Experts Flag Ecological, Privacy Concerns Over Drone Deployment for Wildlife Monitoring
“Relatively few studies have examined how drones affect wildlife behaviour. Available research indicates that the high-pitched sound of drones, which mimics that of bees and wasps, causes annoyance and disrupts these insects’ regular movements. There are instances of them attacking drones,” says Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan
Kingmakers: Meet the Insects that Make India’s Famed Mangoes
Dr. Devy said monoculture farms that prevail in rural areas are more prone to pest attacks, and hence suffer higher pollinator loss as well. However, she also said she sees hope in bee-safe pesticides and in farmers timing their sprays to avoid peak pollinator activity — practices already in use in several western countries.
Two New Microscopic Snail Species Discovered In Meghalaya’s Limestone Caves
Scientists have discovered two new species of microscopic, vividly coloured snails in Meghalaya’s limestone caves, officials said on Wednesday. The finding sheds light on the region’s largely unexplored underground ecosystems, even as experts warn of threats from mining and increasing tourist activity, they said.
Village Documents 600 Species Through a Community-led Survey
Kiraksal, a hilly village in the drought-prone region in Maharashtra, has documented 606 species, including the Indian wolf and striped hyena. The project used camera trap experiments to document wildlife and conducted GIS mapping of five-year data to ascertain land use patterns. Through the support of the gram panchayat and the forest department, this village […]
Two New Species of Cave-Dwelling Micro Snails Uncovered in Meghalaya
Published in the European Journal of Taxonomy, the study by Nipu Kumar Das and Aravind N. A., researchers from ATREE, identifies Georissa meghalayaensis and Acmella bensoni within the Krem Puri and Arwah cave systems of Meghalaya.
Study Finds Urbanisation is Reshaping Frog Communities in the Western Ghats
A new study in Udupi found that urbanisation may be reshaping amphibian communities by filtering out species based on certain functional traits. Species with specialised traits were associated with less-urbanised habitats farther from the city centre, while generalist species with adaptable traits showed greater urban tolerance. Researchers also found that microhabitats may buffer some impacts […]
Red Seaweed Washes Ashore Along Thoothukudi Harbour Beach, Draws Visitors
Large quantities of red seaweed have washed ashore along coastal stretches near Thoothukudi Harbour Beach in recent days, creating a striking natural spectacle that has drawn the attention of tourists and local residents. Marine enthusiasts said the seaweed, which naturally grows in the Gulf of Mannar marine ecosystem, was likely carried to the shoreline by […]
Lake Restoration in Bengaluru: Why Most Fixes Fall Short
Priyanka Jamwal, a senior fellow at the Water and Society Programme for Bengaluru-based nonprofit ATREE, gives an example of her own intervention. Venkateshwara Lake saw fish kills and water-quality complaints. Her team installed two submerged aerators in the lake, spread over 6.8 acres. “We put this aerator in Venkateshwara Lake because of two things. One, […]
An Unregulated Groundwater Economy Drills Into Trouble
“The water supply department is predominantly shaped by civil engineers who approach and remain largely focused on the development, monitoring, and management of surface water resources. There is a need for hydrogeologists who can understand and map aquifers for sustainable monitoring and management of groundwater resources,” says Sachin Tiwale, a fellow at ATREE, who specialises […]
Droughts Can Drive Antibiotic Resistance in Soil Bacteria, Research Finds
“India is vulnerable because it simultaneously faces several challenges relating to increased frequency of droughts, heavy antibiotic use in humans and livestock, wastewater irrigation, dense human-animal-soil interactions, and heavy agricultural dependence,” G. Ravikanth, senior fellow and convenor, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru, said.
