Khasi Hills Research Articles

Seismic hazard assessment of the Shillong Plateau, India

The Shillong Plateau is an earthquake-prone region in the northeastern India. Based on regional seismotectonic studies, we present here a deterministic seismic hazard assessment (DSHA) and maps of peak horizontal accelerations (PHA) for three largely populated districts – the East Khasi hills, the Ri-Bhoi, and the West Garo hills – within the Shillong Plateau. The hazard analysis methodology is based on the analysis of 72 earthquake sources (active faults) located within 500 km seismotectonic region around the plateau. Using an average sample log-likelihood approach, suitable ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) are identified. As a variation in hypocentral distances can affect the ranks (or weights) of selected GMPEs, DSHA is performed separately for the three selected districts. Analyses show that the northern part of the East Khasi hills, eastern part of Ri-Bhoi district and the West Garo hills districts exhibit the highest PHA value of 0.46 g at site class A (hard rocks). In addition, response spectra for the Shillong city, Nongpoh, and Tura indicate that the maximum spectral acceleration reaches 0.67 g, 0.77 g, and 0.64 g at 0.1 s, respectively. These assessments indicate that the Barapani, Oldham, and Dauki faults influence significantly the seismic hazard in the studied region.

Assessment of radioactivity concentration of natural radionuclides and radiation index parameters in soil samples of East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, India

The activity concentrations of the natural radionuclides were measured from the soil samples of East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya, India, using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The range of the activity concentrations determined for 40K, 226Ra, and 232Th in Bq/kg was 96.6–518.0, 27.2–122.1, and 39.2–153.4, respectively, and their respective average values were 221.0, 45.9, and 68.7. The range of outdoor annual effective dose was 53.1–209.3 μSv/y, with an average value of 88.2 μSv/y. The values of radium equivalent activity (Raeq) ranged from 96.5 to 265.4 Bq/kg. Values of Raeq from all the sampling locations were less than the recommended limit of 370 Bq/kg set by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development except in one location, Mylliem village. The study reveals that the soil samples from the selected, sampling villages, except Mylliem village, are safe and do not pose any significant radiological threat to population exposure.

Taxonomic And Ecological Studies On The Earthworms (Annelida: Oligochaeta) Of West Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya

The earthworms collected from the West Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya are dealt with in this paper. Besides the taxonomic identification of the earthworms in to 32 species fewer than 12 genera, 4 families and 2 orders, the species have also been assigned in to separate ecological groups. 6 species are epigeic or epi-anecic, 11 species are endogeic, 2 species are endoanecic, 5 species are endo-polyhumic and 1 species is endo-mesohumic. The list also includes 6 endemic species. Amynthas populosus is recorded for the first time from India, while 8 species are reported for the first time from Meghalaya. Out of the 32 species from the District, 31 species are recorded for the first time from West Khasi Hills district.

Phenotypic plasticity and ecology of three species of Podostemaceae Rich. Ex C. Agardh

The members of Podostemaceae, commonly called river-weeds, are with very peculiar vegetative form; revealing many unique morphological, anatomical and ecological characters from other angiosperms. They undergo an annual cycle of colonization, establishment of a canopy of mature plant, and dies back when the water level drops. The annual pattern is dictated by high and low water periods. Physico-chemical analysis showed that the largest population of the species occupied an area of full sunlight. Water samples from the two study sites viz. Janiaw and Umtienger localities, both from East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, India, showing high pH indicated less human activities of different kind. It is also determined that the species inhabits clean rivers, thus, they serve as an indicator of clean water. They occur primarily in low nutrient condition. Further, it was also observed that dissolved oxygen is the most essential factor for successful establishment of these plants, rather than other nutrients and pH. Toxic discharge of effluents from industries and agrochemical residues are serious threat to podostemads that has unique ecological requirement.

The enigmatic Palaeocene-Eocene coralline Distichoplax: Approaching the structural complexities, ecological affinities and extinction hypotheses

Abstract The alluring but scarcely understood Palaeocene-Eocene coralline alga Distichoplax has been examined in detail from multiple carbonate sections outcropping in Mawmluh near Cherrapunji (East Khasi Hills) in Meghalaya, N-E India. Despite having a wide geographical distribution Distichoplax still remains a mysterious taxon with faint knowledge pertaining to its evolution, ecology and causes of ultimate extinction. The commonly known feather-shaped and zipper-shaped cell arrangements need detailed reassessment considering the morphological intraspecific variability. The threefold objective of this paper is to analyse the complex cell/anatomical variations in Distichoplax, provide some insights into its ecological affinity, and most importantly propose hypotheses on the possible causes of its untimely demise in sharp contrast to other coralline algae distinguished by a long evolutionary record continuing to the present-day. The abundance of Distichoplax varies from monodominant assemblages to their co-dominance with geniculate coralline algae, non-geniculate Sporolithon and larger benthic foraminifera (orthophragminids) before facing sharp decline and ultimate extinction. Rare fairly well-preserved uniporate conceptacles and absence of cell fusions link Distichoplax to the subfamily Lithophylloideae of the family Corallinaceae. Very poor incidence of reproductive features, significant blooms of the species during the Thanetian (Late Palaeocene) and its eventual disappearance in the Eocene indicate Distichoplax may have been excessively dependent on vegetative propagation, and perished due to the climate adversities like the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and biotic pressures like the Larger Foraminiferal Turnover (LFT).

Diversity and Ecology of Soil Algae in Broadleaf Sacred Grove and Pine forest in East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya

Diversity and Ecology of Soil Algae in Broadleaf Sacred Grove and Pine forest in East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya

Childhood Cancer Incidence in India Betweem 2012 and 2014: Report of a Population-based Cancer Registry.

To provide an overview of childhood cancer incidence in India between 2012-2014. Secondary data analysis on age-adjusted rates of cancer incidence for children (0-14 years) were collected from the report of the National Cancer Registry Programme in the year 2016. Age-adjusted rates of childhood cancer incidence ranged from 18.5 per million in the state of Nagaland to 235.3 per million in Delhi for boys. The rates were 11.4 per million in East Khasi Hill district and 152.3 per million in Delhi for girls. Leukemia was the most predominant cancer for both boys and girls. Lymphoma was the second most common cancer in boys, and brain tumors in girls. Childhood cancer incidence is increasing in India compared to population-based cancer registry survey of 2009-2011. Cancers are mostly affecting 0-4 years age group, and there is a rising trend of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Vertical structure of orographic precipitating clouds observed over south Asia during summer monsoon season

Orography profoundly influences seasonal rainfall amount in several places in south Asia by affecting rain intensity and duration. One of the fundamental questions concerning orographic rainfall is nature of the associated precipitating clouds in the absence of synoptic forcing. It is believed that these clouds are not very deep, however, there is not much information in the literature on their vertical structure. The present study explores the vertical structure of precipitating clouds associated with orographic features in south Asia using data collected with the precipitation radar on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. Two types of precipitating clouds have been defined based on cloud echo top height, namely, shallow echo-top cloud and medium echo-top cloud. In both, radar reflectivity factor is at least 30 dBZ at 1.5 km altitude, and tops of shallow and medium echo-top clouds lie below 4.5 km and between 4.5 and 8 km, respectively. The Western Ghats contains the highest fraction of the shallow echo-top clouds followed by the adjacent eastern Arabian Sea, while the Khasi Hills in Meghalaya and Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia contain the least fraction of them. Average vertical profiles of shallow echo-top clouds are similar in different mountainous areas while regional differences are observed in the medium echo-top clouds. Below 3 km, precipitation liquid water content in medium echo-top clouds is the highest over the Western Ghats and the eastern Arabian Sea. The average precipitation liquid water content increases by \(0.16\,\hbox { gm m}^{-3}\) for shallow echo-top clouds between 3 and 1.5 km altitude, while the corresponding increase for medium echo-top clouds is in 0.05–0.08 \(\hbox { gm m}^{-3}\) range.

A new species of Thalerosphyrus Eaton 1881 (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae: Ecdyonurinae) from India.

A new species of Thalerosphyrus Eaton 1881 is described based on larvae collected from East Khasi Hills district and East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya. Thalerosphyrus meghalayensis Selvakumar & Chandra n. sp. can be distinguished from other known species of the genus by the following combination of characters: (i) posterolateral expansions of segment VIII always shorter than those of segment VII; (ii) pronotum moderately enlarged laterally; (iii) bristles on the dorsal face of hind femora truncate or round at apex; (iv) hind tibia with a row of thin setae; (v) outer margin of superlinguae evenly covered with long setae ending at apex by minute setae and (vi) posterior margin of tergites with regularly pointed teeth, and numerous microdenticles. A modified larval key is provided for known species of this genus.

Molecular Speciation of Mycobacterial Isolates from Raw Cow Milk Reveals Predominance of Mycobacterium chelonae

Owing to the fact that raw milk intake is still practiced in selected communities globally, milk borne diseases need to be addressed as some mycobacterial species use milk as a ploy for disseminating the disease. An approach was made in the present study for screening the mycobacterial species in raw cow milk. For mycobacterial isolation, a total of 200 milk samples were collected from three districts of Northeast India—Dimapur district of Nagaland, East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts of Meghalaya. Samples were collected by trained personnel and transported in cold chain. Following decontamination, samples were inoculated in both Lowenstein Jensen (LJ)-glycerol and LJ-pyruvate and incubated up to 12 weeks with regular interval check. Colonies were examined for acid-fastness and confirmed by genus-specific hsp65 PCR. Amplicons were sequenced, analyzed in Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) and phylogenetically explored. A total of 22 (11%) isolates were recovered. Sequencing of genus-specific hsp65 gene identified 17 (80.95%) isolates to be Mycobacterium chelonae, 03 (14.28%) as M. lentiflavum, 01 (4.76%) M. peregrinum and 01 (0.5%) as a member of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. The dendrogram presented vivid species distinction as the isolates clustered into their respective phyletic line. Significant isolation of M. chelonae from raw milk in this study is noteworthy as it is an opportunistic human pathogen and one of the most dominant species isolated from human nontuberculous mycobacteria infections.

Palaeochannel-controlled Depositional Features of the Cretaceous Lower Mahadek Uranium Mineralisation in Umthongkut Area, West Khasi Hills, Meghalaya

ABSTRACT Sedimentological studies along Horin nala section of Umthongkut area in the lower Mahadek sediments have enabled the characterization of channel and resulting sandstone body. Nine lithofacies repeat to generate multistoried sandstone bodies deposited in channel belts. Lithofacies types identified were grouped into facies assemblages and into three different architectural elements. Based on the architectural elements the depositional palaeo-environment, resemble multichannel, low sinuosity braided system, considered as the product of the complex evolution of a fluvial fan segment. Palaeo-current data analysis indicates a low sinuosity river system with consistent current directions pointing toward south. The provenance for the sandstone type uranium mineralisation is primarily related to the basement crystalline rocks like granite and granite-gneisses, which apparently supplied the uranium. As the channel fills tend to have more porosity due to difference in the sizes of grains and clasts and with the tendency of concentration of more organic matter along these loci, the interaction of mineralizing fluids along with the reductants caused the precipitation of the uranium.

Effect of traditional management practices on woody species composition and structure in montane subtropical forests of Meghalaya, Northeast India

In Meghalaya, northeast India, the local people have the tradition of managing forest resources since early ages. The management practice varies and there are forests with high degree of protection, where no extraction (sacred forests) is allowed. There are also forests with moderate- level of protection and -extraction (reserved forests) as well as forests with low level of protection and open extraction (village forests). The present study was conducted to understand the impact of this traditional management system on the level of human disturbance, and on community composition and structure of the forests in Khasi hills of Meghalaya. The result revealed that disturbance index was low, whereas species richness, density and basal cover were significantly high in forests with high degree of protection (sacred forest) than those with low protection (reserved and village forest). Majority of endemic and threatened plant species were restricted to sacred forests as compared to the other forest types. Though these practices have ensured the sustainable use of forest resources by the local people but due to increased human- pressure and -disturbances, more effective conservation strategies need to be undertaken. Therefore, providing alternatives for fuel Received: 28 July 2016 Revised: 1 October 2016 Accepted: 15 December 2016 wood to local people, environmental education, encouraging afforestation and developmental activities involving local communities are recommended.

Educational Qualification: A Major Factor That Determines Understanding of Media Content among Rural Masses

Objective: To determine how educational qualification acts as a major factor for the rural masses in understanding and to be able to comprehend the messages and information provided by the Government through various media vehicles while seeking assistances for government schemes and grants to alleviate poverty. Methodology: A descriptive, cross sectional study design, collecting relevant quantitative and qualitative data from the respondents was conducted. A data on retrospective histories and experiences of poverty was captured to link how being literate is important to understand information through media vehicles. Setting: Rural communities of Khasi tribal people in three Blocks of East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya ie,. Mawsynram, Pynursla and Mawryngkneng. Results: Poverty in communication is one of the root causes of economic poverty. One of the major causes of poverty is people not being aware of government schemes and grants. People do not watch, listen or read certain exhibits of the media because they do not understand the language. Conclusion: The rural masses failed to understand that illiteracy is actually a barrier between them and government’s information. They are not able to comprehend the content of such messages nor are they able to follow up to .attain these facilities.

Rediscovery, Distribution and Conservation Implications of Cleyera grandiflora Wall. ex Choisy (Pentaphylacaceae): An Endangered and Endemic Tree Species of Meghalaya, Northeast India

Cleyera grandiflora Wall. ex Choisy (Pentaphylacaceae), an endangered and endemic tree species of Meghalaya was rediscovered after a lapse of 80 years from Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. After critical scrutiny of herbarium and literature, the distribution of the species was found to be restricted to Khasi Hills. A thorough survey reveals the presence of 168 individuals that includes 58 mature (≥5 cm dbh) and 110 young individuals (≤5 cm dbh) from nine populations. Along with the phenological patterns, the population structure, regeneration status and the threats to the species are discussed. Few strategies for the conservation of the species are also suggested.

Filling in the Gaps for Aquatic Ecosystem Conservation – Biomonitoring forBaseline Information and Capacity Building in Meghalaya, India

This paper describes a stream biomonitoring program that builds capacity in undergraduate college students in the field of freshwater ecology and conservation. The program involves sampling of aquatic macroinvertebrates and hydrological parameters in streams of the state of Meghalaya, India. Several colleges from Shillong initiated short-term, one-year and long-term biomonitoring of streams in East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts. Nine stream locations sampled over October-December in 2014 provided a snapshot of physical and biotic conditions, thus enabling the examination of spatial trends in water quality parameters and aquatic biota. A year-long sampling study from 2014-2015 provided a seasonal view of stream parameters at Lwai (clean) and Umkaliar (moderately polluted) streams. Results from both sampling sets suggest that turbidity negatively affected the richness of pollution sensitive taxa. Dissolved Oxygen values were lower in polluted streams and were non-significantly lower in summer than in winter. After an initial training in the field, the sampling was conducted by college students under supervision from their lecturers. Data obtained on macroinvertebrates adds to the sparse information available on stream ecosystems in the biodiversity-rich northeast Indian region. We hope the paper provides a template for monitoring of vital ecosystems in this and similar regions.

Rediscovery of Magnolia rabaniana (Magnoliaceae): A threatened tree species of Meghalaya, northeast India

Magnolia rabaniana (Hook.f. & Th.) D.C.S. Raju & M.P. Nayar, a threatened and endemic tree species of northeast India, has been rediscovered after a lapse of almost 100 years from Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. A total of 65 individuals that includes 38 mature (≥ 5 cm diameter at breast height) and 27 young individuals (≤ 5 cm diameter at breast height) were recorded from five sites. The existing populations of the species are under severe threats due to a number of human disturbances and therefore warrant immediate conservation initiatives.

Health and Communicable Disease in West Khasi Hill District, India

Health and Communicable Disease in West Khasi Hill District, India

About this title ‐ Crustal Evolution of India and Antarctica: The Supercontinent Connection

The Proterozoic aeon involved at least three major continental readjustments. India and Antarctica appear in most models of supercontinent reconstructions, but their relative position has been the subject of debate. High-resolution petrological and geochronological data, especially from the Proterozoic mobile belts, provide the principal means of resolving this issue. The ice-covered nature of Antarctica allows only limited access to the rocks, and then only in coastal tracts, so detailed studies in more accessible Proterozoic terrains in India assume added significance. This volume, a follow-up to the XII International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Science, Goa (a SCAR symposium), provides new data from selected locations in east Antarctica (Enderby Land and Dronning Maud Land) and from India, including the Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt (EGMB), Chota Nagpur Gneissic Complex, the Khasi Hills and the Aravalli–Delhi Mobile Belt. The presented geochronological data, constrained by petrological studies, are expected to provide new insights, especially into the EGMB–east Antarctica connection and the rate of continental readjustments in the post-Rodinia break-up.

Knowledge and attitude of people in Meghalaya toward blood donation

Background: The demand and supply imbalance of safe blood in our country is due to deficit of awareness. Attitude also plays a role but attitude is driven by knowledge. It is important therefore to know the level of knowledge and nature of attitude of the people to understand the demand and supply imbalance of safe blood. Objectives: This study aims in assessing knowledge and attitude of the residents of East Khasi Hills district of the state of Meghalaya toward blood donation. Materials and Methods: It is a descriptive, cross-sectional study that involved 382 participants who were between 18 and 65 years of age and were residents of East Khasi Hills district. A self-administered questionnaire was given to participants selected randomly on a first-come-first-serve basis. Results: Out of 382 participants, 163 (42.7%) were blood donors. Again 163 (42.7%) participants had a knowledge score of 5 out of 5. 48.2% of participants said that the reason for blood donation is to save lives. As for reason for not donating blood, 23.3% said that it is the lack of time. 73% of the non-donors were willing to donate blood when needed in the future. Conclusion: Although knowledge regarding blood donation was sound, the percentage of non-donors is significantly large at 57.3% and 73% of the non-donors were actually willing to donate blood. Most potential donors would donate for replacement only. Motivation is important to convert the replacement donors into regular voluntary blood donors.

Academic adjustment of class IX students in east Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya

Academic adjustment of class IX students in east Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya