Western Ghats Of Kerala Research Articles

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION OF FOREST FIRE AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN TROPICS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO WESTERN GHATS OF KERALA REGION, INDIA

Management of forest fire is one of the top priority activities of forest departments, both in tropics and temperate regions. Extensive amount and intensive efforts are deployed to combat fire. The results of a case study on forest fire prone mapping conducted at Periyar tiger reserve in Western Ghats of Kerala, India, was highlighted, and based on the study, the implementation of fire management strategies were discussed. The fire risk map was validated with the forest fire inventory points of Forest Survey of India. Forest fire is a frequent occurrence in tropical forests, especially in moist deciduous and dry deciduous regions. Though forest fire management is one of the major activities of forest departments, the forest fire mitigation is not 100% successful. The magnitude of forest fire, its frequency, potential location, etc., can be assessed using Geoinformatics techniques, by giving different weightage status to fire controlling factors. A case study was conducted on these lines and control measures were highlighted using different management strategies. The implementation of the desired action plan for sustainable development and conservation of forests can be successful only by getting the full support and confidence of the stakeholders. The stakeholder support for environmental management aspects is possible only by convincing them that they are directly or indirectly getting the benefits by the proposed action. Usually, most of the environmental management activities may lead to nontangible benefits, which is apparently non-visible, hence getting stakeholder support may not be an easy task. Various marketing strategies needs to be used to convince the beneficiaries to implement good conservation practices for the betterment of the local inhabitants.

<I>Odisha bonaccordensis</I> (Orchidaceae), A New Species from Western Ghats of Kerala, India

A new species of Odisha (Orchidaceae), O. bonaccordensis is described from the Western Ghats of Kerala, India in the sub-family Orchidoideae. The article deliberates on the exclusivity of the proposed new species with pertinent material and diagnostics. Also, an illustration and photo plates are presented to depict the morphology of new species.

Fimbristylis sunilii (Cyperaceae): A new species from Southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India

Fimbristylis sunilii, a new species of Cyperaceae, from Western Ghats of Kerala, Southwest India is described and illustrated with photographs. The paper provides distribution and phenology of the new species along with comparison of its allied species.

Species distribution and ecological suitability analysis for potential tick vectors of Kyasanur forest disease in the Western Ghats of Kerala

Kyasanur forest disease (KFD) is a tick-borne zoonotic viral disease with an estimated case fatality rate of 3% to 5% in humans. The KFD virus is transmitted to both humans and animals by infected ticks, primarily the Haemaphysalis species. Our study was undertaken following reports of five confirmed cases and three deaths due to KFD in Malappuram district of Kerala in 2014 to determine the diversity of Ixodidae ticks on vegetation and their possible infection with the KFD virus. Overall, 3502 hard ticks belonging to three genera and eight species were collected from two forest divisions. Haemaphysalis was the predominant tick species (92.72%). Tick positivity for the KFD virus was 4 (5.33%) of 75 pools of ticks tested. Kyasanur forest disease viral RNA was detected from the genera Haemaphysalis and Amblyomma. The KFD virus was detected in 2 of 35 pools (5.71%) of Haemaphysalis spinigera, 1 of 30 pools (3.33%) of Haemaphysalis turturis, and 1 of 3 pools (3.33%) of Amblyomma integrum from the south forest division. The ticks reached their peak density between December and February and then decreased from the end of May. The temperature in the area ranges from 28°C to 30°C, which is suitable for tick survival.

A new species of Parasopubia (Orobanchaceae) from the southern Western Ghats, India

Parasopubia raghavendrae, a new species of Orobanchaceae is described from the southern Western Ghats of Kerala. It resembles P. delphinifolia and P. hofmannii var. hofmannii by its habit, shape, colour and hairiness of corolla lobes but differs by length of calyx tube, hairiness of staminal filaments and stomium, and shape and ornamentation of seeds. Parasopubia raghavendrae is hitherto known only from the type locality Mathikettan Shola National Park in Idukki district, Kerala. Detailed description of the new species along with colour photographs and comparison with its closely similar species are given. We also assessed provisionally the conservation status of the new species as Critically Endangered (CR) according to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

Bryocrumia Malabarica Spec. Nova (Bryophyta, Hypnaceae), A Second Species of the Genus from the Western Ghats of India

A new species similar to Bryocrumia vivicolor, the only known species in the genus Bryocrumia, is described as Bryocrumia malabarica spec. nova from the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghats of Kerala in Peninsular India. It resembles Homalia in external appearance and was collected in a rheophytic habitat along a stream channel in the evergreen forest. The new species is characterised by closely arranged leaves with distinct tricostate, ovate-rounded to truncate leaves, upper margin of leaf rounded with fine serrations and an inconspicuous central strand in stem cross section.

Anticancer potential of rhizome extract and a labdane diterpenoid from Curcuma mutabilis plant endemic to Western Ghats of India

Zingiberaceae plants are well known for their use in ethnomedicine. Curcuma mutabilis Škorničk., M. Sabu & Prasanthk., is an endemic Zingiberaceae species from Western Ghats of Kerala, India. Here, we report for the first time, the anticancer potential of petroleum ether extract from C. mutabilis rhizome (CMRP) and a novel labdane diterpenoid, (E)-14, 15-epoxylabda-8(17), 12-dien-16-al (Cm epoxide) isolated from it. CMRP was found to be a mixture of potent bioactive compounds including Cm epoxide. Both the extract and the compound displayed superior antiproliferative activity against several human cancer cell lines, without any display of cytotoxicity towards normal human cells such as peripheral blood derived lymphocytes and erythrocytes. CMRP treatment resulted in phosphatidylserine externalization, increase in the levels of intracellular ROS, Ca2+, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential as well as fragmentation of genomic DNA. Analyses of transcript profiling and immunostained western blots of extract-treated cancer cells confirmed induction of apoptosis by both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. The purified compound, Cm epoxide, was also found to induce apoptosis in many human cancer cell types tested. Both CMRP and the Cm epoxide were found to be pharmacologically safe in terms of acute toxicity assessment using Swiss albino mice model. Further, molecular docking interactions of Cm epoxide with selected proteins involved in cell survival and death were also indicative of its druggability. Overall, our findings reveal that the endemic C. mutabilis rhizome extract and the compound Cm epoxide isolated from it are potential candidates for development of future cancer chemotherapeutics.

The species distribution of ticks & the prevalence of Kyasanur forest disease virus in questing nymphal ticks from Western Ghats of Kerala, South India.

Background & objectives:Kyasanur forest disease (KFD) is a zoonotic tick-borne disease across the Western Ghats of India. With the discovery of a cluster of human KFD cases in the Wayanad district of Kerala, the present study was focused on detecting KFD virus (KFDV) in tick populations. To manage this disease, it is necessary to understand the diversity of the tick species and factors influencing the distribution, abundance and prevalence of infected ticks in Wayanad district.Methods:Surveys were conducted from November 2016 to May 2018 in four forest ranges of Wayanad district. Ticks were collected by the dragging method and were identified to species level and assayed for virus detection using real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results:A total of 25,169 ticks were collected from 64 sites. Of the identified species, Haemaphysalis spinigera was the most abundant (56.64%), followed by H. turturis 9047 (35.94%), H. bispinosa 999 (3.96%), Amblyomma integrum 691 (2.74%), H. kyasanurensis (0.55%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (0.08%), Hyalomma marginatum (0.02%), H. cuspidata (0.01%), R.microplus (0.01%) and Dermacentor auratus (0.003%). The nymphal stage was predominant from December to February having peak activity in January. A total of 572 pools were screened for the presence of KFDV, of which 21 pools were positive. The infection rates in H. spinigera and H. turturis tick were 2.62 and 1.04 per cent, respectively.Interpretation & conclusions:The circulation of KFDV was detected and its correlation with the prevalence in ticks near the fragmented forest and teak plantation areas of Wayanad district. Residents and visitors of these regions may become vulnerable to tick bites and to an increased risk of KFD as the distribution of established, infected tick populations continues to expand.

Wide-nosed pygmy grasshoppers (Cladonotinae: Cladonotini, Xerophyllini) of India and Sri Lanka: catalogue with an identification key and description of a new species of the genus Tettilobus.

Wide nosed pygmy grasshoppers (Tetrigidae: Cladonotinae) are grasshoppers in which the frontal costa bifurcates into strongly divergent facial carinae, between which there is wide scutellum. Altogether seven genera and thirteen species inhabit India and Sri Lanka. Tribe Cladonotini is represented in this region by five genera and nine species (Cladonotus-4 spp., Deltonotus-2 spp., Gignotettix-1 sp., Hancockella-1 sp., and Yunnantettix-1 sp.), while the tribe Xerophyllini by two genera, Tettilobus (3 sp.) and Potua (1 sp.). For this Potua species it is not clear if it belongs to this genus. A simple identification key to Cladonotinae of India and Sri Lanka is provided. New synonyms are: Deltonotus humilis syn. nov., Epitettix tamilus syn. nov. and Potua aptera syn. nov., synonymous with Deltonotus gibbiceps. Deltonotus cristatus should be regarded nomen nudum. A new species, assigned to the genus Tettilobus is described from the Western Ghats of Kerala, Tettilobus trishula Skejo, Bhaskar et Stermšek sp. n. Furthermore, we present the first records of D. subcucullatus from India (Kerala).

Evaluation of radiation dose from radon ingestion and inhalation in groundwater of a small tropical river basin, Kerala, India

ABSTRACT A comprehensive study was conducted to understand the radon (222Rn) distribution and associated radiation doses to the public in a small tropical river basin partly set in the western slope of the Southern Western Ghats of Kerala, India. Radon, though detected in all the 71 monitored wells (0.17–68.3 Bq L–1), exceeded the maximum contamination level (MCL) of 11.1 Bq L–1 for drinking water recommended by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in eight samples from isolated pockets of highland, midland and lowland of the Karamana River Basin (KRB) and found to be well within 100 Bq L–1, the parametric value suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union (EU). The age-wise total annual effective doses (AEDs) of groundwater radon activity ranged from 0.5–208.4 μSv a–1 for infants, 0.4–172.2 for children and 0.5–189.7 μSv a–1 for adults. The results reveal that effective doses due to groundwater radon pose no potential public health risk in the study region. Since there is no previous background information on radon-induced radiation dose in the KRB, this work is a newfangled attempt from a public health point of view.

Runout modeling and calibration of friction parameters of Kurichermala debris flow, India

Debris flows account for a substantial economy and property loss in Western Ghats of Kerala, India, especially during monsoon seasons. Wayanad district is an active erosion zone in the plateau margins of Western Ghats, and there is a remarkable rise in the number of debris flows since 2018, due to very high-intensity rainfalls in this region. This study comprises geotechnical investigation, runout modeling, and calibration of friction parameters of Kurichermala debris flow, one of the devastating debris flow events that happened in Wayanad, during the 2018 monsoon. The detailed investigation and back analysis of such events are substantial in calibrating the flow parameters for the region. These parameters can be used for predicting the flow paths of possible debris flows and quantitative risk assessment in the future. The geotechnical investigation provided vital information regarding the soil type and shear strength parameters of the debris flow and has helped in understanding the flow behavior. A dynamic numerical model, rapid mass movements (RAMMS), was used for the back analysis of the debris flow, using the shape information of the flow. For precise calibration using statistical comparison, an image processing tool has been developed, to compare the structural similarity of simulated results with the original shape of debris flow. The dry-Coulomb friction coefficient (μ) was calibrated as 0.01 and turbulent friction coefficient (ξ) as 100 m/s2 for the event, using Voellmy-Salm rheology. The shape predicted by the model had a similarity index of 0.626 with the actual shape of debris flow. The results were found to be in accordance with the field and geotechnical observations. Hence, the results can be used to predict the shape of possible debris flows in the study area. The study is the first of its kind for the region and has significant influence in risk assessment for this highly susceptible landslide zone.

<p><strong><em>Canscorinella deccanensis</em></strong><strong> (Gentianaceae: Canscorinae), a new species from Maharashtra, India</strong></p>

Members of the family Gentianaceae Jussieu (1789: 141) (Gentianales) are of economic importance and utilized for the several ailments (Bhandari et al. 2006). Thiv and Kadereit (2002) after cladistic analysis of the evolution of anisomorphic androecia in the subtribe Canscorinae proved the monophyly of the Canscora Lamarck (1785: 601). Canscorinella Shahina & Nampy (2014: 219), a recently described genus, based on the isomorphy of the stamens, is represented by only two species in India viz., C. bhatiana (K.S. Prasad & Raveendran 2012: 197) Shahina & Nampy (2014: 219) and C. stricta (Sedgwick 1921: 126) Nampy & Shahina (2014: 221) and so far known only from Western Ghats of Kerala and Karnataka, respectively.

An insight into the skin glands, dermal scales and secretions of the caecilian amphibian Ichthyophis beddomei.

The caecilian amphibians are richly endowed with cutaneous glands, which produce secretory materials that facilitate survival in the hostile subterranean environment. Although India has a fairly abundant distribution of caecilians, there are only very few studies on their skin and secretion. In this background, the skin of Ichthyophis beddomei from the Western Ghats of Kerala, India, was subjected to light and electron microscopic analyses. There are two types of dermal glands, mucous and granular. The mucous gland has a lumen, which is packed with a mucous. The mucous-producing cells are located around the lumen. In the granular gland, a lumen is absent; the bloated secretory cells, filling the gland, are densely packed with granules of different sizes which are elegantly revealed in TEM. There is a lining of myo-epithelial cells in the peripheral regions of the glands. Small flat disk-like dermal scales, dense with squamulae, are embedded in pockets in the dermis, distributed among the cutaneous glands. 1-4 scales of various sizes are present in each scale pocket. Scanning electron microscopic observation of the skin surface revealed numerous glandular openings. The skin gland secretions, exuded through the pores, contain fatty acids, alcohols, steroid, hydrocarbons, terpene, aldehyde and a few unknown compounds.

<p><strong><em>Peucedanum pradeepianum</em></strong><strong> (Apiaceae: Apioideae), a new species from Western Ghats, India</strong></p>

A new species, Peucedanum pradeepianum KMP Kumar, Hareesh & Indu sp. nov. from Western Ghats of Kerala, is described and illustrated. The new species is closely related to P. anamallayense and P. dhana var. dhana, but differs in having deeply serrate leaflets, broadly ovate bract, ovate-lanceolate, acute bracteoles, and 3–4 lateral and 4 commissural vittae.

<p><strong><em>Gentiana sasidharanii </em></strong><strong>(Gentianaceae), a new species from Western Ghats, India</strong></p>

Gentiana sasidharanii, a new species of Gentianaceae, from Western Ghats of Kerala, India, is here described and illustrated. Species distribution, phenology and colour photographs of the new species are provided. A comparative table of the new species with G. kurumba, and a key to allied species are also presented.

Extended distribution of Ficus costata Aiton (Moraceae) in Western Ghats, India

Ficus costata Aiton, hitherto known only from Western Ghats of Kerala and Karnataka, and Nicobar Islands is recorded from Goa thus extending its distributional range. A detailed description, field photographs, anatomy and SEM images of cystoliths and distribution are provided.

A NEW SPECIES OF ERIOCAULON (ERIOCAULACEAE) FROM THE SOUTHERN WESTERN GHATS OF KERALA, INDIA

A new species of Eriocaulon, E. vamanae, is described from the southern Western Ghats of Kerala, India. It resembles Eriocaulon nepalense var. luzulifolium (Mart.) Praj. & J.Parn. but differs in the shape of its involucral bracts and receptacle, the fusion of the sepals in male flowers, the shape and indumentum of the sepals in female flowers, the size and indumentum of the petals in female flowers, and the seed coat appendages. Eriocaulon vamanae is so far known only from the type locality, Meesapulimala in Idukki District, Kerala, and is assessed as ‘Critically Endangered’ according to the IUCN’s Red List Categories and Criteria.

A New subspecies of Momordica sahyadrica (Cucurbitaceae) from southern Western ghats of Kerala, India

A New subspecies of Momordica sahyadrica (Cucurbitaceae) from southern Western ghats of Kerala, India

Note on the Extended Distribution of two Terrestrial Orchids in Kerala

Liparis nervosa (Thunb.) Lindl. and Peristylus richardianus Wight (Orchidaceae) are reported here as additions to the flora of Thiruvananthapuram District, Southern Western Ghats of Kerala. Detailed descriptions along with photographs are provided to ease accurate identification of these species.

Wiesnerella denudata (Mitt.) Steph. (Marchantiales; Marchantiophyta) a rare species in the Western Ghats of India

Wiesnerella denudata (Mitt.) Steph., a complex thalloid liverwort in the family Wiesnerellaceae (Marchantiales), is reported as a new species to Peninsular India from the Anamudi Shola National park in the Western Ghats of Kerala. This species is easily confused with another thalloid liverwort, Dumortiera hirsuta (Sw.) Nees, due to similar morphological characters, especially size of thallus, colour and habit. Wiesnerella denudata is characterised by the presence of elevated air pores which can be seen with the help of a hand lens or even with naked eye, subsessile rotund male receptacle, raised female receptacle with deeply dissected carpocephalum and absence of pseudoperianth. A detailed account of the species along with photographs and SEM images of spores is provided here.