Lakshadweep Research Articles

DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION IN INDIA SINCE 1951: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Indian state has no official religion. No religion is granted any particular position under our Constitution. The rights to profess, practise, and promote any religion—or to practise none at all—are guaranteed to all persons and groups under the Constitution. The goal is to examine the demographic shift of Hindus and Muslims in India since 1951. Method and Materials: The data used in this descriptive analysis come from secondary sources. Basic numerical calculations have been carried out here in addition to graphical representations. Result and Discussion: The Muslim community in India made up around 14.23% of the total population as per the 2011 Census. This percentage was far higher than the national average in a number of states, with the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, West Bengal, and undivided Jammu & Kashmir having the greatest concentration. Mathematical calculation proves on the basis of census data that after 237 years or before that, the population of Hindu will be equal to the population of Muslim and Bharat will approach towards Muslim country if it is going as it is and migration of Muslim is not stopped. Findings: In India, Islam is the religion that is expanding quickest. The census-wise percentage curve for Muslims is growing and upward sloping, whereas the curve for Hindus slopes downward. At a specific census, the two curves will intersect, signifying that the number of Hindus and that of Muslims will be equal. Suggestions: Immediately establish a Population Control Bill to limit the number of children per couple to one. Migration of Muslims for permanent settlement in Bharat should be stopped immediately. Conclusion: Encouraging sustainable development necessitates for stabilization of population growth. India's population is still a complicated subject that has to be carefully considered and effectively addressed by policy.

Assessment of heavy metal contamination and trophic status of coral reef sediments of the Lakshadweep Archipelago, Arabian Sea

This study investigated the distribution, contamination status, and ecological implications of heavy metals in the Lakshadweep Archipelago corals and coral reef sediments and the role of labile organic matter on metal accumulation in sediments. Heavy metal concentrations were relatively higher in the inter-tidal sediments than in the lagoon and the corals. The geochemical indices generally indicated the low anthropogenic contribution of heavy metals in sediments, and according to the sediment quality guidelines, there are no adverse effects on the biota. Sedimentary biochemical constituents are dominated by carbohydrates (CHO) followed by Lipids (LPD) and Proteins (PRT), and the low values of PRT: CHO and LPD: CHO ratios indicated aged, refractory organic matter with low nutritional quality. A portion of CHO may be derived from terrestrial sources, and statistical analyses revealed that CHO and LPD are the potential carriers of toxic metals such as Cd, Co and As into the coral reef environment. The biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) showed Cd as a macro concentrator and Zn, Ni, V and As as micro-macro concentrators in Lakshadweep corals.

Successful establishment of a coral nursery for active reef restoration in Kavaratti Island, Lakshadweep archipelago

Successful establishment of a coral nursery for active reef restoration in Kavaratti Island, Lakshadweep archipelago

Do risk-prone behaviours compromise reproduction and increase vulnerability of fish aggregations exposed to fishing?

Human disturbances can prompt natural anti-predator behaviours in animals, affecting how energy is traded off between immediate survival and reproduction. In our study of male squaretail groupers (Plectropomus areolatus) in India's Lakshadweep archipelago, we investigated the impact of fishing pressure on anti-predatory responses and reproductive behaviours by comparing a fished and unfished spawning aggregation site and tracking responses over time at the fished site. Using observational sampling and predator exposure experiments, we analysed fear responses (flight initiation distance, return time), as well as time spent in vigilance, courtship and territorial defence. Unpaired males at fished sites were twice as likely to flee from simulated predators and took longer to return to mating territories. In contrast, paired males at both sites took greater risks during courtship, fleeing later than unpaired males, but returned earlier at the unfished site compared with the fished site. Our findings suggest that high fishing pressure reduces reproductive opportunities by increasing vigilance and compromising territorial defence, potentially affecting mate selection cues. Altered behavioural trade-offs may mitigate short-term capture risk but endanger long-term population survival through altered reproductive investment. Human extractive practices targeting animal reproductive aggregations can have disruptive effects beyond direct removal, influencing animal behaviours crucial for population survival.

Decadal timescale evolution of coral islands: insights from Lakshadweep Archipelago

Low–lying coral islands are susceptible to rising sea levels and climate change, posing risks to island habitability over the next century. The decadal timescale evolution of the islands can provide an understanding of the governing controls of change and island response. This study investigates variations in the shoreline morphology of the Lakshadweep coral islands (Northern Indian Ocean/Arabian Sea) using satellite datasets (2003–2022; CNES/Airbus;0.3m – 0.7m resolution) and sedimentological data. Of the thirty islands (ten inhabited), six islands (Bangaram, Thinnakara, Suheli, Minicoy, Androth and Bitra) have been studied. Most of these islands are less than 1 km2 in size except Androth and Minicoy (>4 km2). While the data is discontinuous for the islands due to cloud obscuring, the shoreline morphology depicts variations for all the islands’ studied, irrespective of habitation and size. Larger islands have undergone consistent erosion since 2007 (total land loss is approximately 3 - 5% cumulatively). Smaller islands have undergone lateral migration, with sediment erosion usually along the southern edge and sediment migration and accumulation northwards, however, overall, their size remains consistently stable. The migration of sediments is observed only from 2007–2017, which coincides with severe El–Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and low amplitude positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) events. Furthermore, sedimentological analysis along Bangaram’s (small island) accreting margin reveals unconsolidated bio-detrital grainstones with predominant sand-sized fractions (2 – 0.25mm). Corals (43%), molluscs (33%), forams (13%), and algae (8%) are the major sediment producers (with 3% unidentified bioclasts). The ongoing climate warming and ocean acidification will influence the carbonate sediment budget in addition to the changing hydrodynamics owing to monsoons, cyclones, and coupled ocean-atmospheric regional phenomenon, altering the sediment production, transport and accumulation on these islands. Furthermore, rising sea levels and consequent erosion by wave action might lead to rapid drowning in the next few centuries. Our study identifies the current status of the island size variability in the Lakshadweep Archipelago and how site-specific and global factors influence them, thus providing insights into assessing the habitability within these low-lying coral islands.

Diversity and distribution of macroalgae in the Androth Island of Lakshadweep Archipelago

Diversity and distribution of macroalgae in the Androth Island of Lakshadweep Archipelago

High-resolution Oxygen and Carbon Isotopic Records of a Modern and a Fossil Coral from the Lakshadweep Archipelago

High-resolution Oxygen and Carbon Isotopic Records of a Modern and a Fossil Coral from the Lakshadweep Archipelago

Resolving fusilier puzzles: The identity of Squamosicaesio marri and Pterocaesio flavifasciata, and a new record of Flavicaesio suevica from the Western Indian Ocean.

A phylogenetic analysis incorporating mitochondrial cox1 gene sequences of members of the family Caesionidae revealed the conspecificity of Pterocaesio flavifasciata and Squamosicaesio marri, which was also supported by the absence of any clear morphological diagnostic characters and meristic counts to separate the two species. Additionally, we provide the first record of the Suez fusilier, Flavicaesio suevica, from outside the Red Sea, based on specimens collected from the Laccadive archipelago, Western Indian Ocean. Together, these results show that the taxonomy, diversity, and distribution of members of the family Caesionidae continue to be poorly known, necessitating a comprehensive range-wide study.

Environmental and ecological risk of microplastics in the surface waters and gastrointestinal tract of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) around the Lakshadweep Islands, India.

The presence of microplastics (MPs) in marine ecosystems is widespread and extensive. They have even reached the deepest parts of the ocean and polar regions. The number of articles on plastic pollution has increased in recent years, but few have investigated the MPs from oceanic islands which are biodiversity hotspots. We investigated the possible microplastic contamination their source and characteristics in surface waters off Kavaratti Island and in the gastrointestinal tract (GT) of skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis collected from Kavaratti Island of the Lakshadweep archipelago. A total of 424 MP particles were isolated from the surface water samples collected from off Kavaratti Island with an average abundance of 5 ± 1nos./L. A total of 117 MPs were recovered from the GT of skipjack tuna from 30 individual fishes. This points to a potential threat of MP contamination in seafood around the world since this species has a high value in local and international markets. Fiber and blue color were the most common microplastic morphotypes and colors encountered, respectively, both from surface water and GT of fish. Smaller MPs (0.01-1mm) made up a greater portion of the recovered materials, and most of them were secondary MPs. Polyethylene and polypropylene were the most abundant polymers found in this study. The Pollution Load Index (1.3 ± 0.21) of the surface water and skipjack tuna (1 ± 0.7) indicates a minor ecological risk for the coral islands, while the Polymer Hazard Index highlights the ecological risk of polymers, even at low MP concentrations. This pioneer study sheds preliminary light on the abundance, properties, and environmental risks of MPs to this highly biodiverse ecosystem.

Occurrence, sources and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the coral reef waters of the Lakshadweep Archipelago, Arabian Sea

The compound effects of anthropogenic disturbances on global and local scales threaten coral reef ecosystems of the Arabian Sea. The impacts of organic pollutants on the coral reefs and associated organisms have received less attention and are consequently less understood. This study examines the background levels, sources, and ecological implications of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the coral reef ecosystems of Lakshadweep Archipelago. Water and particulate matter were collected from four coral Islands (Kavaratti, Agatti, Bangaram and Perumal Par) of Lakshadweep Archipelago during January and December 2022 and analysed for 15 PAHs priority pollutants. The 15 PAHs congeners generally ranged from 2.77 to 250.47 ng/L in the dissolved form and 0.44 to 6469.86 ng/g in the particulate form. A comparison of available data among the coral reef ecosystems worldwide revealed relatively lower PAHs concentrations in the Lakshadweep coral ecosystems. The isomeric ratios of individual PAH congeners and principal component analysis (PCA) indicate mixed sources of PAHs in the water column derived from pyrogenic, low-temperature combustion and petrogenic. The risk quotient (RQ) values in the dissolved form indicate moderate risk to the aquatic organisms, while they indicate moderate to severe risk in the particulate form.

Microstructure and growth rate variability in a giant clam (Tridacna maxima) from the Lakshadweep Archipelago, India: implications for their use as biological monitors to trace extreme weather events

Microstructure and growth rate variability in a giant clam (Tridacna maxima) from the Lakshadweep Archipelago, India: implications for their use as biological monitors to trace extreme weather events

India-China Geopolitical Tensions: Strategic and NationalSecurity Implications with respect to Maldives

The geopolitical landscape of the Indian Ocean is undergoing significant shifts, with thechanging political dynamics in the Maldives, the evolving India-China relationship, and India'sstrategic moves in the Lakshadweep archipelago. This paper examines the intricate interplaybetween domestic politics, regional alliances, and strategic concerns in the Indian Ocean,focusing on the implications for India's national security. The Lakshadweep-Maldives-Chagosarchipelago has historically been strategically important to India, and recent developments,such as the establishment of India’s second naval facility in the Lakshadweep and the politicalshift in the Maldives, have brought this region into the spotlight. The changing India-Chinarelationship, fuelled by China's growing influence in the Maldives and India's historical tieswith the previous Maldivian administration, has raised concerns about the potential creation ofa power vacuum in the Indian Ocean. The Maldivian President's call for the withdrawal ofIndian troops from the country could potentially favour China's influence and jeopardize vitalsea routes, increasing the risks of instability, piracy, terrorism, and other criminal activities.India's proactive diplomacy under its "Neighbourhood First Policy" aims to sustain its imageas a great power while countering China's rise in the region. This research explores therelationship between China and the Maldives, its implications for India, and the patterns ofinvestment by both India and China in the Maldives. The broader implications of the India-China geopolitical conflict on India's national security in international waters are also examined.

New geographical records of 15 reef fish species from Lakshadweep, India

Abstract In the present study, 15 new records from Kavaratti Atoll are added to the ichthyofaunal diversity of the Lakshadweep Archipelago and six to the Indian fish fauna based on underwater photographs and videos. Fishes were recorded from both lagoon and forereef areas off Kavaratti. The new records include Cirripectes auritus (Blackflap blenny), Cirripectes polyzona (Barred blenny), Ecsenius bicolor (Bicolor blenny), Glyptoparus delicatulus (Delicate blenny), Amblyeleotris wheeleri (Gorgeous prawn-goby), Eviota punyit (Punyit dwarfgoby), Eviota cf. teresae (Viridescent dwarfgoby), Cirrhitichthys falco (Dwarf hawkfish), Halichoeres leucoxanthus (Canarytop wrasse), Pseudocheilinus evanidus (Disappearing wrasse), Coris latifasciata (Broad banded wrasse), Pomacentrus xanthocercus (Yellowtail damsel), Plectroglyphidodon luteobrunneus (Indian gregory), Pomacentrus indicus (Indian damsel) and Synodus dermatogenys (Sand lizardfish). Six species, G. delicatulus, E. cf. teresae, E. punyit, P. xanthocercus, P. evanidus and C. latifasciata represent new records for Indian waters. The genus Amblyeleotris is recorded for the first time from Lakshadweep.

Community Alcoholic - A Ticking Bomb

Definition of Alcohol is ethanol specially when considered intoxicating agent in fermented and distilled liquor, a drink having ethanol and a mixture of ethanol and water that is usually 95% ethanol (1). Alcohol is having varying impact on health of people. Short-term effects include motor vehicle accidents, violence, injuries, and risky sexual behavior while long-term effects include carcinoma, liver cirrhosis, gastric ulcer, pancreatitis etc (2). Alcohol consumption is a major Public health Challenge. In India 18.8% males and 1.3% females above age of 15 years were consuming alcohol according to NFHS-5 Survey (3). In India different states are having different age limits for alcohol purchase and consumption. Although legal age for alcohol consumption in India varies from 18-25 years of age. States like Gujarat, Bihar, Nagaland and union territory of Lakshadweep and Manipur has complete ban on sale & purchase of same (4). Although some rules and regulations are there but still many people who are below this age limit they consume it. Alcohol is also one of the habit-forming substances so when control is not there people land up in chronic alcoholism. Reasons for increase in consumption of alcohol is rapid industrialization, nuclear family, staying away from warm family environment, peer pressure, pressure of job and performing well in life, i.e. target setting is there, increase social gatherings and alcohol consumption is considered as symbol of modernization.

Mitochondrial phylogeny of fusilier fishes (family Caesionidae) from the Laccadive archipelago reveals a new species and two new records from the Central Indian Ocean.

Fusiliers of the family Caesionidae comprise a group of Indo-Pacific reef fishes important in the live bait and artisanal fisheries in many parts of its range, particularly in the Indian Ocean region. Using newly generated mitochondrial COI sequences of 10 species of caesionid fishes from the Laccadive archipelago, we carried out a molecular phylogenetic analysis, which has helped improve our understanding of the diversity, distribution, and systematics of this poorly known group of fishes. The two speciose genera within Caesionidae, Caesio and Pterocaesio, were revealed to be paraphyletic, and as a result, four names earlier considered as subgenera within Caesionidae (Flavicaesio, Odontonectes, Pisinnicaesio, and Squamosicaesio) were elevated to the status of distinct genera. We also discovered the presence of a new lineage in the Central Indian Ocean, sister to Caesio caerulaurea and Caesio xanthalytos, but distinct from both in several morphological characters and a genetic distance of between 2% and 3% in the mitochondrial COI gene. We describe this lineage as Caesio idreesi, a new species, with a distribution spanning the Laccadive Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Our genetic data also helped confirm the first confirmed records of two species, Pisinnicaesio digramma and Squamosicaesio randalli, from the Central Indian Ocean, and a new distribution record for C. xanthalytos in the Laccadive Sea. Combined, these results have helped bridge key biodiversity knowledge gaps of the family Caesionidae and form an excellent baseline for further investigations on their taxonomy, systematics, and life history.

The role of the Sunda shelf biogeographic barrier in the cryptic differentiation of Conus litteratus (Gastropoda: Conidae) across the Indo-Pacific region.

Geographical and oceanographic processes have influenced the speciation of marine organisms. Cone snails are marine mollusks that show high levels of endemism and a wide distributional range across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Discontinuities in distributions caused by biogeographic barriers can affect genetic connectivity. Here we analysed the connectivity within Conus litteratus using samples from the Lakshadweep archipelago (Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean) and from the Pacific Ocean. Maximum likelihood analyses based on the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) and on the non-coding 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) genes revealed cryptic diversity within C. literatus occupying distinct oceanographic regions. The intraspecific genetic distances between the two distinct clades of C. literatus from the Arabian Sea and the Pacific Ocean ranged from 7.4% to 7.6% for COI and from 2.4% to 2.8% for 16S rRNA genes, which is larger than the threshold limit for interspecific differentiation. The haplotype network analysis also corroborated the existence of two different lineages within C. litteratus. The detected genetic discontinuities reflect the effect of the Sunda shelf biogeographic barrier on the allopatric divergence of C. litteratus.

Relationship between coral bleaching and large-scale oscillations in the Lakshadweep archipelago

Relationship between coral bleaching and large-scale oscillations in the Lakshadweep archipelago

A new species of spiny eel of the genus Notacanthus Bloch 1788 (Notacanthiformes: Notacanthidae) from the Indian Ocean.

The deep-sea spiny eels of the genus Notacanthus Bloch 1788 are currently represented by six valid species, of which only one, Notacanthus indicus, has been described so far from the Arabian Sea, part of the Western Indian Ocean. This paper reports the discovery of a new species, described herein as Notacanthus laccadiviensis, from the outer reef drop-off, off the Kavaratti Island, Lakshadweep Archipelago, Arabian Sea. The new species differs from its congeners in the shape of the head; morphology of dorsal, pectoral and anal fins; number of gill rakers; number of vertebrae; and body colour, and specifically from N. indicus (the only known congener from the Indian Ocean) in the unusual morphology of the dorsal fin, and number of rays in the dorsal and pectoral fins.

Carbonate budgets in Lakshadweep Archipelago bear the signature of local impacts and global climate disturbances

Predicted sea-level rise and increased storm frequency caused by climate change drastically threaten low-lying inhabited coral atolls. Coral reef frameworks are the atolls’ primary defence from these changes. The growth and integrity of these frameworks is reflected in their carbonate budgets, a dynamic balance between biogenic accretion through coral growth and erosional forces, both of which are affected by factors acting at different spatial scales. We explored how carbonate budgets, estimated using the ReefBudget methodology, vary between three inhabited atolls that face differing anthropogenic stressors in the Lakshadweep Archipelago in the Northern Indian Ocean. We surveyed ten reefs, at two depths each, across the three islands. Overall, net carbonate budgets of reefs across all atolls were below optimal production rates needed to continue protecting shorelines (5 G measured on healthy reefs). This was a result of repeated mass bleaching events as well as local impacts. Carbonate production was influenced by a recent mass bleaching event in 2016 and a cyclone in 2018, and varied between depths and exposures, potentially due to differential recovery and mortality dynamics. Erosional processes were locally mediated with both urchin and parrotfish density showing large differences between islands, possibly linked to nutrient outflow and fishing intensity. We also find that by the year 2100, a large proportion of shallow sites will experience an increase in water depth above half a metre under moderate and high emissions scenarios, but none will breach this threshold under a low emissions scenario. Our results show that patterns of carbonate production were largely mediated by the history of global/regional disturbances, while erosional rates were much more dependent on local factors.

Evidence of Coral Diseases, Phase Shift, and Stressors in the Atolls of Lakshadweep Islands, Arabian Sea—With Geographical Notes on Their Occurrence within the Indian EEZ and Contiguous International Waters

Photographic evidence of some important coral diseases (black band disease, black disease/Terpios hoshinota, white syndrome, pink line syndrome, pink spots, invertebrate galls, skeletal growth anomalies, tissue loss), coral competing sponges, and coral–algal phase shifts (competitive overgrowth of the seaweed Caulerpa spp. over corals and competitive scleractinian interactions such as with Halimeda spp.) have been collected during field observations in a few atolls within the Lakshadweep archipelago, Arabian Sea. Further, earlier reports of similar diseases and other stressors within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and its contiguous international waters, including the reefs of the Maldives and Sri Lanka, are highlighted and their distributional ranges are shown.