Effect of ambient air sulphur dioxide on sulphate accumulation in plants

Present study deals with the relationship between ambient air sulphurdioxide and sulphate content in leaf of selected tropical plant species, Ficus religiosa. The study reveals a positive correlation between ambient air sulphur dioxide and sulphate in the leaves. Two way ANOVA finds the obtained values to be highly significant (p < 0.001). Amount of sulphate in leaves shows positive correlation with sulphur dioxide in air (p < 0.001) during most part of the study A marked reduction of sulphate content in leaf was found during October when reduction in ambient air sulphur dioxide was recorded.     

Conflicting perspectives of forest management in Bastar, Central India

This article enters the debate on shifting cultivation and tropical forests, and the role of the State forest departments in managing these regions. The article focuses on the adivasi (indigenous) people and their use of forests in the Bastar region of Madhya Pradesh in Central India. It examines the different landscapes, resulting from human interaction, in order to observe the vegetative changes and progressions in their characteristics; in particular, the author challenges the view that adivasi forest use has been detrimental to the ecology of the forest. A botanical comparison is made between three sites that allow us to note specific characteristics of a fallow, a secondary forest and a primary sal (Shorea robusta) forest. The wider aspects of the adivasi manner of forest use are also discussed.
A major portion of the Bastar region is legally under the authority of the Madhya Pradesh State Forest Department. However, the official policies and laws, pertaining to the conservation of forests and the generation of revenue, are often insensitive to the adivasi perceptions and use of the various vegetative zones within the forest. The effect of a standardised form of demarcation, coupled with the State legislation, has overlooked the adivasi people's needs and their ecologically sound way of relating to the forest. The paper concludes with a few recommendations.     

Management of mine spoil for crop productivity with lignite fly ash and biological amendments

Long-term field trials using lignite fly ash (LFA) were carried out in rice crops during the period 1996-2000 at Mine I, Neyveli Lignite Corporation, Tamil Nadu. LFA, being alkaline and endowed with an excellent pozzolanic nature, silt loam texture, and plant nutrients, has the potential to improve the texture, fertility, and crop productivity of mine spoil. The rice crops were the first, third, fifth, and sixth crops in rotation. The other crops, such as green gram (second) and sun hemp (fourth), were grown as green manure. For experimental trials, LFA was applied at various dosages (0, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 t/ha), with and without press mud (10 t/ha), before cultivation of the first crop. Repeat applications of LFA were made at the same dosages in treatments of up to 50 t/ha (with and without press mud) before cultivation of the third and fifth crops. Press mud, a lightweight organic waste product from the sugar industry, was used as an organic amendment and source of plant nutrients. Also, a recommended dosage of chemical fertilizer, along with gypsum, humic acid, and biofertilizer as supplementing agents, was applied in all the treatments, including control. With one-time and repeat applications of LFA, from 5 to 20 t/ha (with and without press mud), the crop yield (grain and straw) increased significantly (p < 0.05), in the range from 3.0 to 42.0% over the corresponding control. The maximum yield was obtained with repeat applications of 20 t/ha of LFA with press mud in the third crop. The press mud enhanced the yield in the range of 1.5-10.2% with various dosages of LFA. The optimum dosage of LFA was 20 t/ha for both one-time and repeat applications. Repeat applications of LFA at lower dosages of up to 20 t/ha were more effective in increasing the yield than the corresponding one-time applications of up to 20 t/ha and repeat applications at 50 t/ha. One-time and repeat applications of LFA of up to 20 t/ha (with and without press mud), apart from increasing the yield, evinced improvement in the texture and fertility of mine spoil and the nutrient content of crop produce. Furthermore, some increase in the content of trace and heavy metals and the level of gamma-emitters in the mine spoil and crop produce was observed, but well within the permissible limits. The residual effect of LFA on succeeding crops was also encouraging in terms of eco-friendliness. Beyond 20 t/ha of LFA, the crop yield decreased significantly (p < 0.05), as a result of the formation of hardpan in the mine spoil and possibly the higher concentration of soluble salts in the LFA. However, the adverse effects of soluble salts were annulled progressively during the cultivation of succeeding crops. A plausible mechanism for the improved fertility of mine spoil and the carryover or uptake of toxic trace and heavy metals and gamma-emitters in mine spoil and crop produce is also discussed.     

Fly-ash induced synthesis of phytochelatins in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) plants

Phytochelatins and related metabolites (cysteine and GSH) were found to be induced in the shoots of two varieties of Cicer arietinum viz., CSG-8962 and C-235 grown under different amendments of fly-ash with garden soil and press mud. Cysteine, GSH, PCs and its speciation were found in higher concentrations in amended fly-ash than in the control 100% soil. Two species of metal binding peptides i.e., PC2 and PC4 were found in both varieties and in amendments, however, their concentration varied depending upon the fly-ash concentrations in both amendments. Further, var. CSG-8962 was found more tolerant than var. C-235 because of higher concentrations of PCs and related metabolites.     

Diversity of gastropods at Pudhumadam coast region and unusual occurrence of Tetraclita rubescens on conus shell

The marine environment is continuously subjected to chemical pollution, which may exert a detrimental effect on aquatic organisms. Biodiversity of marine invertebrates has been proven to be difficult to assess accurately using traditional morphological methods. Major problems include dearth of characters in many taxa. Hence, it is necessary to assess the eco-health of this marine invertebrate using reliable measurements of environmental quality as required in the present study. With the backdrop of information, the Pudhumadam coastal area was surveyed for the diversity of ruined/washed out gastropods species. As a competitor for space with gastropods, these barnacles settle on the conus for its food and habitat. In our study, the occurrence of acorn barnacles was observed on gastropod shells. The pink adult and many white small barnacles were noted on the shells. If these barnacles increase their habitat this may lead to destruction of diversity of gastropods.     

Habitat-associated changes in some metabolic dehydrogenases and proteins of tropical earthworms

Impacts of different habitats on specific activities of LDH, cMDH, mMDH, cytoplasmic and mitochondrial proteins of M. posthuma, P. sansibaricus, L. mauritii were studied. Maximum specific activity of LDH of the earthworm M. posthuma and L. mauritii was observed in garden. In case of P. sansibaricus, maximum LDH specific activity was found in sewage. Minimum specific activity of LDH of the earthworm M. posthuma was found in non-cultivated field. However, P. sansibaricus and L. mauritii exhibited minimum activity in orchard and cultivated pedoecosystem, respectively. The maximum specific activity of cMDH and mMDH in earthworms from sewage and minimum from non-cultivated field (in case of M. posthuma), garden (in P. sansibaricus) and cultivated land (in L. mauritii) may be due to availability of more organic matter and nitrogen content in the former than in the later cases. Variations in specific activities of these metabolic enzymes due to changes in their pedoecological habitats clearly demonstrate the impact of pedoecosystem on respiratory capacity of the earthworms. Earthworms from pedoecosystem richer in organic matter and nitrogen showed elevated levels of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial protein. The changes in enzyme-specific activity and protein profiles were habitat specific.     

Agricultural GHG emission and calorie intake nexus among different socioeconomic households of rural eastern India

A study was conducted to examine the interrelationships among socioeconomic factors, household consumption patterns, calorie intake and greenhouse gas emissions factors in rural eastern India based on household survey data. Findings indicated that higher monthly per capita incomes (12.1–80.1$) were associated with greater average calorie intakes (2021–2525 kcal d^?1). As estimated by the FEEDME model, in total 17.2% of the population was calorie malnourished with a regional disparity of 29.4–18.2% malnourishment. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were calculated only on the basis of crop and livestock production and consumption. Rice accounted for the highest share of total GHG emissions, on average 82.6% on a production basis, which varied from 58.1% to 94.9% in regional basis. Rice contributed the greatest share (~?65% and 66.2%) in terms of both calories and GHG emissions (CO₂ eq y^?1), respectively, on a consumption basis. We conclude that extensive rice farming and increasing animal product consumption are dominant factors in the higher carbon footprint in this region and are likely to further increase with increase in per capita income. This study provides useful information to help for better crop planning and for fine-tuning food access policy, to reduce carbon footprint and calorie malnutrition.

     

Alterations in aerobic and anaerobic dehydrogenases and protein levels of three tropical earthworm species with respect to different seasons

The specific activities of cMDH, mMDH and LDH of earthworms (M. posthuma, P. sansibaricus, L. mauritii) started increasing with the onset of favorable seasonal conditions from July to August. A lower temperature and moisture favor the increase in specific activities of enzymes during post-rainy (September–October) and winter (November–January) seasons. The maximum specific activities of enzymes from December to January indicate greater aerobic and anaerobic energy production to cope up with the cold condition. However, the enzyme activities decreased in summer (February–April) with the increase in the ambient temperature. The specific activities were minimum in summer (May–June) as earthworms would be entering quiescent phase to avoid extreme heat and thus showed least energy requirement in this period. Similar seasonal variations were found in the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial proteins. The maximum and minimum seasonal effects were on the epigeic (P. sansibaricus) and endo-anecic (M. posthuma) earthworms, respectively. The differences in the profile of dehydrogenases and proteins may be assigned to the differences in the ecological categories of earthworms.     

Dynamics of traffic noise in a tropical city Varanasi and its abatement through vegetation

Noise level monitoring and its reduction with different width and height of vegetation belt were studied in the Varanasi city. Noise level monitoring of the Varanasi city revealed the fact that area category A (without vegetation) was highly polluted as compare to area category B (with vegetation) having less fluctuation of traffic load. Four plant species Putranjeva roxburghi, Cestrum nocturnum, Hibiscus rosasinensis and Murraya peniculata were tested for noise reduction study at different frequencies. Experiment revealed the fact that H. rosasinensis reduced noise highest at both low and high frequencies (100-500 Hz, 22 dB and 2.5-6.3 KHz 26 dB), followed by M. peniculata (100-500 Hz, 18 dB and 2.5-6.3 KHz 20 dB), P. roxburghi (100-500 Hz 15 dB and 2.5-6.3 KHz 17 dB) and C. nocturnum (100-500 Hz 9 dB and 2.5-6.3 KHz 14 dB). Significance of vegetation belt in noise reduction was established with multiple regression models.