Investigation of orographic features influencing spatial distribution of rainfall over the Western Ghats of India using satellite data

Using remotely sensed Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B42 rainfall and topographic data from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Digital Elevation Model (DEM), the impact of oroghraphical aspects such as topography, spatial variability of elevation and altitude of apexes are examined to investigate capacious summer monsoon rainfall over the Western Ghats (WG) of India. TRMM 3B42 v7 rainfall data is validated with Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) gridded rainfall data at 0.5 degrees resolution over the WG. The analysis of spatial pattern of monsoon rainfall with orography of the WG ascertains that the grade of orographic precipitation depends mainly on topography of the mountain barrier followed by steepness of windward side slope and altitude of the mountain. Longer and broader, i.e. cascaded topography, elevated summits and gradually increasing slopes impel the enhancement in precipitation. Comparing topography of various states of the WG, it has been observed that windward side of Karnataka receives intense rainfall in the WG during summer monsoon. It has been observed that the rainfall is enhanced before the peak of the mountain and confined up to the height about 800m over the WG. In addition to this, the spatial distribution of heavy and very heavy rainfall events in the last 14 years has also been explored. Heavy and very heavy rain events on this hilly terrain are categorized with a threshold of precipitation (R) in the range 150>R>120mmday(-1) and exceeding 150mmday(-1) using probability distribution of TRMM 3B42 v7 rainfall. The areas which are prone to heavy precipitation are identified. The study would help policy makers to manage the hazard scenario and, to improve weather predictions on mountainous terrain of the WG.

Hydrological importance of sacred forest fragments in Central Western Ghats of India

Sacred groves are patches of forests of special spiritual significance to humans, offering also a diverse range of ecological and environmental services. We have attempted here to understand the local hydrological dynamics of a sacred forest, in terms of the benefits the village community derive, in central Western Ghats region of India. A comparative assessment has been made between two small watersheds in terms of their landscape structure (woody species composition) with soil water properties and availability of water in the respective downstream villages. The result shows that, sacred site with more primeval vegetation has close association with soil moisture in comparison to non-sacred site during dry spell of the year. The higher soil moisture ensures year long availability of water in the downstream village of the sacred site which facilitates farming of commercial crops with higher economic returns to the farmers, unlike the farmers in the other village where they face water crisis during the lean season. The study emphasizes the need for conservation endeavour on sacred groves highlighting its potential for water conservation at local and regional levels.

Systematic status of Fejervarya ((Amphibia, Anura, Dicroglossidae) from South and SE Asia with the description of a new species from the Western Ghats of Peninsular India

We carried out a large-scale phylogenetic analysis of fejervaryan (dicroglossid frogs with `Fejervaryan lines' on the ventral side of the body) frogs, distributed in South and SE Asia, using published and newly generated sequences of unidentified individuals from the northern Western Ghats. The results corroborate the presence of a larger fejervaryan clade with a sister relationship to a clade composed of Sphaerotheca. Two sister clades could be discerned within the lager fejervaryan clade. The unidentified individuals formed a monophyletic group and showed a strong support for a sister relationship with Minervarya sahyadris. The species was found to be highly divergent (16S rRNA-4% and tyr-1%) from its sister lineage Minervarya sahyadris, and the clade composed of these two lineages were found to be deeply nested within the larger clade of Fejervarya. Based on this, the genus Minervarya Dubois, Ohler and Biju, 2001 is synonymized under the genus Fejervarya Bolkay, 1915. The unidentified lineage is recognized, based on phylogenetic position, genetic divergence and morphological divergence, as a distinct species and named here as Fejervarya gomantaki sp. nov. The presence of rictal glands was observed to be a synapomorphic character shared by the nested clade members, Fejervarya sahyadris and Fejervarya gomantaki sp. nov. Based on the presence of rictal gland and small size, Minervarya chilapata, a species from a lowland region in the Eastern Himalayas, is synonymized under Fejervarya and evidence for morphological separation from the new species, Fejervarya gomantaki sp. nov. is provided. For the fejervaryan frogs, currently three generic names (Frost, 2015) are available for the two phylogenetic subclades; the genus Fejervarya Bolkay, 1915 for the species of fejervaryan frogs having distribution in the South East Asia; the genus Zakerana Howlader, 2011 for the species of fejervaryan frogs having distribution in the South Asia and the genus Minervarya Dubois, Ohler and Biju, 2001 nested within the `Zakerana clade'. In the phylogenetic analysis Minervarya sahyadris, the new species described herein as Fejervarya gomantaki sp. nov. are nested within the `Zakerana clade', if the `Zakerana clade' for the fejervaryan frogs having distribution in the South Asia is provided a generic status the nomen `Minervarya' should be considered as per the principle of priority of the ICZN Code. Taking into consideration the overlapping distribution ranges of members of the sister clades within the larger fejervaryan clade and the absence of distinct morphological characteristics, we also synonymize the genus Zakerana Howlader, 2011, a name assigned to one of the sister clades with members predominantly distributed in South Asia, under the genus Fejervarya Bolkay, 1915. We discuss the need for additional sampling to identify additional taxa and determine the geographical ranges of the members of the sister clades within Fejervarya to resolve taxonomy within this group.

Vegetation structure and composition of tropical evergreen and deciduous forests in Uttara Kannada District, Western Ghats under different disturbance regimes

In the present paper, we present the structure and composition of tropical evergreen and deciduous forests in the Western Ghats monitored under a long-term programme involving Indian Institute of Science, Earthwatch and volunteer investigators from HSBC. Currently, there is limited evidence on the status and dynamics of tropical forests in the context of human disturbance and climate change. Observations made in this study show that the `more disturbed' evergreen and one of the deciduous plots have low species diversity compared to the less-disturbed forests. There are also variations in the size class structure in the more and `less disturbed' forests of all the locations. The variation is particularly noticeable in the DBH size class 10 - 15 cm category. When biomass stock estimates are considered, there was no significant difference between evergreen and deciduous forests. The difference in biomass stocks between `less disturbed' and `more disturbed' forests within a forest type is also low. Thus, the biomass and carbon stock has not been impacted despite the dependence of communities on the forests. Periodic and long-term monitoring of the status and dynamics of the forests is necessary in the context of potential increased human pressure and climate change. There is, therefore, a need to inform the communities of the impact of extraction and its effect on regeneration so as to motivate them to adopt what may be termed as ``adaptive resource management'', so as to sustain the flow of forest products.

Influence of the upwelling events on the delta C-13 and delta O-18 of the benthic bivalve shells of the South Western Continental Margin of India

In this study, the influence of the spatial and temporal variability of upwelling intensity and the associated biological productivity observed during different phases of summer monsoon along the southwestern continental margin of India (SWCMI) on the delta C-13 and delta O-18 of the inorganic biogenic carbonate shells was investigated. Multispecies benthic bivalve shells (1-5 mm) separated from ten surface sediment samples of SWCMI (off 12 degrees N, 10 degrees N and 9 degrees N) collected during the onset (OSM) and peak (PSM) phase of the summer monsoon of 2009 were analysed for delta C-13 and delta O-18. Sea surface temperature along the study region indicates prominent upwelling in PSM than in OSM. A comparison of analytical and predicted values for delta O-18 in the bivalve shells confirmed their in situ origin during both the sampling periods. During PSM, the delta C-13 values in the benthic bivalve shells were more depleted in C-13 than during OSM which recorded lower values of delta C-13 in dissolved inorganic carbon of bottom waters expected in the study region in PSM due to the upwelled waters, high surface productivity and the associated high degradation of the organic matter in the subsurface and bottom waters. However, this depletion of delta C-13 was not observed in benthic bivalve shells obtained from 10 degrees N, since it is influenced by high export fluxes of carbon from the Cochin estuary since early monsoon months.

Molecular phylogeny of Glyphochloa (Poaceae, Panicoideae), an endemic grass genus from the Western Ghats, India

The genus Glyphochloa (Poaceae: Panicoideae: Andropogoneae: Rottboellinae) is endemic to peninsular India and is distributed on lateritic plateaus of low and high altitude in and around Western Ghats and the Malabar Coast. The genus presumably originated and diversified in the Western Ghats. Species relationships in the genus Glyphochloa were deduced here based on molecular phylogenies inferred using nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences and plastid intergenic spacer regions (atpB-rbcL, trnT-trnL, trnL-trnF), and new observations were made of spikelet morphology, caryopsis morphology and meiotic chromosome counts. We observed two distinct clades of Glyphochloa s.l. One of these (group I') includes Ophiuros bombaiensis, and is characterized by a single-awned lower glume and a base chromosome number of 6; it grows in low elevation coastal areas. The other clade (group II') has a double-awned lower glume, a base chromosome number of 7, and is restricted to higher elevation lateritic plateaus; G. ratnagirica may belong to the group II clade, or may be a third distinct lineage in the genus. A sister-group relationship between group I and II taxa (with or without G. ratnagirica) is not well supported, although the genus is recovered as monophyletic in shortest trees inferred using ITS or concatenated plastid data. We present a key to species of Glyphochloa and make a new combination for O. bombaiensis.

Report of the 2004 Workshop on In Situ Iron Enrichment Experiments in the Eastern and Western Subarctic Pacific

Foreword 1. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES (pdf, 0.1 Mb) 2. 2004 WORKSHOP SUMMARY (pdf, < 0.1 Mb) 2.1. What have we learned from the enrichment experiments? 2.2 What are the outstanding questions? 2.3 Recommendations for SEEDS-II 3. EXTENDED ABSTRACTS OF THE 2004 WORKSHOP 3.1 Synthesis of the Iron Enrichment Experiments: SEEDS and SERIES (pdf, 0.5 Mb) Iron fertilization experiment in the western subarctic Pacific (SEEDS) by Atsushi Tsuda The response of N and Si to iron enrichment in the Northeast Pacific Ocean: Results from SERIES by David Timothy, C.S. Wong, Yukihiro Nojiri, Frank A. Whitney, W. Keith Johnson and Janet Barwell-Clarke 3.2 Biological and Physiological Responses (pdf, 0.2 Mb) Zooplankton responses during SEEDS by Hiroaki Saito Phytoplankton community response to iron and temperature gradient in the NW and NE subarctic Pacific Ocean by Isao Kudo, Yoshifumi Noiri, Jun Nishioka, Hiroshi Kiyosawa and Atsushi Tsuda SERIES: Copepod grazing on diatoms by Frank A. Whitney, Moira Galbraith, Janet Barwell-Clarke and Akash Sastri The Southern Ocean Iron Enrichment Experiment: The nitrogen uptake response by William P. Cochlan and Raphael M. Kudela 3.3 Biogeochemical Responses (pdf, 0.5 Mb) What have we learned regarding iron biogeochemistry from iron enrichment experiments? by Jun Nishioka, Shigenobu Takeda and W. Keith Johnson Iron dynamics and temporal changes of iron speciation in SERIES by W. Keith Johnson, C.S. Wong, Nes Sutherland and Jun Nishioka Dissolved organic matter dynamics during SEEDS and SERIES experiments by Takeshi Yoshimura and Hiroshi Ogawa Formation of transparent exopolymer particles during the in-situ iron enrichment experiment in the western subarctic Pacific (SEEDS) by Shigenobu Takeda, Neelam Ramaiah, Ken Furuya and Takeshi Yoshimura Atmospheric measurement by Mitsuo Uematsu 3.4 Prediction from Models (pdf, 0.3 Mb) Modelling iron limitation in the North Pacific by Kenneth L. Denman and M. Angelica Peña A proposed model of the SERIES iron fertilization patch by Debby Ianson, Christoph Voelker and Kenneth L. Denman 4. LIST OF PARTICIPANTS FOR THE 2004 WORKSHOP (pdf, < 0.1 Mb) APPENDIX 1 Report of the 2000 Planning Workshop on Designing the Iron Fertilization Experiment in the Subarctic Pacific (pdf, 1 Mb) APPENDIX 2 Terms of Reference for the Advisory Panel on Iron fertilization experiment in the subarctic Pacific Ocean (pdf, < 0.1 Mb) APPENDIX 3 Historical List of Advisory Panel Members on Iron fertilization experiment in the subarctic Pacific Ocean (pdf, < 0.1 Mb) APPENDIX 4 IFEP-AP Annual Reports (pdf, 0.1 Mb) APPENDIX 5 PICES Press Articles (pdf, 0.6 Mb) (194 page document)

Whales, dolphins, and porpoises of the western North Atlantic: a guide to their identification

This is an identification guide for cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises). It was designed to assist laypersons in identifying cetaceans encountered in the western North Atlantic Ocean and was intended for use by ongoing cetacean observer programs. This publication includes sections on identifying cetaceans at sea as well as stranded animals on shore. Species accounts are divided by body size and presence or lack of a dorsal fin. Appendices cover tags used on cetacean species; how to record and report cetacean observations at see and for stranded cetaceans; and a list of contacts for reporting cetacean strandings. (Document pdf contains 183 pages - file takes considerable time to open)

Hydrology of western Collier County, Florida

The U.S. Geological Survey was requested in 1967 to locate areas that would most likely yield the greatest quantities of the best quality water to satisfy the projected municipal needs of western Collier County. The investigation included the following phases: (1) evaluation of existing data; (2) determination of the hydrologic and geologic characteristics of the subsurface materials; (3) collection of miscellaneous discharge data in the inland canal complex and interpretation of the data; and (4) determination of the quality of water. (PDF has 40 pages)

An Integrated Assessment of the Introduction of Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles complex) to the Western Atlantic Ocean.

Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles complex) are venomous coral reef fishes from the Indian and western Pacific oceans that are now found in the western Atlantic Ocean. Adult lionfish have been observed from Miami, Florida to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and juvenile lionfish have been observed off North Carolina, New York, and Bermuda. The large number of adults observed and the occurrence of juveniles indicate that lionfish are established and reproducing along the southeast United States coast. Introductions of marine species occur in many ways. Ballast water discharge, a very common method of introduction for marine invertebrates, is responsible for many freshwater fish introductions. In contrast, most marine fish introductions result from intentional stocking for fishery purposes. Lionfish, however, likely were introduced via unintentional or intentional aquarium releases, and the introduction of lionfish into United States waters should lead to an assessment of the threat posed by the aquarium trade as a vector for fish introductions. Currently, no management actions are being taken to limit the effect of lionfish on the southeast United States continental shelf ecosystem. Further, only limited funds have been made available for research. Nevertheless, the extent of the introduction has been documented and a forecast of the maximum potential spread of lionfish is being developed. Under a scenario of no management actions and limited research, three predictions are made: ● With no action, the lionfish population will continue to grow along the southeast United States shelf. ● Effects on the marine ecosystem of the southeast United States will become more noticeable as the lionfish population grows. ● There will be incidents of lionfish envenomations of divers and/or fishers along the east coast of the United States. Removing lionfish from the southeast United States continental shelf ecosystem would be expensive and likely impossible. A bounty could be established that would encourage the removal of fish and provide specimens for research. However, the bounty would need to be lower than the price of fish in the aquarium trade (~$25-$50 each) to ensure that captured specimens were from the wild. Such a low bounty may not provide enough incentive for capturing lionfish in the wild. Further, such action would only increase the interaction between the public and lionfish, increasing the risk of lionfish envenomations. As the introduction of lionfish is very likely irreversible, future actions should focus on five areas. 1) The population of lionfish should be tracked. 2) Research should be conducted so that scientists can make better predictions regarding the status of the invasion and the effects on native species, ecosystem function, and ecosystem services. 3) Outreach and education efforts must be increased, both specifically toward lionfish and more generally toward the aquarium trade as a method of fish introductions. 4) Additional regulation should be considered to reduce the frequency of marine fish introduction into U.S. waters. However, the issue is more complicated than simply limiting the import of non-native species, and these complexities need to be considered simultaneously. 5) Health care providers along the east coast of the United States need to be notified that a venomous fish is now resident along the southeast United States. The introduction and spread of lionfish illustrates the difficulty inherent in managing introduced species in marine systems. Introduced species often spread via natural mechanisms after the initial introduction. Efforts to control the introduction of marine fish will fail if managers do not consider the natural dispersal of a species following an introduction. Thus, management strategies limiting marine fish introductions need to be applied over the scale of natural ecological dispersal to be effective, pointing to the need for a regional management approach defined by natural processes not by political boundaries. The introduction and success of lionfish along the east coast should change the long-held perception that marine fish invasions are a minimal threat to marine ecosystems. Research is needed to determine the effects of specific invasive fish species in specific ecosystems. More broadly, a cohesive plan is needed to manage, mitigate and minimize the effects of marine invasive fish species on ecosystems that are already compromised by other human activities. Presently, the magnitude of marine fish introductions as a stressor on marine ecosystems cannot be quantified, but can no longer be dismissed as negligible. (PDF contains 31 pages)

Preliminary guide to the identification of the early life history stages of Priacanthid fishes of the Western Central Atlantic

The family Priacanthidae contains four genera and four species that occur in the western central North Atlantic (Starnes, 1988). Pristigenys alta is distributed in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and along the east coast of North America. Although juveniles have been reported from as far north as southern New England waters, adults are not reported north of Cape Hatteras, NC. Priacanthus arenatus is distributed in tropical and tropically influenced areas of the western central North Atlantic in insular and continental shelf waters. Adult P. arenatus are distributed north to North Carolina and Bermuda, juveniles have been collected as far north as Nova Scotia. Cookeolus japonicus and Heteropriacanthus cruentatus are circumglobally distributed species and are both common in insular habitats. In the western central North Atlantic, C. japonicus ranges from New Jersey to Argentina; H. cruentatus from New Jersey and northern Gulf of Mexico to southern Brazil (Starnes, 1988). (PDF contains 6 pages)

Preliminary guide to the identification of the early life history stages of Gerreid fishes of the Western Central Atlantic

The family Gerreidae contains four genera and 13 species that occur in the western central North Atlantic. Adult gerreids are small to medium size fishes that are abundant in coastal waters, bays, and estuaries in tropical and warm temperate regions and sometimes occur in freshwaters. They are generally associate~ with grassy or open bottoms, but not with reefs. Gerreids are silvery fishes, with deeply forked tails, and extremely protrusible mouth that points downward when protracted. They apparently feed on bottom-dwelling organisms and at least one species (Eucinostomus gula) shows a distinct transition, during the juvenile period, from a planktivore (exclusively copepods) to a carnivore that includes a diet of almost solely polychaetes (Carr & Adams, 1973; Robins and Ray, 1987; Murdy et al., 1997). (PDF contains 10 pages)

Stock assessment of loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles and An assessment of the impact of the pelagic longline fishery on the loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles of the Western North Atlantic

On September 7, 2000 the National Marine Fisheries Service announced that it was reinitiating consultation under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act on pelagic fisheries for swordfish, sharks, tunas, and billfish. 1 Bycatch of a protected sea turtle species is considered a take under the Endangered Species Act (PL93-205). On June 30, 2000 NMFS completed a Biological Opinion on an amendment to the Highly Migratory Pelagic Fisheries Management Plan that concluded that the continued operation of the pelagic longline fishery was likely to jeopardize the continued existence of loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles.2 Since that Biological Opinion was issued NMFS concluded that further analyses of observer data and additional population modeling of loggerhead sea turtles was needed to determine more precisely the impact of the pelagic longline fishery on turtles. 3,4 Hence, the reinitiation of consultation. The documents that follow constitute the scientific review and synthesis of information pertaining to the narrowly defined reinitiation of consultation: the impact of the pelagic longline fishery on loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles The document is in 3 parts, plus 5 appendices. Part I is a stock assessment of loggerhead sea turtles of the Western North Atlantic. Part II is a stock assessment of leatherback sea turtles of the Western North Atlantic. Part III is an assessment of the impact of the pelagic longline fishery on loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles of the Western North Atlantic. These documents were prepared by the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center staff and academic colleagues at Duke University and Dalhousie University. Personnel involved from the SEFSC include Joanne Braun-McNeill, Lisa Csuzdi, Craig Brown, Jean Cramer, Sheryan Epperly, Steve Turner, Wendy Teas, Nancy Thompson, Wayne Witzell, Cynthia Yeung, and also Jeff Schmid under contract from the University or Miami. Our academic colleagues, Ransom Myers, Keith Bowen, and Leah Gerber from Dalhousie University and Larry Crowder and Melissa Snover from Duke University, also recipients of a Pew Charitable Trust Grant for a Comprehensive Study of the Ecological Impacts of the Worldwide Pelagic Longline Industry, made significant contributions to the quantitative analyses and we are very grateful for their collaboration. We appreciate the reviews of the stock definition sections on loggerheads and leatherbacks by Brian Bowen, University of Florida, and Peter Dutton, National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center, respectively, and the comments of the NMFS Center of Independent Experts reviewers Robert Mohn, Ian Poiner, and YouGan Wang on the entire document. We also wish to acknowledge all the unpublished data used herein which were contributed by many researchers, especially the coordinators and volunteers of the nesting beach surveys and the sea turtle stranding and salvage network and the contributors to the Cooperative Marine Turtle Tagging Program. (PDF contains 349 pages)