Unrecorded Ethnomedicinal Uses of Biodiversity from Tadgarh-Raoli Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan, India

The World Health Organization(WHO)estimatesthat as manyas80%of the world′s populationrely pri-marily on plant and animal-based medicines.Amongthe252essential chemicals that have been selected bythe World Health Organization,11.1%comefrompla-nts,and8.7%fr…     

Microbial contamination of vegetable crop and soil profile in arid regions under controlled application of domestic wastewater

Increasing lack of potable water in arid countries leads to the use of treated wastewater for crop production. However, the use of inappropriate irrigation practices could result in a serious contamination risk to plants, soils, and groundwater with sewage water. This research was initiated in view to the increasing danger of vegetable crops and groundwater contamination with pathogenic bacteria due to wastewater land application. The research was designed to study: (1) the effect of treated wastewater irrigation on the yield and microbial contamination of the radish plant under field conditions; (2) contamination of the agricultural soil profile with fecal coliform bacteria. Effluent from a domestic wastewater treatment plant (100%) in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia, was diluted to 80% and 40% with the groundwater of the experimental site constituting three different water qualities plus groundwater as control. Radish plant was grown in two consecutive seasons under two drip irrigation systems and four irrigation water qualities. Upon harvesting, plant weight per ha, total bacterial, fecal coliform, fecal streptococci were detected per 100 g of dry matter and compared with the control. The soil profile was also sampled at an equal distance of 3 cm from soil surface for fecal coliform detection. The results indicated that the yield increased significantly under the subsurface irrigation system and the control water quality compared to surface irrigation system and other water qualities. There was a considerable drop in the count of all bacteria species under the subsurface irrigation system compared to surface irrigation. The bacterial count/g of the plant shoot system increased as the percentage of wastewater in the irrigation water increased. Most of the fecal coliform bacteria were deposited in the first few centimeters below the column inlet and the profile exponentially decreased with increasing depth.     

Quantification of diarrhea risk related to wastewater contact in Thailand

Wastewater reuse contributes to closing the nutrient recycling loop as a sustainable way of managing water resources. Bangkok has over a thousand man-made drainage and irrigation canals for such purposes. Its use for agricultural and recreational purposes has a long tradition in rural and peri-urban areas. However, the continuation of these practices is increasingly questioned since potential health risks are an issue if such practices are not appropriately managed. The microbial and chemical quality of canal water has considerably deteriorated over the last decade, mainly because of discharged, untreated domestic and industrial wastewater. It is important to understand the health risks of wastewater reuse and identify risky behaviors from the most highly exposed actors promote the safe use of wastewater. This study assessed diarrhea infection risks caused by the use of and contact with wastewater in Klong Luang municipality, a peri-urban setting in Northern Bangkok, using quantitative microbial risk assessment. Wastewater samples were collected from canals, sewers at household level, and vegetables grown in the canals for consumption. Samples were also collected from irrigation water from the agricultural fields. Two protozoa, Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica, were quantified and analyzed by real-time PCR, exposure assessment was conducted, and finally, the risk of infection due to contact with wastewater in different scenarios was calculated. The results showed that canal water and vegetables were heavily contaminated with G. lamblia and E. histolytica. Infection risk was high in tested scenarios and largely exceeded the acceptable risk given by WHO guidelines.     

Karanja (Milletia pinnata (L.) Panigrahi): a tropical tree with varied applications

Phytochemistry Reviews - Milletia pinnata, popularly known as Karanja, is a perennial tropical tree indigenous to India, South-Eastern Asia, and Australia. This highly favored oilseed plant...     

Tangible evidence of historic Australian indigenous savanna management

Knowledge of historic indigenous management practices in north Australian tropical savannas can benefit contemporary management by providing a long‐term ecological context. This study provides understanding of how indigenous peoples managed their resources during the period of colonization by Europeans. Traditional management practices and resource use were observed by the European explorers and missionaries, anthropologists and ethnographers who followed. The historic record shows that the savannas were managed intensively by indigenous peoples, even during the colonization era. Across the region they used fire throughout the dry seasons, which is recognized by ecologists today. Importantly, and not previously reported in the ecological literature, they constructed water wells that provided them with extended use of country into the dry seasons, built and managed fisheries to enhance and extend their food supplies, and created extensive walking paths. These findings are significant because previous ecological research has assumed implicitly that indigenous people in the region were dependent on natural waters and therefore subject to seasonal availability of water to enable them to penetrate and live in dry country, and has given scant acknowledgement of manipulation of resources. The anthropological studies were compromised by the devastating social disruptions caused by the colonizers (mostly cattle ranchers and miners) and subsequent missionaries and government administrators. Despite these disruptions, the evidence demonstrates continuity of knowledge and management practices in much of the region. This history provides contemporary ecologists and managers with evidence of consistent patterns of resource management from earlier times. The evidence also shows that indigenous people were less at the mercy of the environment than has been assumed previously. The combined evidence suggests that contemporary management should consider that traditional management practices over many thousands of years were active and ubiquitous, and continued into the present era and probably shaped the biota of the region.     

Anthropology and the Politics of Indigeneity

This article is essentially a critical reflection on the transnational concept of Indigeneity, drawing from my long-standing involvement as a scholar-activist with indigenous peoples in Malaysia. With its multiple interpretations, configurations, and local inflections, the concept of Indigeneity has attracted much debate and contestation. It has become a significant political strategy in the counter-hegemonic indigenous social movements against exploitative, oppressive and repressive regimes throughout the world. In some contexts, Indigeneity is complicated by its conflation with racialised identities. While there is an implicit understanding that Indigeneity and marginality are closely linked, this is not always the case for certain claimants of indigenous status. In this article, I address these issues in the context of Malaysia and India, focusing on some of the conundrums and contradictions associated with the transnational concept of Indigeneity. I also reflect on some of my experiences with indigenous peoples in Hawaii and Australia and at international conferences. The article concludes with the viewpoint that anthropology requires continued engagement in a politics of critical solidarity with indigenous peoples, one that focuses on enablement rather than endless deconstruction.     

Paleoequatorial rain forest of western India during the EECO: evidence from Uvaria L. fossil and its geological distribution pattern

During the early Eocene, Rajasthan was positioned near the equator and had a warm and humid tropical climate dominated by tropical rainforests like the present-day equatorial forests of South India. Many of the plants retrieved as fossils from Rajasthan are growing there as refugee. This study further strengthens this view as it reports a new species of Uvaria L. from the early Eocene sediments of Bikaner (Rajasthan) showing its best resemblance with the extant U. zeylanica Deless. ex DC., which is presently growing in the evergreen forests of South India and Sri Lanka. The genus is thought to have originated in Africa, and the present finding gives an idea about its geologic distribution in Asia and Australasia via India relying on ‘stepping stone’ hypothesis during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO) when climatic conditions were favourable for the luxuriant growth of tropical vegetation. A general cooling trend after EECO and change in the configuration of land and sea affected the climate on the regional scale causing total devastation of tropical evergreen forests that existed in western India during the depositional time; this change is ultimately responsible for creating dry and desertic conditions prevailing in the area at present.     

Quantitative determination of guggulsterone in existing natural populations of Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari for identification of germplasm having higher guggulsterone content

Guggulsterone is an aromatic steroidal ketonic compound obtained from vertical rein ducts and canals of bark of Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari (Family - Burseraceae). Owing to its multifarious medicinal and therapeutic values as well as its various other significant bioactivities, guggulsterone has high demand in pharmaceutical, perfumery and incense industries. More and more pharmaceutical and perfumery industries are showing interest in guggulsterone, therefore, there is a need for its quantitative determination in existing natural populations of C. wightii. Identification of elite germplasm having higher guggulsterone content can be multiplied through conventional or biotechnological means. In the present study an effort was made to estimate two isoforms of guggulsterone i.e. E and Z guggulsterone in raw exudates of 75 accessions of C. wightii collected from three states of North-western India viz. Rajasthan (19 districts), Haryana (4 districts) and Gujarat (3 districts). Extracted steroid rich fraction from stem samples was fractionated using reverse-phase preparative High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) coupled with UV/VIS detector operating at wavelength of 250 nm. HPLC analysis of stem samples of wild as well as cultivated plants showed that the concentration of E and Z isomers as well as total guggulsterone was highest in Rajasthan, as compared to Haryana and Gujarat states. Highest concentration of E guggulsterone (487.45 μg/g) and Z guggulsterone (487.68 μg/g) was found in samples collected from Devikot (Jaisalmer) and Palana (Bikaner) respectively, the two hyper-arid regions of Rajasthan, India. Quantitative assay was presented on the basis of calibration curve obtained from a mixture of standard E and Z guggulsterones with different validatory parameters including linearity, selectivity and specificity, accuracy, auto-injector, flow-rate, recoveries, limit of detection and limit of quantification (as per norms of International conference of Hormonization). Present findings revealed the role of environmental factors on biosynthesis of guggulsterone isomers under natural conditions.     

盐渍化灌区土壤盐分的时空变异特征及其与地下水埋深的关系

土壤盐分空间变异特征和地下水埋深状况是指导灌区合理用水和防治土壤盐碱化的重要依据。运用经典统计学和地质统计学方法,结合GIS技术,分析了河套灌区沙壕渠灌域0-20 cm、20-40 cm、40-60 cm土壤EC值的空间变异特征及地下水埋深对土壤盐分分布的影响。结果表明:沙壕渠灌域土壤盐分Cv值在不同灌溉时期和不同土壤深度均大于36%,表现为强变异特征;各灌水时期和不同土壤深度土壤EC值均表现为中等强度的空间自相关性,表层0-20 cm土壤空间自相关程度最高;秋浇前不同层次土壤EC值的空间分布在灌域内从南到北呈增大趋势,秋浇后土壤含盐量的高值区在西北部或东北部;土壤盐分受地下水埋深影响显著,灌域内地下水埋深南深北浅,土壤盐分随地下水埋深的增大而减小,二者之间满足指数关系。因此,应采取合理措施控制地下水埋深,防止区域土壤盐渍化加剧。     

Role of IAA on the mineral composition of maize (Zea mays) crop under various osmotic stressed conditions

Summary Detailed soil survey of some saline-alkali tracts on the right main canal areas of chambal river in Kota/Rajasthan/India was conducted and the experiments were laid on 3 sites having medium to heavy texture and different salinity regimes. The hybrid maize (Ganga-3) seeds were soaked for 24 hours in four concentration solutions (50, 100, 200 and 300 ppm) of Indole-acetic-acid (IAA) and sown in the experimental plots to study the effect on the yields and uptake of nutrients. The results indicated significant improvement in the grain and stalk yield and uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, calcium plus magnesium while significant decrease in the uptake of sodium with the use of IAA especially under saline conditions. Iron, however, also decreased which warrents attention when using this techanique. The study emphasize the use of appropriate hormonal concentration for achieving beneficial results. This paper is part of Ph.D. thesis submitted by senior author to the University of UDAIPUR, Rajasthan/India. This paper is part of Ph.D. thesis submitted by senior author to the University of UDAIPUR, Rajasthan/India.     

Assessment and evaluation of geochemical process in the groundwater of the coastal aquifers

The quality of the groundwater in the study area was evaluated through various water quality indexes for drinking and irrigation purposes. To evaluate the water quality index, 186 groundwater samples were sampled during 2 different seasons, likely pre-monsoon (PRM) and post-monsoon (POM). The collected samples were measured for physical-chemical parameters like pH, EC, TDS, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, HCO₃, PO₄, SO₄, NO₃ and H₄SiO₄. The research findings indicated that groundwater of the study area is approaching an alarming stage of its suitability for drinking purpose because a major percentage (i. e. 56%: PRM, 46%: POM) of samples are within poor category. Thus, the proper management strategy for water resources must be developed and a preventive management practice to address this issue must be implemented. Various water quality parameters such as electrical conductivity (EC), pH, salinity hazard, sodium hazard and permeability indexes (PI) were considered for irrigation water quality evaluation and it is inferred that the groundwater of the study area is suitable for irrigation. The PRM and POM samples with higher Na + and Cl concentrations were identified. The primary source of groundwater contamination is anthropogenic factors like domestic, agriculture effluents and mining activities. However, the groundwater of these regions is also greatly influenced by geogenic factors like weathering, rock-water interaction and precipitation which results in groundwater water level fluctuation. The research findings suggest the groundwater quality of this region is approaching an alarming stage for drinking purposes. Thus, developing a management strategy for drinking water sources and implementing preventive management practices to address this issue becomes imperative.     

River inter linking in India: status,issues, prospects and implications on aquatic ecosystems and freshwater fish diversity

India is a vast country in terms of natural resources and considered one of the mega- biodiversity countries in the world. The freshwater aquatic resources of the different river basins are unevenly distributed in space and time and the country is suffering from the increasing population and shortage of all kind of natural resources like water. To fulfill the water demand and mitigate flood and drought, Indian Government has been planning a huge scheme encompassing the Himalayas and most of India, by linking all major rivers through interlinking canals systems and building several dams. Though the concept of interlinking of rivers is novel and new in India, it had rather initiated long back in other countries of ancient civilization. This is considered as one of the options to remedy spatial mismatch in water availability and demand. To overcome those, National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has taken up massive project and nearly 30 links have been proposed to interlink the major rivers. The Government of India has approved the country’s first river interlinking project on Ken–Betwa and a MOU has been signed among the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and the Union Government. The feasibility report of most of the links have been completed and detailed project reports of Ken–Betwa River link is expected to be finalized soon. Our study indicated presence of rich fish diversity and threatened fishes in river Betwa and improved aquatic environment in river Ken which makes it a high priority area in view of proposed interlinking. The current state of knowledge indicates that large dams, interbasin transfers and water withdrawal from rivers have many negative as well as positive impacts on freshwater aquatic ecosystem. As regards to the impact on fish and aquatic biodiversity, there could be positive as well as negative impacts. The present paper is aimed at explaining and synthesizing the long term plan and its implications, creating baseline database, requirement of appropriate technology, manpower and related issues especially with reference to riverine aquatic ecosystem and conservation of fish biodiversity.     

A Systems Perspective on the Conservation and Erosion of Indigenous Agricultural Knowledge in Central India

Many scholars are concerned that globalization and scientization of local management systems threatens the survival of valuable indigenous knowledge of agriculture and agroforestry. This paper addresses such concerns by drawing on a field study of knowledge about tree and crop cultivation in central India to examine dynamics of knowledge system change. It uses concepts from systems studies, including hierarchy, adaptability, connectedness, and scale, to show how parts of indigenous knowledge systems might be more likely to be lost or preserved under various socio-economic circumstances. It then suggests some concrete lessons for those interested in conserving indigenous knowledge: that knowledge is best conserved in situ; that concepts can be more important to communicate and preserve than mere facts or practices; that researchers might identify those parts of a knowledge system most in need of conservation attention; and that technical innovation might allow local-scale indigenous knowledge to interface more effectively with large-scale global technologies.     

Utilizing livestock waste solids as bioresource for socio-economic sustainability: a report from rural India

This work illustrates the overview of vermitechnology as sustainable socio-economic venture for rural livelihood in some parts of State Rajasthan, India. The northern part of the State Rajasthan is rich in livestock population and animal husbandry is an integral part of rural livelihood. Traditionally, the livestock excreta which are produced in huge quantity either utilized as rural energy resources or manure in agriculture plots. In recent years, people of this region are utilizing livestock excreta as resources for vermicomposting to convert negligible wastes into some value-added products, i.e. vermicompost and earthworm biomass. The end-product not only valuable in terms of eco-sustainability but also appeared as economic venture for rural farmer communities. The overall scenario of vermitechnology in rural Rajasthan, India is presented by analyzing information collected through systematic studies (field observations, data collection form individual farmers, personal interviews etc.)     

Carnivores cross irrigation canals more often through overpasses than through culverts

As rainfall becomes scarcer or more erratic, we rely more on irrigation systems for agricultural and human water provision. Impacts of irrigation canals such as the barrier effect on wildlife movements are poorly documented. Although canal culverts and overpasses can be used by wildlife, little is known about their crossing behavior to guide barrier effect mitigation efforts. Over seven years, we recorded medium-sized carnivore crossings by video-surveillance through 30 culverts and 28 overpasses in a large irrigation project in south-central Portugal. We examined the influence of the structures’ features and landscape context on the likelihood of canal crossing. Culvert crossings were positively influenced by the proportion of nearby montado, a high nature value farming system. Overpass crossings were more likely in areas away from paved roads and with more nearby wetlands. Overpasses increased the crossing rates by about 11% relative to culverts and both were crossed more often in landscapes with evenly distributed land uses. In the project area, 20% of the montado has recently transitioned to irrigated agriculture, and wetlands have increased by 43%. It is therefore plausible that the increase in the crossing rate of overpasses relative to culverts will be accentuated. Our study produced the first evidence of a contrast in crossing rates among irrigation canal crossing structures. We have shown that the landscape can be a driver of animal crossings but irrigation projects can in turn be transformative of the landscape. Broadly, the fact that the deployment of irrigation canals may favor some land uses over others creates a conundrum that needs careful consideration when planning barrier effect mitigation interventions.     

Bioaccumulation and translocation of nine heavy metals by Eichhornia crassipes in Nile Delta,Egypt: perspectives for phytoremediation

Abstract

The current research was carried out to estimate the potential of water hyacinth (WH) for removal of nine heavy metals (HMs) from three irrigation canals in Nile Delta. Sampling was achieved in monospecific and homogeneous WH stands at three irrigation canals in the study area, and WH biomass was sampled at monthly intervals from April 2014 to November 2014 using five randomly distributed quadrats (each 0.5?×?0.5?m) at each canal. All HM concentrations were significantly higher in the roots compared with the other WH organs. The WH was recognized by a bioaccumulation factor >1.0 for all HMs. The WH was recognized by translocation factor <1.0 for all HMs (except Pb). In many cases, the concentrations of the HMs in the different organs of WH were correlated with the same HMs in the water. Such correlations indicate that WH reflects the cumulative influences of environmental pollution from the water, and thereby suggesting its potential use in the bio-monitoring of most examined HMs. In conclusion, WH is a promising macrophyte for remediation of irrigation canals polluted with Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn.     

Electrochemical engineering approach to the irrigation of tooth canals under the influence of a vibrating file

Doubt exists concerning the irrigation of secondary tooth canals when the vibration of a file introduced into the main root canal is superimposed on flow-through irrigation of the main canal. Depending on the type of commercial equipment used, the vibrations of the file are sonic or ultrasonic. We use the methodology of an electrochemical engineering approach in a study of the intensity of the irrigation of the secondary canals under the influence of sonic and ultrasonic vibrations of a file located at various heights in the main canal. The tooth canals are simulated by small electrochemical cells containing electrodes located at the end of cavities simulating the secondary canals. An electrochemical method is used to measure the mass transfer coefficients at these electrodes, a classical method in electrochemical engineering laboratories. The values of the mass transfer coefficients are representative of the importance of the irrigation of the electrodes. Thus they give a quantitative idea of the vibrations on the irrigation of secondary tooth canals. The work demonstrates the usefulness of the electrochemical engineering approach in contributing to the solution of a biomedical problem.     

Ecosystem Perspective of Groundwater Arsenic Contamination in India and Relevance in Policy

Millions of people living in India are at risk by consuming arsenic contaminated groundwater. Several technological solutions have failed to address the problem due to segmental approaches, resulting in human suffering for a period of three decades. The article is based on an analysis of arsenic-related health problems from an ecosystem perspective through a primary survey conducted in five arsenic affected villages in the state of West Bengal and review of existing research and policy documents. Although modern agricultural practices and drinking water policies have resulted in arsenic contamination of groundwater, current mitigation policy is essentially confined to biomedical approaches, which includes potable water supply and medical care. The study also shows that existing disparity, difficulty in coping, inaccessibility to health service and potable water supply and lack of participation in decision making have resulted in more suffering among the poor. On the other hand, spreading of arsenic contamination in the ecosystem remains unabated. Foods grown in the affected area have emerged as additional sources of exposure to humans. There is lack of evidence of any perceivable benefits due to sustainable agriculture, as present nature of agriculture practice is essentially driven by crop yield only. Further research is needed to generate credible evidence of alternative agriculture paradigms that may eventually reduce body burden of arsenic through reduced dependency on groundwater.     

Wild Pigs and Kings Remembered Landscapes in Rajasthan

Based on interviews with elderly persons in rural Rajasthan, in northern India, this essay explores some ways that memories impinge on present and future lives and landscape. Simultaneously it seeks to disclose collaborative research processes through lengthy interview passages. Farmers' memories of wild pigs and local kings are the specific focus: memories remain vivid of the destruction pigs could work on crops, and the rulers who forbid pig killing at the same time exorbitantly taxed the grain pile. Although rapid deforestation has destroyed wild pigs' habitat, and democracy has disempowered former rulers, the politics of ecological deterioration have ongoing consequences.     

Hotspots of biodiversity or homogeneous landscapes? Farm dams as biodiversity reserves in Australia

In many countries the ubiquitous farm dam or pond is an integral component of agricultural landscapes. In Australia there are in excess of half a million farm ponds, used largely for irrigation or for watering stock. In contrast to Europe, these wetlands are being decommissioned in response to the introduction of government policy that regulates water usage from these dams. They are also being in-filled with expanding urbanisation without consideration of their benefits as reservoirs of biodiversity. We compared the diversity of macroinvertebrates in farm dams with nearby stream habitats on a cool temperate tableland in central New South Wales. There was greater diversity in-stream than in the dams; however, dam sites showed a larger mean diversity and total diversity per site than in-stream. Species recorded in-stream were more frequently represented by single individuals while species were recorded more consistently in dams. We also observed that macroinvertebrate assemblages were more similar to those in the same dam in different seasons than to adjacent dams in the same season. Some species recorded had not previously been recorded from farm dams. In contrast to the general consensus that Australian farm dams are homogeneous environments with a range of common widespread species, we showed that they provide a variety of sustainable reservoirs of biodiversity within the landscape. They also have the potential to provide ‘stepping stones’ between undisturbed and modified habitats, in part countering the fragmentation that occurs as a result of agricultural practices.