, India using remote sensing and collateral data.
Author: P. Harikrishna, K.R.L.Saranaya, C.sudhakar Reddy, C.S. Jha and V.K. Dadhwal.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (5) 867-875 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Collateral data, deforestation, landscape metrics, remote sensing.
Abstract: Deforestation is one of the greatest threats to the world ' s forest ecosystems. The present study has utilized remote sensing and GIS techniques to quantify changes in forest cover and to map patterns of deforestation in Andhra Pradesh, India during 1930-2011. Andhra Pradesh has the second largest recorded forest area and ranks sixth with an actual forest cover mps from seven temporal datasets were prepared based on interpretation of multi-source topographical maps from seven temporal datasets were prepared based on interpretation of multi-source topographical maps and satellite data. A representative set of landscape indices has been used to study landscape-level changes over time. The mapping for the period of 1930, 1960, 1975, 1985, 1995, 2005 and 2011 indicates that the forest cover accounts for 85,392, 68,063, 46,940, 45,520, 44,409, 43,577 and 43,523sq.km of the study area respectively. The study found thenet forest cover declined as 49% of the total forest area during the last eight decades. The annual rate of estimated deforestation during 2005-2011 was 0.02%.Annual rate of deforestation of teak mixed forests was relatively higher (0.76) followed by mangroves (0.58%), semi-evergreen forests(0.43%), dry deciduous forests(0.21%), moist deciduous forests(0.09%), dry evergreen forests (0.07%) during 1975-2011.The landscape analysis shows that the number of forest patches was 3,981 in 1930, 5,553 in 1960, 8,760 in 1975, 9,412 in 1985, 9,646 in 1995 and 10,597in 2011, which indicates ongoing anthropogenic pressure on the forests. The mean patch size (sq.km) of forest decreased from 21.5 in 1930 to 12.3 in 1960 and reached 3.9 by 2011. The analysis of historical forest cover changes provides a basis for management effectiveness and future research on various components of biodiversity, climate change and accounting of carbon.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Murali, K.S.and Hedge, R., Patterns of tropical deforestation. J.Trop.For. Sci., 1997, 9(4), 465-476 Myers, N., Mittermeier, R.A. and Mittermeier, C.G., Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities .Nature, 2000, 403,853-858.
Literature cited 2: Shukla, J., Nobre, C., Sellers., Amazon deforestation and climate change .Science, 1990,247, 1322-1325. Bishop, R., Economic efficiency, sustainability and biodiversity. Ambio, 1993, 22, 69-73.

ID: 59672
Title: Monitoring of Carbon dioxide and water vapour exchange over a young mixed forest plantation using eddy covariance technique.
Author: T. Watham, S.P.S. Kushwaha, N.R. Patel, and V.K. Dadhwal.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (5) 858-867 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Carbon dioxide, eddy covariance, mixed forest plantation, water vapour.
Abstract: Studies on Co2 and water vapour exchange in natural and man-made vegetation are necessary for quantifying their role in landscape-level carbon budget. The present study investigated variations in carbon and water vapour fluxes and monthly net ecosystem exchange (NEE) over a 9 -year -old mixed forest plantation(Holptelea integrifolia, Dalbergia sissoo, Acacia catechu and Albizia procera) in Terai Central Forest Division of Nainital district, Uttrakhand using January to September 2013 eddy covariance data .During leafless period (i.e. January ), the plantation acted as net carbon source (i.e. positive NEE) with daily mean release of 0.35g c m??day?1, while from leaf onset to growing period (i.e. April to September) it acted as a sink(i.e. negative NEE) due to carbon uptake by an increasing number of leaves. The monthly mean daily NEE was noticed to be increasingly more negative in each subsequent month until September. The diurnal trend in NEE closely followed the variations in the intensity of photosynthetically active radiation .The diurnal NEE in all months was related to vapour pressure (-29.5?mol m??s??) and night-time release of co2 (8.2?mol m??s??) was observed in July. Monthly mean of daily NEE over plantation continuously increased from February and was highest (-5.74 g c m??day??) in September. Rectangular hyperbolic function provided reasonably good fit between NEE and PAR. Ecosystem parameters (? and pmax) of the light response curve also followed the canopy development trend.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: Schlesinger, W.H., Biogeochemistry: An Analysis of Global Change, Academic press, New York, 1991. Chhabra, A. and Dadhwal, V.K. Estimating terrestrial net primary productivity over India using satellite data.Curr.sci., 2004, 86(2), 269-271.
Literature cited 2: Calvo, E. and Jochem, E. (eds), IPCC special Report on carbon Dioxide capture and storage, Cambridge university press, Cambridge, 2005. Bachelet, D., Neilson, R.P., Lenihan, J.Mand Drapek, R.J., climate change effects on vegetation distribution and carbon budget in the United States. Ecosystems, 2001, 4, 164-185.

ID: 59671
Title: Space-based gravity data analysis for groundwater storage estimation in the Gangetic plain, India.
Author: S.Dasgupta, I.C.Das, S.K.Subramanian and V.K. Dadhwal.
Editor: R. Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol. 107 (5) 832-844 (2014)
Subject: Current Science.
Keywords: Groundwater storage change, Satellite missions, soil moisture, storage variables.
Abstract: Monthly, seasonal and annual hydrologic signals obtained by Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE mission) satellites are analysed and compared with storage variables of soil moisture signatures of Monsoon Asia Integrated Regional study (MAIRS) mission and groundwater level information of central Ground water Board , to observe depletion trends of groundwater in the Gangetic Plain, at regional scale . While the seasonal time-series showed seasonality in the groundwater storage change, the annual trends depict a decline in this region .Further, the results showed that ground water storage had declined at a rate 3.33 mm/month from 2005 to 2010. These time-series comparisons of storage variables have agreeable R? (coefficient of determination) and r (correlation coefficient) at various temporal cycles.
Location: TE 12 New Biology Building
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Literature cited 2: Famiglietti, J.S., Remote Sensing of terrestrial water storage, soil moisture and surface waters. In The State of the Planet: Frontiers and challenges in Geophysical Monograph, 150 IUGG, 2004, Vol.19, pp. 197-207 Rodell, M., Famiglietti, J.S., Terrestrial Water storage variations over Illinois: analysis of observations and implications for GRACE .Wat. Resour.Res. 2001, 37, 1327-1340.