Illegal Lotus Farming Threatens Thamirabarani Wetlands
The Thamirabarani irrigation system, one of Tamil Nadu’s oldest water management networks, supports agriculture, drinking water, fisheries and livelihoods through a vast chain of canals and tanks. While the water resources department (WRD) leases many tanks for fish culture, leaseholders in several locations have illegally begun cultivating lotus for commercial sale, in violation of lease […]
India’s Worsening Fire Seasons
For nearly a century, Uttarakhand’s Van Panchayats have managed community forests, regulating grazing, protecting forest resources and helping prevent fires. For communities that depend on forests for fodder, fuelwood, and water, protecting the landscape has never been solely an environmental concern but a matter of livelihood. A report submitted to the Uttarakhand High Court earlier […]
Environmentalists Call for Protection of Biodiversity-rich Perungulam Tank
Criticising the usage of chemical fertilizer in the waterbodies to boost lotus cultivation, M. Mathivanan, a senior research associate from ATREE, says such practices further deteriorate the water quality. Perungulam tank serves as a major habitat for migratory ducks and the spread of lotus plants across the waterbody has reduced the availability of open-water habitats […]
Retracing Paths: Mapping to rebuild relationships of coexistence
A deep dive into ATREE’s effort that is converging knowledge systems – traditional wisdom, satellite data and state records – to support forest-dwelling communities reclaim rights and their identity
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 […]
