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Dr. Priyadarshanan Dharmarajan

Fellow

Education
Research Interests
Experience
Affiliations / Positions / Memberships
Grants / Awards / Honors
Select Publications
Complete Publications
Meetings / Conferences / Symposiums
Others
Contact

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Education

1995 Ph.D. (Entomolgy) University of Calicut, Kerala.
1987. M.Sc.(Zoology) Sree Narayana College, Kollam, Kerala (University of Kerala, Trivandrum).
1985. B. Sc. (Zoology), Sree Narayana College, Kollam, Kerala (University of Kerala, Trivandrum).

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Research Interests

I am basically a Taxonomist and my major interest is to conserve the diversity of insects. Insects comprise at least 85% of biodiversity and play the most important roles in the sustenance of the biosphere. Loss or reduction of any important taxa of the insects can cause a cascade effect on the ecosystem. Any persistent disturbance at the habitat can directly affect the insect populations. But while considering conservation we forget this 85% for convenience. I like to view conservation standing on the side of insects and try to understand the synergetic relationship between insects and ecosystems.Taxonomy and inventorying are the basics to understand biodiversity. Taxonomic database is the core reference system and knowledge base upon which all discussion on conservation rests. Inventories provide baseline information for the assessment of change and data for conserving and managing biodiversity. So I am proud to say, I am a Taxonomist.

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Experience

Work Experience

Research Associate, Project on Studies on the Impact of Habitat Fragmentation on Insect Biodiversity in Tropical Forests at University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore.
Research Associate, Project on Studies on the Impact of Anthropogenic Disturbances on Insect Biodiversity in Tropical Forests at ATREE, Bangalore.
Research Fellow, Studies on the Systematics and Ecology of Fig insects (Hymenoptera : Agaonidae) and Ficus (Moraceae) of Kerala, University of Calicut, Kerala.

Projects

Projects Completed

Studies on the Impact of habitat fragmentation on ants (Hymenoptera:Formicidae) and dung beetles (Coleoptera:Scarabaeidae). (as Research Associate with Dr. K.N. Ganeshaiah and Dr. R. Uma Shaanker.)
Studies on the Impact of anthropogenic disturbances on the diversity of ants (Hymenoptera:Formicidae) and dung beetles (Coleoptera:Scarabaeidae) in tropical forests. (as Research Associate with Dr. K.N. Ganeshaiah and Dr. R. Uma Shaanker.)
Systematics of Dung Beetles of BR Hills Sanctuary
Systematics of Fig Insects (Hymenoptera : Agaonidae) of Kerala
Taxonomy of Ficus (Moraceae) of Kerala.

Projects Ongoing

Effect of landuse change on litter insect community in the Sringeri forests(Financial support for this project comes from a grant made by the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to ATREE-UMASS)
Assessment of biodiversity of lesser-known and functionally important groups in Nagarhole National park: Ants (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) and dung beetles (Coleoptera : Scarabaeidae).(Financial support for this project come from Karnataka Forest Department)

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Complete Publications

Books

Priyadarsanan, D.R, 2000 Fig insects of Kerala , Rec.zool. Surv. India, Occ. Paper No,182 : i -iv,1-175pp (Published: Director, ZSI, Calcutta)

Research Papers

Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan, K.N. Ganeshaiah, R. Uma Shaanker 2001. Impact of human-induced disturbance on the diversity of dung beetles (Coleoptera : Scarabaeidae) and ants (Hymenoptera:Formicidaae). In Tropical Ecosystems: Structure Diversity and Human Welfare. Proceedings of the International conference on Tropical Ecosystems. K.N Ganeshaiah, R. Uma Shaanker and K.S. Bawa (eds) Pub. Oxford-IBH, New Delhi. 2001. pp129-132
Priyadarsanan, D.R. ,1999a A new species of agaonid wasp (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) pollinating Ficus krishnae C. DC (Moraceae) .Journal, Bombay. Nat. Hist. Society. 96(1): 106-110.
Priyadarsanan, D.R. , 1999b Ficus superba (miq) and F. fergusoni (King) Worthington (Moraceae) , two new reports to India. Journal, Bombay. Nat. Hist. Society(in press).
Priyadarsanan, D. R. 1999c A short note on the taxonomical status of Ficus beddomei (King) . Journal, Bombay. Nat. Hist. Society (communicated)
Priyadarsanan, D. R. , Musthak Ali, Uma Shaanker, R. and Ganeshaiah, K.N. 1998 Ants at BR Hills in Biligiri Renganaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary , Natural History, Biodiversity and conservation, ATREE & VGKK, Bangalore p.12
Priyadarsanan, D.R. & U.C. Abdurahiman, 1997a Descriptions of three new species ofPlatyscapa Motscoulsky (Hymenoptera : Chalcidoidea, Agaonidae) from India . Proc. Kon. Ned. Akad. V. Wetensch. 100(1-2), 171-180
Priyadarsanan, D.R. & U.C. Abdurahiman, 1997b Two new species of Agaonidae (Chalcidoidea:Hymenoptera) from Ficus mollis Vahl. (moraceae) . Entomon 22 (3&4): 213-216.
Priyadarsanan, D.R. & U.C. Abdurahiman, 1994a Two new species of fig wasps (Hymenoptera : Agaonidae) from Kerala, India. Entomon 19 (1): 29-33.
Priyadarsanan, D.R. & U.C. Abdurahiman, 1994b Addendum to the paper " Two new species of fig wasps (Hymenoptera : Agaonidae) from Kerala, India" . Entomon. 19(2&3).

Abstracts Published/Presentations

Workshop on "Research Priorities in Tropical Rainforests in India", (27-28 Feb, 2001, Coimbatore) Participated and presented a paper on 'Insect conservation : An introduction"
VIII Annual Conference of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy and the National Seminar on Biodiversity, Conservation and Taxonomy of Tropical Flowering Plants(27-29 Nov, 1998, Calicut) Priyadarsanan, D. R. 1998. Systematics of the Ficus (Moraceae) of Kerala with an entomological perspective.
Sahithya Sameepana Silpasala (a workshop on New approaches to language and literature) (20-24, Jan, 1993, Calicut) Participated as a resource person and delivered a speech on "Bhashayude swadheenam Sasthrathil' (Influence of language on science).
XXII Annual meeting of Ethological Society of India and All India symposium on Ethology and Wildlife (6-8 Dec, Silent Valley , Kerala) Priyadarsanan, D. R. 1993. Male fighting behaviour in Otitesella digitata Westwood (Otitesellinae :Agaonidae)
XX Annual meeting of ¸ Ethological Society of India and Seminar on Animal behaviour, ( 14-16 Oct, 1991, Bangalore) Priyadarsanan, D. R. 1991. Stuedies on pollination ethology in Ficus hispida L. by Ceratosolen marchali Mayr (Agaonidae: Hymenoptera).