ID: 59208
Title: Sustainability science in India.
Author: Y S C Khuman, Subhakanta Mohapatra, S K Yadav, M K Salooja.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 106(no. 1), pp. 24-26. 2014
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Sustainability science, India.
Abstract: The new emerging discipline ' Sustainability science ' is being introduced as an inter- and trans-disciplinary academic programme in the higher education system across the world to bring commitment to education on sustainable development. It seeks to understand the fundamental characters of interaction between nature and society. As we are aware, the environmental degradation and poverty on one side and ecological imperialism on the other are the main threats to sustainability.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59207
Title: Imaging of organic and biological materials by in-focus transmission electron microscopy.
Author: Ujjal Kumar Sur.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 106(no. 1), pp. 17-19. 2014
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Imaging of organic and biological materials, in-focus transmission, electron microscopy.
Abstract: Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a powerful characterization tool for imaging nanostructures in materials. However, it is not possible to use the tool for imaging both organic and biological material due to the intrinsic low contrast of the corresponding TEM images. Organic devices, such as polymer solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), have generated considerable interest in recent years. The efficiencies of these organic devices depend on their nanoscale structures.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59206
Title: Gregarious Flowering in woody bamboos: does it mean end of life?
Author: Arun Jyoti Nath, Mukta Chandra Das, Ashesh Kumar Das.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 106(no. 1), pp. 12-13. 2014
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Gregarious flowering, woody bamboos, end of life.
Abstract: Of the nearly 1700 bamboo species (Poaceae: tribe Bambusae), gregarious nature of flowering is largely restricted to woody species, distributed in subtropical and temperate evergreen or deciduous forests. India has one of the highest concentrations of gregariously flowering species, but such species are also found throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas. Many bamboo species have a peculiar life cycle, with long vegetative periods followed by synchronized flowering and death of the entire population over extensive areas, at intervals ranging from 6 to 120 years. Such a single suicidal bout of reproduction is followed by seed production and subsequent seed germination.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59205
Title: The translocated Kurdi Angod sacred site - a conservatory of RET plants of the Western Ghats.
Author: R KR Singh, Arti Garg.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2014
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 106(no. 1), pp. 11-12. 2014
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Kurdi Angod, sacred site, conservatory, RET plants, Western Ghats.
Abstract: Monuments that hold some historical and mythological significance are considered as sacred sites and are active centres of worship and symbols linking man with divinity. Often situted in remote locations and forested areas, their vicinity is endowed with a rich floristic diversity consisting of many unique and rare medicinal plants endemic to the region. Plants belonging to such rare and threatened taxa are conserved in such sacred sites as they are mostly located away from human settlements. Kurdi Angod is one such site in Kurdi Angod is one such site in Kurdi village, Sangeum taluka in south Goa.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59204
Title: Observation of forest phenology using field-based digital photography and satellite data.
Author: J S Parihar, Sheshakumar Goroshi, R P Singh, N S R Krishnayya, M B Sirsayya, Alok Kumar, L S Rawat, Ajit Sonakia.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 105(no. 12), pp. 1740-1747. 2013
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Digital photography, forest phenology, green fraction, herbaceous plants, Madhav National Park.
Abstract: The present communications reports species-specific phenological events in three tropical dry deciduous forest species and herbaceous plant growing below their canopy. Digital photographs of the tree species Anogeissus pendula. Lagerstroemia parviflora Roxb. and Acacia catechu were collected regularly using a field based digital camera between May and September 2010. The photographs were analysed seperately on a set of regions of interest representing the tree canopy and herbaceous plants. Green-up onset date (GOD) and date of maximum rate of growth (DMRG) were estimated based on temporal modelling of green fraction (GF) values, which were estimated from time-series digital photographs of the trees and herbaceous plants. DMRG of the herbaceous plants (15 July) was found earlier by a fortnight in comparison to DMRG of the Anogeissus pendula tree canopy (29 July). Rate of growth per day of herbaceous plants was found higher (average rate 0.35% day-1) when compared to the tree species (average rate 0.24% day-1) at DMRG. A significant high correlation (r=0.96) was observed between temporal profiles of GF and NDVI data. These results suggest that utilization of field-based digital photographs (time series data) can provide low-cost, spatially representative and valid information in capturing the foliage growth cycle in a tropical dry deciduous forest ecosystem.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59203
Title: Getting a kick out of it: multimodal signalling during male-male encounters in the foot-flagging frog Micrixalus aff. saxicola from the Western Ghats of India.
Author: Doris Preininger, Michael J Stiegler, K V Gururaja, S P Vijayakumar, Varun R Torsekar, Marc Sztateesny, Walter Hodl.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 105(no. 12), pp. 1735-1740. 2013
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Anura, Micrixalidae, physicallll attack, small torrent frog, visual communication.
Abstract: Several anuran species use multimodal signals to communicate in diverse social contexts. Our study describes acoustic and visual behaviours of the Small Torrent Frog (Micrixalus aff. saxicola), a diurnal frog endemic to the Western Ghats of India. During agonistic interactions males display advertisement calls, foot-flagging and tapping (foot lifting) behaviours to signal the readiness to defend perching sites in perenial streams. Results from a quantitative video analysis of male-male interactions indicate that foot-flagging displays were used as directional signal toward the opponent male, but were less abundant than calls. The acoustic and visual signals were not functionally linked. The call of Micrixalus aff. saxicola thereby did not act as an alert signal. Analysis of behavioural transitions revealed that kicking behaviours (physical attacks) significantly elicited kicks from interacting males. We suggest that foot-flagging displays ritualized from this frequently observed fighting technique to reduce physical attacks.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59202
Title: Geomorphology and evolution of coastal landforms between Mimisal and Rajamadam, Palk Strait, east coast of India.
Author: Cory Lalbiakzuali, M Suresh Gandhi, V Ram Mohan.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 105(no. 12), pp. 1730-1735. 2013
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Coastal geomorphology, landforms, shoreline analysis, sea-level variation.
Abstract: The area under study lies adjacent to Palk Bay and is a shadow zone. An attempt is made to understand the geomorphic evolution of the area, examine the changes that occurred to the shoreline in 33 years and analyse the impact of rise in sea level in the study area. Topographic maps, aerial photographs, local maps, SRTM, and other related information are collected and digitized. Digital Shoreline Analysis System is used to calculate the rate of shoreline variation using end point rate method and to identify the different types of coasts such as erosional, accretional and neutral. The elevation data available in SRTM data are used to calculate the impact of rise in sea level. From the study, we infer that the study area was once part of a larger river system and the alluvial plains are the remains of an abandoned delta. The different inundation diagrams for 1,2, 5 and 8 m hypothetical rises in sea level are prepared and discussed.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59201
Title: Nondestructive studies on iron pillar at Kodachadri, Karnataka, India.
Author: Anish Kumar, T Jayakumar, K V Rajkumar, M M Narayanan, G N Hegde, A K Rai, V V Bhat.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 105(no. 12), pp. 1704-1710. 2013
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Corrosion, dimensional measurements, iron pillar, Metallography studies, visual assessment.
Abstract: We present here results of a study carried out on the iron pillar located in the Adi-Mookambika temple at Kodachadri in Karnataka, India. The iron pillar is 8.7 m high with almost square cross-section and an average perimeter of 27.5 cm. The surface of the pillar is not as smooth as those at Mchrauli (Delhi) and Dhar (Madhya Pradesh). The top 1 m of the pillar shows excessive corrosion specially on the surface facing west towards the Arabian Sea, which is located about 30 km away. The in situ metallography at various locations on the pillar and scanning electron microscopy on a small sample from the pillar clearly established that the iron is produced by the age-old indigenous solid-state reduction process that is used for making the so-called Adivasi (tribal) iron. Presence of slip lines in the microstructure at various locations indicates heavy forging of the iron pillar. The phosphorous content in the iron pillar is found to be much less than those reported for the iron pillars at Delhi and Dhar.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59200
Title: Uncertainity quantification and reliability analysis of CMIP5 projections for the Indian summer monsoon.
Author: Agniv Sengupta, M Rajeevan.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 105(no. 12), pp. 1692-1703. 2013
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Climate change projections, monsoon, reliability analysis, uncertainity range.
Abstract: A ' reliability ensemble averaging (REA) ' technique is proposed to provide a quantitative estimate of associated uncertainty range and reliability of future climate change projections for Indian summer monsoon (June-September), simulated by the state-of-the-art Coupled General Circulation Models (CGCMs) under Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 (CMIP5). An evaluation of historical as well as future (RCP4.5 scenario) simulations of ten CGCMs in the REA technique projects a mean monsoon warming of 1.215? C with and associated uncertainity range (???T) of 0.22?C, and an all-India precipitation increase by 7.109 mm/month with an associated uncertainity (???P) of 2.592 mm/month for 2021-2050. REA technique also reflects a reduction in uncertainity range compared to simpler ensemble average approach and is characterized by consistently high reliability index in a comparative study with individual CGCMs. These results suggest the viability of REA methodology in providing realistic future Indian monsoon projections by incorporating model performance and model convergence criteria.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59199
Title: Climate change and its impact on plant diseases.
Author: R Gautam, M L Bhardwaj, Rohitashw Kumar.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 105(no. 12), pp. 1685-1691. 2013
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Climate change, disease threat, food security, plant pathogens.
Abstract: Climate change is the biggest threat to mankind, and is the cause of nearly 0.4 million deaths a worldwide and costing the world more than US$ 1.2 trillion. Climate change is affecting our agriculture due to 0.74 C average global increase in temperature in the last 100 years and atmospheric CO2 concentration increase from 280 ppm in 1750 to 400 ppm in 2013. Such changes will have a drastic effect on the growth and cultivation of the different crops on the Earth. Simultaneously, these changes will also affect the reproduction, spread and severity of many plant pathogens, thus posing a threat to our food security. Climate change is also putting stem rust resistance due to Sr31 under threat of Ug99 race of stem rust caused by Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici. Elevated temperature and CO2 concentration are also posing higher threat perception of late blight (Phytophthora infestans) disease of potato and important diseases of rice, namely blast (Pyricularia oryzae) and sheath blight (Rhizoctonia solani). Changing disease scenario due to climate change has highlighted the need for future studies on such models which can predict the severity of important pathogens of major crops in real-field conditions. Simultaneously, disease management strategies should be reoriented in changing conditions with amalgamation of new strategies for sustainable food production.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59198
Title: Perception, anticipation and responses of people to changing climate in the Gangetic Plain of India.
Author: Ashutosh Tripathi, Gopal S Singh.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 105(no. 12), pp. 1673-1684. 2013
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Climate change, indigenous knowledge, perception, response, sustainability.
Abstract: This study examines how farmers and local people of eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP) in the Indo-Gangetic region of India perceive climatic change. This has been achieved by comparing the perception and responses of people with available metrological and agricultural data in Allahabad district of UP. The outcomes of the study were also compared in terms of traditional and current weather descriptions which point towards a significant shift in age-old weather patterns and allied agricultural activities. Temperature and rainfall analysis of 108 years (1901-2008) envisaged. remarkable similarity between perceptions and different agro-met data. Findings support irregularities/variability in temperature and rainfall, altering seasonal patterns and unpredictability in anticipatory knowledge of traditional folklores that were some common surfacing attributes in consequence of climate change. Favourable responses for different climatic effects/changes ranged from 30% to 100%. Substantial changes in land use and land cover were found to be of 25-100% for indigenous crops which also reflected quantum loss of agro-biodiversity. Changes in climate percieved by local people significantly favoured the results of the present study.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59197
Title: Conserving biodiversity for sustainable development.
Author: M F Quamar.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 105(no. 12), pp. 1659-1659. 2013
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: conserving biodiversity, sustainable development.
Abstract: The prinicipal themes of the international conference on ' Conserving Biodiversity for Sustainable Development ' (INCCBSD 2013) were: Man, society and biodiversity; Biodiversity conservation strategies; Biodiverstity for sustainable energy development; Biodiversity and climate change; Molecular diversity and system biology; Disease, epidemiology and biodiversity; Bio-threats and biosecurity; Biodiversity informatics; Biodiversity, human intelligence and innovation; Bio-diversity research. About 100 participants from India, Sri Lanka and Japan participated and presented their research findings as oral and paper presentations. The conference was inaugrated by J K Tewari (Ministry of Environment and Forests, Bhubaneswar), in the presence of Sunil K. Sarangi (NIT Rourkela), Krishna Pramanik (Chairperson and Convenor, INCCBSD 2013, Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering, NIT Rourkela).
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59196
Title: Soil acidification: a recent issue in Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya.
Author: S I Bhuyan, O P Thripathi, M L Khan.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 105(no. 12), pp. 1657-1658. 2013
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: soil acidification, Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya.
Abstract: Soil acidification - The net production of protons in the soil, is a result of various biological, chemical and plant processes such as cation/anion uptake, mineralization of soil organic matter, nitrification, dissociation of organic acids, and oxidation/reduction processes. It occurs gradually in undistributed ecosystems, but can be accelerated by intensive agriculture. It may also be enhanced by the nitrogenous fertilizers, particularly through drip irrigation systems, or the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen using leguminous plants. Change in nutrient cycles also causes soil acidification.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59195
Title: Buried river channels
Author: N M Shareef.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 105(no. 12), pp. 1655-1655. 2013
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: River channels, Marine and Coastal Survey Division.
Abstract: The Marine and Coastal Survery Division of the Geological Survey of India, Mangalore, has recently carried out shallow seismic survey off Ponani, Kerala in order to understand the disposition of Bharathapuzha river channels during the geological past. The survey carried out on the basis of data collected during the geological past. The survey was carried out on the basis of data collected during the single line coast parallel reconnaisance shallow seismic survey which had brought out signatures of river channels at 50m water depth off Ponnani.
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None
ID: 59194
Title: Sacred mountains: their ecological importance.
Author: V M Meher Homji.
Editor: R Srinivasan.
Year: 2013
Publisher: Current Science Association, Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: Centre for Ecological Sciences
Reference: Current Science Vol 105(no. 12), pp. 1655-1655. 2013
Subject: Current Science
Keywords: Sacred mountains, ecological importance.
Abstract: While a good deal of literature is available on the sacred groves, their montane counterpart (pavitra parbats) have recieved scant attention. The question: Is it because of venerable deities are installed on the hilltops that the mountains are considered sacred, or realizing the essential ecosystem services rendered by the elevated surfaces of the planet the temples were constructed on the mountain summits?
Location: TE 15 New Biology Building
Literature cited 1: None
Literature cited 2: None