Andaman Islands Research Articles

Where do the Tropical Owls Roost: Multiscale Habitat Variables Explain Roost Site Selection by Two Sympatric Otus Species in the Andaman Archipelago, India

Understanding the niche differentiation between sympatric species that permit species to coexist and partition resource is the central concept in ecology. In this context, we evaluated the differences in roost site resources between two sympatric Otus species — Andaman Scops-owl Otus balli and Oriental Scops-owl Otus sunia in the Andaman Islands using a multi-scale approach. We measured variables that influence roost site use by owls at three different scales (tree, patch and macro). A total of 38 and 69 independent roost locations of O. balli and O. sunia respectively were recorded. We found that both species showed a high preference for Arecaceae plants at tree scale, possibly for their spiny structures that could offer protection. But both species showed different selection patterns at the patch and macro scales. At the patch scale, O. balli selected roosting sites in patches with relatively mature tree stands (characterised by higher tree height, girth at breast height and canopy cover) with thick understory cover (understory cover, height, and herbaceous elements). In contrast, O. sunia was found to select trees in secondary or highly disturbed forests. Land use and land cover types distinguish both species from their habitat preferences at a macro scale with a very low predicted overlap. The area of potential roost sites is very low for O. balli when compared to O. sunia. Our findings suggest that the two sympatric species' preferences for roost sites are shaped by the characteristics of evergreen forests of the Andaman Islands. Hence, any further changes to this forest type may have adverse effects on the endemic O. balli.

Geospatial Hotspot Analysis and Endemicity Trends of Missing and Unrecovered Children in India.

Children constitute a nation's true asset. A country's future relies upon the proper development of its children, which necessitates a supportive environment and sufficient opportunities. Children, under the age of 18 yearsform a considerable percentage of India's population which imparts a huge responsibility for the nation. Everyday we come across news about a child going missing. The National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) states that 73,138 children were reported missing overall in 2018. The prevalence increased by 8.9% in 2019, a worrisome situation. The cause behind children going missing is multi-dimensional like poverty, unemployment, loss of livelihood, natural calamities, social conflicts, and migration to urban areas. At present, missing children remain a neglected and non-urgent intervention area for everyone. Only the parents whose children are missing can feel the vacuum and sorrow of the situation. The sociologies of India's missing children merit dimensional and circumstantial examination. The sociological space into which a child goes missing is highly under-researched in India. This study helped in understanding the magnitude of missing cases across India based on existing literature and secondary sources. It also identified the potentially safe and worst areas with regard to missing children. The endemicity helped in identifying the changing trends in each of these areas of interest, which could serve as baseline data for policymakers and law enforcement alike. This is a cross-sectional analytical type of study. The data of missingand unrecovered children for the past five years (2021-2017) were obtained from open government data portal (https://data.gov.in) and geospatial hotspot analysis was done using the Getis-Order-G statisticson the same usingGeoPandas and PySAL libraries of python. The endemicity of missing cases was studied using hierarchical cluster analysis and self-organizing maps using Python. For boys,Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh remained consistent hotspots (high risk of missing cases) across all five years of study whereas Karnataka became a hotspot for 2020 and 2021.Among the cold spots (low risk of missing cases), Andaman and Nicobar Islands remained consistent cold spot across all five years of study and has emerged as a safe haven for boys.The missing girls' data reveals that Uttar Pradesh has consistently been the worst state for girls (along with their neighbors) as it possess the risk of girls going missing all through the study period with Chhattisgarh being included from 2019 onwards.Jharkhand, Gujarat, Sikkim, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands have consistently been cold spots across the board and have emerged as areas with low risk for missing girls. This study helps us in understanding the magnitude of missing cases across India and it also identifies which are potentially safe areas as well as worst areas with regard to missing children. The endemicity also helps us in identifying the changing trends in each of these areas of interest. This will serve as a great resource for policy makers and law enforcement alike.

Morindopsis ashihoi (Octotropideae; Rubiaceae), a new species from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Morindopsis ashihoi (Octotropideae; Rubiaceae), a new species from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Ultisols with Unique Soil Properties and their Implications in Carbon Enhancement Strategies for Indian Tropical Soils

Million years old Ultisols, developed as an end stage of advance soil weathering on base-poor rock systems under forest and plantation crops of the Indian sub-continent, are enriched with organic carbon (OC). Despite their remarkable acid chemical reaction, they show an upward increase in extractable bases (EB) and base saturation (BS) in the pedon, and on some occasion BS > 35% in surface horizons. Recent research suggests that the litter falls from forest species provide bases on soil surface, which causes similar depth distribution of EB and BS in Andisols of Nilgiri Hills of humid tropical southern India, developed on pre-weathered lateritic materials consisting primarily of Fe and Al oxides/ hydroxides. Under similar humid tropical (HT) climate in protected rain forest, million years old OC rich soils of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, developed on base-poor rock systems, have similar chemical and clay mineralogical properties of Ultisols except however their EB and BS, which are more than 10% and much above 50%, respectively and therefore, they are acidic Alfisols. Formation of Alfisols on the Island is a unique example on the formidable role of vegetation in soil formation, suggesting that if inland Ultisols are kept under natural protected forest ecosystem, they may phase towards Alfisols thereby facilitating OC sequestration and perform other ecosystem functions. The preservation of natural or semi-natural ecosystems is thus essential to raise the OC stocks of soils, which would help to gain various ecological benefits.

An appraisal on the invasive alien plant species of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India

The invasive alien species of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India have been presented in the paper. A total of 74 species under 58 genera of 29 families have been described in brief.

Burden of undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension and its associated factors among rural populations in South Andaman Islands, India

Background: Elevated BP is an important risk factor of cardiovascular diseases; undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension is a dangerous situation where target organ damage can occur leading morbidity and mortality in apparently healthy individuals. Therefore, with an aim to study the burden of undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension, this study with a cross sectional study design is undertaken in rural areas of South Andaman Islands. Methods: A community based cross sectional study. A total of 405 participants (Men: 175, Women: 230) were involved, mean age 48.36±15.16 years (Men: 50.69±16.01 years, Women: 46.58±14.26 years). Results: 30.4% of the participants reported that they are known hypertensives, and out of them only 63.41% were on regular treatment. 17.8% of the participants were first time diagnosed with hypertension during this study. Overall, 48.1% of participants are having hypertension (known hypertensives±newly diagnosed hypertensives), and only 63.20% of them know their status on hypertension. A large proportion are in Pre-hypertension status (52.04%). Conclusions: Almost half of the population are having burden of hypertension, and nearly 1/3rd of them do not know that they have hypertension; and among those who know the status, only 2/3rd of them are on regular treatment; and a large proportion of population is in pre-hypertension. We need to undertake rigorous efforts to unmask, diagnose and treat hypertension in the community.

Fangs in the Ghats: Preclinical Insights into the Medical Importance of Pit Vipers from the Western Ghats.

The socioeconomic impact of snakebites in India is largely attributed to a subset of snake species commonly known as the 'big four'. However, envenoming by a range of other clinically important yet neglected snakes, a.k.a. the 'neglected many', also adds to this burden. The current approach of treating bites from these snakes with the 'big four' polyvalent antivenom is ineffective. While the medical significance of various species of cobras, saw-scaled vipers, and kraits is well-established, the clinical impact of pit vipers from regions such as the Western Ghats, northeastern India, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands remains poorly understood. Amongst the many species of snakes found in the Western Ghats, the hump-nosed (Hypnale hypnale), Malabar (Craspedocephalus malabaricus), and bamboo (Craspedocephalus gramineus) pit vipers can potentially inflict severe envenoming. To evaluate the severity of toxicity inflicted by these snakes, we characterised their venom composition, biochemical and pharmacological activities, and toxicity- and morbidity-inducing potentials, including their ability to damage kidneys. Our findings highlight the therapeutic inadequacies of the Indian and Sri Lankan polyvalent antivenoms in neutralising the local and systemic toxicity resulting from pit viper envenomings.

Assessing the Impact of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami on South Andaman’s Coastal Shoreline: A Geospatial Analysis of Erosion and Accretion Patterns

The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami significantly impacted the coastal shoreline of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, causing widespread destruction of infrastructure and ecological damage. This study aims to analyze the short- and long-term shoreline changes in South Andaman, focusing on 2004–2005 (pre- and post-tsunami) and 1990–2023 (to assess periodic changes). Using remote sensing techniques and geospatial tools such as the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS), shoreline change rates were calculated in four zones, revealing the extent of the tsunami’s impact. During the pre- and post-tsunami periods, the maximum coastal erosion rate was −410.55 m/year, while the maximum accretion was 359.07 m/year in zone A, the island’s east side. For the 1990–2023 period, the most significant coastal shoreline erosion rate was also recorded in zone A, which was recorded at −2.3 m/year. After analyzing the result, it can be seen that the tsunami severely affected the island’s east side. To validate the coastal shoreline measurements, the root mean square error (RMSE) of Landsat-7 and Google Earth was 18.53 m, enabling comparisons of the accuracy of different models on the same dataset. The results demonstrate the extensive impact of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami on South Andaman’s coastal shoreline and the value of analyzing shoreline changes to understand the short- and long-term consequences of such events on coastal ecosystems. This information can inform conservation efforts, management strategies, and disaster response plans to mitigate future damage and allocate resources more efficiently. By better understanding the impact of tsunamis on coastal shorelines, emergency responders, government agencies, and conservationists can develop more effective strategies to protect these fragile ecosystems and the communities that rely on them.

Duabanga (Lythraceae) from the Oligocene of India and its climatic and phytogeographic significance

Understanding the evolutionary history of biodiversity hotspots has important implications for their future survival. India hosts four biodiversity hotspots: the Western Ghats of South India, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Eastern Himalaya, and the Indo-Myanmar region. Northeast India (NEI) is an important region that hosts 43% of the total plant species occurring in India, of which ∼39% are endemic. This region also acts as a gateway for biotic exchange between India and southeast Asia. The area also receives exceptional rainfall during the pre-monsoon (March to May), in addition to the summer monsoon (June to September) season. In rainforests of NEI, forest-forming plant species make up a large proportion of the biodiversity. Understanding the evolutionary history of rainforests of NEI has implications for the conservation of biodiversity hotspots. Here we report the evergreen rainforest genus Duabanga Buch.-Ham. of the family Lythraceae from the late Oligocene sediments of Assam, NEI. Fossil records of this genus (from south and southeast Asia) suggest its Gondwanan origin, while its modern distribution is dominantly controlled by moisture availability.

Application of RMMF-Based GIS Model for Soil Erosion Assessment in Andaman Ecosystem

Water erosion is one of the major land degradation problems all over the globe, and its accurate quantification in different land use contexts is required in order to propose suitable conservation measures and curtail related hazards. In the Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands, the land use changes due to faster urbanization and deforestation practices have led to accelerated erosion at many points around the inhabited Islands. Moreover, agricultural land uses in the A&N Islands are vulnerable to severe soil erosion, mainly due to cultivation practices along the steep slopes and mono-cropping culture. A study was conducted by establishing runoff plots in areas with different land uses to measure soil and nutrient losses and to estimate soil erosion using a semi-process-based soil erosion model, i.e., Revised Morgan Morgan and Finney (RMMF). The RMMF model was calibrated using primary data from runoff plots for the years 2019–21, validated for the year 2022, and applied in a Geographical Information System (GIS) to estimate soil erosion spatially over the Andaman ecosystem. The RMMF model simulated soil erosion during validation with a coefficient determination (R2) greater than 0.87 as compared to measured soil erosion from the runoff plots. The study revealed that annual N, P, and K losses of 41–81%, 42–95%, and 7–23%, respectively, due to runoff from various land uses. The land use land classification analysis of the Andaman Islands revealed that about 88% of the total geographical area is under the forest and mangrove land uses, which exhibited very slight soil erosion of <5 t/ha. This 88% of forest and mangrove areas requires suitable conservation measures such as afforestation and rehabilitation/restoration of mangroves. Moreover, 6% of cultivated areas need terracing, bunding, intercropping, etc., at the highest priority in order to conserve a sustainable Andaman ecosystem. On average, the annual soil loss from the Andaman Islands is 3.13 t/ha. About 6% of the study area exceeds the soil tolerance limit of 2.5–12.5 t/ha/year, which needs suitable soil and water conservation measures at the lowest priority due to economic implications.

Prediction of 10-Year Cardiovascular Disease Risk Using WHO HEARTS Risk-Based CVD Management Tools (Non-Laboratory-Based) Among Rural Population of South Andaman Islands in India

CVDs are the leading cause of death in the world, and in India. Data related to risk factors of CVDs is showing increase in trends of CVD risk factors in recent years, and same is the trend in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which is still on a higher side, especially in rural areas.

Tropidonotus nicobarensis Sclater, 1891 is a junior synonym of Thamnophis saurita (Linnaeus, 1766) (Squamata: Serpentes: Natricinae).

Tropidonotus nicobarensis Sclater, 1891 is an enigmatic snake currently referred to the natricine genus Hebius Thompson, 1913. No specimens have been recorded since the original discovery of the name-bearing type in the late 19th century, which was allegedly collected on Kamorta Island in India's Nicobar Archipelago. Recently, a second observation of this species was reported from Havelock Island (Swarajdweep) in the nearby Andaman Archipelago. However, the snake in question is clearly conspecific with another natricine, Thamnophis saurita (Linnaeus, 1766), native to eastern North America. This discovery prompted us to examine the type specimen of Tropidonotus nicobarensis, which revealed that it too is conspecific with Thamnophis saurita. The provenance of the Tropidonotus nicobarensis type specimen and the Havelock Island snake are discussed, with the latter likely representing an introduced animal.

A retrospective study of clinical profile and outcome of children admitted with poisoning in tertiary care hospital, Port Blair

Background: Poisoning is one of the most common causes for mortality and morbidity in children. Knowledge about the demographic profile, clinical characteristics and outcome of children hospitalized with poisoning will aid in better case management and optimizing appropriate preventive measures. Methods: A retrospective study of poisoning in children was conducted at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences (ANIIMS), Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, between January 2016 to June 2020. Clinical profile and outcome details were entered in standardized proforma and descriptive analysis was performed. Results: Poisoning accounts for nearly 0.7% of total paediatric admissions. Eighty eight percent of accidental poisoning occurred in children younger than five years of age. Kerosene (50%) and drugs (15%) are the leading causes of poisoning in children. Twenty three percent (23%) of children with Kerosene poisoning had chemical pneumonitis. The average length of hospital stays for children hospitalized for poisoning was 2 days. Conclusions: Children under five years of age are more prone for accidental poisoning. Kerosene is the commonest cause of poisoning in children. This study highlights the importance of creating public awareness about poisoning in children and the need for sensitising parents about the appropriate preventive measures.

The noise profile and hearing impact of commercial fiberglass reinforced plastic speed boats in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Background: Hearing impairment may result from tourism-related vehicle engine noise in Port Blair, Andaman, and Nicobar Islands. Aims and Objectives: Measure noise levels and test commercial fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) speedboat operators for hearing loss. Materials and Methods: Hearing loss and noise impacts were checked in a total of 145 male crew members and workers exposed to commercial FRP-speedboat outboard engine noise. 18–50-year-olds with 1–20 years of experience participated. To detect hearing loss, noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) risk indicators that could appear as a 4 kHz noise notch and the existence of high-frequency sloping hearing loss were detected using pure tone audiometry. The level of noise exposure was measured in conjunction with a questionnaire to assess an individual’s general knowledge of the effects of noise and hearing loss. Results: A 4 kHz noise notch, some high-frequency slope hearing loss, and an overall hearing loss rate of 42.1% were found in 145 participants. Out of these, 15.9% had the most common bilateral notch. Bilateral high-frequency sloping was 10.3%, Unilateral high-frequency sloping was 4.9%, and unilateral 4 kHz notch was 11.0%. According to the questionnaire, research participants are shockingly unaware of noise-induced hearing loss. The FRP Speedboat outboard engine’s measured noise level ranged from 79.7 to 89.4 dB (A). Conclusion: The FRP Speedboat crews were at risk of hearing loss, specifically NIHL with continuous noise exposure. High frequency sloping hearing loss, mild to moderate hearing loss, and a substantial 4 kHz noise notch are found in noise-exposed employees. Awareness is needed to prevent irreversible hearing loss.

Antibacterial and Anti-HIV Metabolites from Marine Streptomyces albus MAB56 Isolated from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.

Marine-derived actinobacteria have tremendous potential to produce novel metabolites with diverse biological activities. The Andaman coast of India has a lot of microbial diversity, but it is still a relatively unknown ecology for isolating novel actinobacteria with beneficial bioactive compounds. We have isolated 568 actinobacterial strains from mangrove rhizosphere sediments and sponge samples. Crude extracts from 75 distinct strains were produced by agar surface fermentation and extracted using ethyl acetate. In the disc diffusion method, 25 actinobacterial strains showed antimicrobial activity; notably, the strain MAB56 demonstrated promising broad-spectrum activity. Strain MAB56 was identified as Streptomyces albus by cultural, microscopic, and molecular methods. Conditions for bioactive metabolites from MAB56 were optimized and produced in a lab-scale fermenter. Three active metabolites (C1, C2, and C3) that showed promising broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity were isolated through HPLC-based purification. Based on the UV, FT-IR, NMR, and LC-MS analysis, the chemical nature of the active compounds was confirmed as 12-methyltetradecanoic acid (C1), palmitic acid (C2), and tridecanoic acid (C3) with molecular formulae C14H28O2, C16H32O2, and C13H26O2, respectively. Interestingly, palmitic acid (C2) also exhibited anti-HIV activity with an IC50 value of < 1µg/ml. Our findings reveal that the actinobacteria from the Andaman marine ecosystems are promising for isolating anti-infective metabolites.

Two new species of Eurydice Leach, 1815 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cirolanidae) from the Andaman Islands, northern Indian Ocean

ABSTRACT Eurydice andamanensis sp. nov. and Eurydice mohani sp. nov. are described from intertidal sandy beaches of South Andaman, Andaman Islands. Eurydice andamanensis sp. nov. can be identified by the posterior margin of pleotelson being one-fourth of the pleotelson in width, weakly convex with 11 plumose marginal setae and 4 robust setae; appendix masculina 0.8 times as long as endopod, projecting slightly beyond endopod distal margin by one-third of its length, distally broad, widely rounded, curved medially and mesial margin with 4 small acute cuticular scales; Eurydice mohani sp. nov. can be identified by the posterior margin of pleotelson with 6 plumose marginal setae, pleotelson without distinct depression on anterodorsal surface; appendix masculina 0.4 times as long as endopod, projecting beyond mid-region of endopod by 0.02 of its length, lateral margin with a sinuate notch and apex is rounded. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:AFF18D66-4CE3-4D73-BAAA-39083D542008

Raising Burden of NCD Risk Factors in Rural and Remote areas of South Andaman Islands in India

Risk factors of Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs) is showing increase in trends in recent years in India, and its burden and associated factors need to be studied in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Change in Clinico-Epidemiological Pattern of Leptospirosis in Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands: A Retrospective Analysis of the Past Decade (2010-2020)

Leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease, is re-emerging with numerous outbreaks in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of the Indian subcontinent

SSR and SNP Marker-Based Investigation of Indian Rice Landraces in Relation to Their Genetic Diversity, Population Structure, and Geographical Isolation

India is blessed with an abundance of diverse rice landraces in its traditional cultivated areas. Two marker systems (simple sequence repeats (SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)) were used to study a set of 298 rice landrace accessions collected from six different regions of India (Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal). Thirty hyper-variable simple sequence repeats (HvSSRs) and 32,782 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used in inferring genetic structure and geographical isolation. Rice landraces from Uttar Pradesh were the most diverse, with a gene diversity value of 0.42 and 0.49 with SSR and SNP markers, respectively. Neighbor-joining trees classified the rice landraces into two major groups with SSR and SNP markers, and complete geographical isolation was observed with SSR markers. Fast STRUCTURE analysis revealed four populations for SSR markers and three populations for SNP markers. The population structure with SSR markers showed that few individuals from Uttarakhand and Andaman and Nicobar Islands were grouped in small clusters. Population structure analysis with SNP markers showed not very distinct region-wise clustering among the rice landraces. Discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) and minimum spanning network (MSN) using SSR markers showed region-wise grouping of landraces with some intermixing, but DAPC and MSN with SNP markers showed very clear region-wise clustering. Genetic differentiation of rice landraces between the regions was significant with both SSR (Fst 0.094–0.487) and SNP markers (Fst 0.047–0.285). A Mantel test revealed a positive correlation between the genetic and geographic distance of rice landraces. The present study concludes that rice landraces investigated in this study were very diverse, and unlinked SSR markers show better geographical isolation than a large set of SNP markers.

First record of three exotic whitefly pests (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Three exotic whitefly pest species, Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin, Aleurothrixus floccosus (Maskell) and A. trachoides (Back) have been recorded for the first time from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Severe infestation of A. floccosus on guava; A. rugioperculatus on coconut and Cinnamomum and A. trachoides on tomato, guava and glory bower was observed. Tomato and glory bower are new host plant records for A. trachoides, and Cinnamomum for A. trachoides. Puparial diagnosis and photographs of habitus are provided to facilitate identification of these species.