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)
Tropical rainforests of the sea, under threat!
The World Ocean Day this year has come with a dire warning, of the threat posed to coral reefs, important for ocean health as well as the livelihoods of millions of people!
Aarti Kelkar Khambete
Posted on 16 Jun, 2021 04:13 PM

Coral reefs are said to be one of the most valuable ecosystems on Earth and harbour a wide range of animals and plant species.
Coral reefs in the Andaman Islands (Image Source: Ritiks via Wikimedia Commons)
Kerala top performer in Niti Aayog's SDG India Index 2020-21
News this fortnight
Swati Bansal
Posted on 10 Jun, 2021 01:19 PM

NITI Aayog releases SDG India Index 2020-21, Kerala top performing state while Mizoram is the top gainer
View of lush green Kerala (Image source: ATREE via India Water Portal Flickr Album)
When the Ganges spews plastic!
Abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear not only forms a large portion of plastic waste that the Ganges pours into the sea, it also poses a major threat to the environment and biodiversity!
Sarah E. Nelms et al
Posted on 04 Jun, 2021 07:59 PM

Rivers, carriers of plastic
Ganga river at Gadmukteshwar (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Fifty million people in Indian cities lack access to safe drinking water
News this week
Aarti Kelkar Khambete
Posted on 12 May, 2021 05:46 PM

Fifty million people in fifteen cities in India have no access to safe, affordable drinking water: UNICEF report
Green panel clears Central Vista project
Policy matters this fortnight
Amita Bhaduri
Posted on 12 May, 2021 12:28 PM

Green panel clears Central Vista projects
Rajpath's Central Vista Avenue project (Image: Students of Master in Sustainable Architecture at Central University of Rajasthan, Counterview)
Mosquito fish – invaders in disguise!
Gambusia or Mosquito fish, inspite of being recognised as highly invasive species, continue to be introduced in freshwater bodies for mosquito control in India. This needs to stop!
Nobin Raja
Gudasalami Raviraja
Posted on 22 Mar, 2021 12:02 PM

Threats to freshwater bodies in India are many and include pollution, flow modification, overexploitation and habitat degradation. Besides these, introduction of invasive alien species is a growing problem in India threatening freshwater biodiversity leading to a decline in native species and compromising the health of freshwater bodies.

What is an invasive species
Gambusia spell doom for freshwater diversity (Image Source: Gambusia affinis, NOZO via Wikimedia Commons)
Online course: A primer on biodiversity and ecology of the freshwater ecosystems of the western ghats
This course organised by the Pune Knowledge Cluster aims to introduce various biological components of the freshwater ecosystems of the Western Ghats from a food chain-based approach.
Posted on 18 Mar, 2021 02:14 PM PKC coursePKC course 1
Dams and distress in the Himalayas!
Hydropower projects and compensatory afforestation plantations are spelling doom for the fragile Himalayan forest ecosystems. Urgent action is the need of the hour!
Manshi Asher
Prakash Bhandari
Posted on 23 Feb, 2021 10:10 PM

Proliferation of hydropower development in the Himalayas is leading to extensive land use changes in the river valleys and threatening the diverse and fragile Himalayan ecosystems leading to deforestation, fragmentation, soil erosion and loss of forest biodiversity. These are a cause for serious concern for local communities, whose lives and livelihoods depend on these forests.
100 MW Tidong-I project, Kinnaur HP (Image Source: Manu Moudgil)
Submit report on the need for clearance of National Waterway-1: NGT to MoEF
Policy matters this week
Swati Bansal
Posted on 23 Dec, 2020 02:17 PM

NGT seeks report on the need for clearance of inland waterway projects in Ganga
Motor-driven ferries at Varanasi (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Women hold the key to dietary diversity
A study finds that women's control over income and better decisionmaking power can go a long way in improving dietary diversity and tackling malnutrition in rural India.
Soumya Gupta
Vidya Vemireddy
Prabhu L. Pingali
Posted on 17 Oct, 2020 04:04 PM

Evidence world over shows that small scale agricultural production does very little to deal with malnutrition and food insecurity among rural poor.
Empowering women to improve nutritional outcomes (Image Source: India Water Portal)
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