Biodiversity

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Featured Articles
October 17, 2023
Waterways can disrupt riverine ecosystems 
How does barge trafficking/movement affect the ecology and biodiversity of riverine ecosystems? A study explains.
River Hooghly at Kolkata (Image Source: Yercaud-elango via Wikimedia Commons)
May 20, 2023
Seeing the ‘unseen’: a spotlight on lesser known inhabitants of freshwater ecosystems
Freshwater biologists Sameer Padhye and Avinash Vanjare talk about smaller and lesser known animals that live in freshwater ecosystems and the importance of studying them. 
Freshwater ecosystems, under threat (Image Source: Biologia Life Science LLP)
January 25, 2023
Heavy metals poison Veeranam lake in Tamil Nadu
This study found large deposits of heavy metals in the tissues and organs of water birds, crabs and fish inhabiting the lake indicating heavy metal contamination of the lake waters.
A view of the Veeranam lake in Tamil Nadu (Image Source: Giri9703 via Wikimedia Commons)
January 6, 2023
Greater Chennai Corporation to set up 'sponge parks' to prevent street flooding
News this fortnight
Natural spaces such as water bodies and vegetation in cities can act as sponges and absorb rain and prevent flooding (Image Source: IWP Flicker photos)
December 4, 2022
Small scale inland open water fisheries of India
What is the status of inland fisheries in India? Read these situational analysis reports to know about inland fisheries, the life of the fisherfolk, governance and tenure in inland fisheries and threats to the sustainability of inland fisheries.
Fishing in an irrigation canal in Kerala (Image Source: Martin Pilkinton via Wikimedia Commons)
August 2, 2022
Floods in Assam - a boon or a bane for fish diversity?
The frequency and intensity of floods is on the rise in Assam spelling doom for fish biodiversity.
Life during floods in Assam (Image Source: Kausika Bordoloi via Wikimedia Commons)
Budget allocation to Jal Shakti ministry reduced by 9.4 percent
Policy matters this week
Swati Bansal
Posted on 10 Jul, 2019 12:01 PM

Government cuts budget for Jal Shakti Ministry by 9.4 percent; increases funds for rural drinking water mission 
Irrigation well in Randullabad, Maharashtra. Image credit: Manu Moudgil for India Water Portal
Adequate water most important for plant diversity
Study shows how rainfall and temperature affect variety of plants in major bio-geographic zones of India
Monika Kundu Srivastava
India Science Wire
Posted on 09 Jul, 2019 03:58 PM

New Delhi, July 9 (India Science Wire): India has a total geographical area of nearly 329 million hectares. The climate varies from the north to the south and east to west. However, in spite of this diversity, little is known about how climate affects the diversity of plants that grow in a particular area.
Image used for representational purposes only. Image source: India Water Portal on Flickr
Cultivating more millets to make food production climate resilient in India
A study finds that selectively increasing coarse grains/millets in crop production can greatly help in reducing the negative impacts of climate shocks on future food production in India.
K F Davis
Posted on 09 Jul, 2019 02:32 PM

Crop production is highly influenced by the sensitivity of crops to variations in climate and can have major implications for food supply and rural livelihoods. The effects of climate change are increasing in India, where extreme rainfall events have become more frequent and spatially more variable.
A millet crop ready for harvest in rural India (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Go green this Van Mahotsava
The major cause of insufficient forest cover in India seems to be ruthless cutting of trees in the name of urbanization and development.
Anita Sharma
Posted on 08 Jul, 2019 12:44 PM

Van Mahotsava is an annual tree planting festival which was initiated by Shri Kulapati Kanaiyalal Munshi, the Union Minister for Agriculture and Food, Government of India, in 1950 to create awareness about the importance of trees and conservation of forests.
Chilepata core forest area in Buxa, Alipurduar district of West Bengal (Image: Tridib Choudhury, Wikimedia Commons, CC-SA 4.0 International)
Glacier melt threatens water reserves in Satluj basin
A new study finds that 55% of the glaciers in the Satluj basin could disappear by 2050 and 97% by 2090 due to climate change.
Veena Prasad et al
Posted on 08 Jul, 2019 12:28 PM

River Satluj, the powerhouse of the Himalayas
The Sutlej, from Bilaspur (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Economics of land degradation: India’s new environment targets
What are India's plans for managing its natural resources, undertaking sustainable land management and combating droughts?
Arjuna Srinidhi
Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR)
Posted on 28 Jun, 2019 09:38 AM

Managing natural resources, the sustainable way
Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar with representatives of UNCCD, IUCN and other panelists at the June 17th meeting. (Photo: DD News Hindi)
Engage local communities to protect marine life: study
Study shows need for awareness, involvement of local stakeholders to protect marine life
Sunderarajan Padmanabhan
India Science Wire
Posted on 25 Jun, 2019 12:00 AM

New Delhi, June 25 (India Science Wire): A new study by Wildlife Conservation Society-India has emphasised the need for awareness campaigns, involvement of local stakeholders in decision-making and empowerment of authorities to help promote protection of marine species. 
Gorgonians, one of the highly traded species, which is protected under WLPA (Photo : Vardhan Patankar)
From water to agriculture, well-being and beyond
While WOTR’s work has contributed to improving SDG outcomes, what are the learnings from the efforts made by the organisation to map and identify the pathways that have brought about this change?
Arjuna Srinidhi
Marcella D’Souza
Crispino Lobo
Posted on 17 Jun, 2019 06:20 PM

Sustainable development, still an unfinished agenda
WOTR’s holistic approach integrates environmental, social and development challenges. (Image Source: WOTR)
Surya Ganga: A film review
The film Surya Ganga makes a case for a shift in India’s energy policy towards renewable sources.
Amita Bhaduri
Posted on 14 Jun, 2019 10:42 AM

Surya Ganga, a film directed by Valli Bindana takes an all embracing view of the energy sector, especially the social and environmental consequences of big energy projects in India. The film was released in India recently.
Ganga's riverflow near Dhari Devi temple in Uttarakhand (Image: SuryaGanga Facebook Page)
Climate change real, warns Pangi tribe
The effects of climate change are felt by the indigenous communities residing in the Himalayan region. How are they coping with these changes?
Rajesh Kumar Meena et al
Posted on 13 Jun, 2019 02:14 PM

Mountain ecosystems are highly sensitive due to ecological fragility, geomorphologic instability but are blessed with vast eco biodiversity.
Chandrabhaga river through Pangi valley, Himachal Pradesh (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
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