scholarly journals Reproduction and metamorphosis in theMyristicaSwamp tree frog,Mercurana myristicapalustris(Anura: Rhacophoridae)

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5934
Author(s):  
Robin Kurian Abraham ◽  
Jobin Kuruvilla Mathew ◽  
David Valiaparampil Raju ◽  
Ramprasad Rao ◽  
Anil Zachariah
Keyword(s):  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Reproductive Activity ◽  
Tree Frog ◽  
Breeding Mode ◽  
Call Repertoire ◽  
Offspring Generation ◽  
The Western Ghats

The reproductive biology of theMyristicaSwamp tree frog (Mercurana myristicapalustris), a monotypic rhacophorid frog endemic to the foothills of the Western Ghats mountains of India, has remained unknown since the description of the genus and species. We monitored individuals from parental generation amplexus to the completion of offspring generation tadpole metamorphosis. Surprisingly, our observations revealed that this species exhibits many previously unknown characteristics, including the first ever record of the female, and a diverse call repertoire, consisting of five different call types (the functions of which remain incompletely known). We were also able to determine that reproductive activity peaked during the late pre-monsoon season, that males engaged in intraspecific aggressive encounters to occupy and to defend desirable territories, and that oviposition took place in terrestrial nests made by females. Embryonic development in the unattended nest was followed by tadpole development, which concluded within 40 days. The specific breeding mode employed byMercurana, which restricts its range to the endangeredMyristicaswamp ecosystem, likely renders it susceptible to multiple threats, which should be considered jointly in future conservation planning.

Precipitation modes over the Western Ghats orography during the summer monsoon season

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayesh Phadtare ◽  
Jennifer Fletcher ◽  
Andrew Ross ◽  
Andy Turner ◽  
Thorwald Stein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Summer Monsoon ◽  
West Coast ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Radiosonde Data ◽  
Summer Monsoon Season ◽  
The West ◽  
Radiosonde Station ◽  
Westerly Flow ◽  
The Western Ghats

<p>Precipitation distribution around an orographic barrier is controlled by the Froude Number (Fr) of the impinging flow. Fr is essentially a ratio of kinetic energy and stratification of winds around the orography. For Fr > 1 (Fr <1), the flow is unblocked (blocked) and precipitation occurs over the mountain peaks and the lee region (upwind region). While idealized modelling studies have robustly established this relationship, its widespread real-world application is hampered by the dearth of relevant observations. Nevertheless, the data collected in the field campaigns give us an opportunity to explore this relationship and provide a testbed for numerical models. A realistic distribution of precipitation over a mountainous region in these models is necessary for flash-flood and landslide forecasting. The Western Ghats region is a classic example where the orographically induced precipitation leads to floods and landslides during the summer monsoon season. In the recent INCOMPASS field campaign, it was shown that the precipitation over the west coast of India occurred in alternate offshore and onshore phases. The Western Ghats received precipitation predominantly during the onshore phase which was characterized by a stronger westerly flow. Here, using the radiosonde data from a station over the Indian west coast and IMERG precipitation product, we show that climatologically, these phases can be mapped over an Fr-based classification of the monsoonal westerly flow. Classifying the flow as 'High Fr' (Fr >1), 'Moderate Fr' ( 0.5 < Fr ≤ 1) and 'Low Fr' ( Fr ≤ 0.5 ) gives three topographical modes of precipitation -- 'Orographic', 'Coastal' and 'Offshore', respectively.  Moreover, these modes are not sensitive to the choice of radiosonde station over the west coast.</p>

Evidence of new particle formation during post monsoon season over a high-altitude site of the Western Ghats, India

2017 ◽  
Vol 99 (4) ◽  
pp. 652-664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parakkatt Parambil Leena ◽  
Vasudevan Anil Kumar ◽  
Kundan. K. Dani ◽  
Sunil. M. Sombawne ◽  
Palani Murugavel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Particle Formation ◽  
New Particle Formation ◽  
Post Monsoon ◽  
Post Monsoon Season ◽  
The Western Ghats

scholarly journals Dragonflies and Damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of Aryanad Grama Panchayat, Kerala, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 20153-20166
Author(s):  
Reji Chandran ◽  
A. Vivek Chandran
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Southwest Monsoon ◽  
Regional Level ◽  
Southern India ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Small Streams ◽  
Southwest Monsoon Season ◽  
The Western Ghats

A year-long study to document the diversity and seasonality of odonates was conducted at Aryanad Grama Panchayat, Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, southern India. A total of 93 species (56 dragonflies and 37 damselflies) belonging to 12 families were recorded. Twenty-four species of odonates recorded are endemic to the Western Ghats, three to peninsular India and one to India. Small streams showed the highest species richness, hosting 69 species and ponds the lowest with 59 species. Species richness showed a peak during the southwest monsoon season and a dip in winter. The study highlights the importance of biodiversity documentation at regional level. 

Vegetation and gap dynamics of a tropical wet evergreen forest in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India

1994 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 337-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. M. Chandrashekara ◽  
P. S. Ramakrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Canopy Gap ◽  
Evergreen Forest ◽  
Gap Formation ◽  
Canopy Tree ◽  
Canopy Tree Species ◽  
The Western Ghats

ABSTRACTThe wet evergreen forest of Nelliampathy in the Western Ghats of Kerala in India is a mixed forest with a high species diversity and basal cover. In this relatively undisturbed ecosystem, canopy gaps are largely formed through single tree fall, but gaps through branch fall, crown fall, standing dead trees or multiple tree fall also occur. Canopy gap formation is more (over 82% of the total gaps created) during the monsoon season. The mean number of gaps formed in this forest is 1.13 ha−1 y−1 and the turnover rate is 83 years. The majority of the gaps created (over 70%) are of smaller size (≥ 100 m2). In this forest, while some top canopy tree species (those capable of exceeding 25 m in height at maturity) such as Palaquium ellipticum and Mesua nagassarium are well represented in seedling, sapling and mature tree stages, others like Aglaia exstipulata and Mastixia arborea are observed only as saplings and/or mature trees with no seedling populations. The possible reasons for these two types of regeneration behaviour by top canopy tree species in the context of canopy gap size and seasonality in gap formation are discussed.

scholarly journals Ecological niche modeling for conservation planning of an endemic snail in the verge of becoming a pest in cardamom plantations in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (18) ◽  
pp. 6510-6523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Sen ◽  
Kadukothanahally Nagaraju Shivaprakash ◽  
Neelavara A. Aravind ◽  
Gudasalamani Ravikanth ◽  
Selvadurai Dayanandan
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Ecological Niche ◽  
Ecological Niche Modeling ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Niche Modeling ◽  
The Western Ghats

Rain Droplets Size Distributions Statistical analysis for pre-Monsoon and Monsoon Season over the Western Ghats

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Kumar ◽  
Atul Kumar Srivastava ◽  
Kaustav Chakravarty ◽  
Manoj Kumar Srivastava
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Monsoon Rainfall ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Convective Precipitation ◽  
Raindrop Size Distribution ◽  
Raindrop Size ◽  
The Western Ghats

<p>Four years (2015-2018), Joss-Waldvogel disdrometer (JWD) data are utilized for the statistical analysis of Raindrop size distribution (RSD) of pre-monsoon and monsoon season over the Western Ghats. JWD Instrument installed at High Altitude Cloud Physics Laboratory (HACPL, 17.92°N, 73.66°E), Mahabaleshwar in the core of heavy rainfall region of Western Ghats. Variation in raindrop size distribution characteristics features in pre-monsoon and monsoon season for convective and stratiform precipitation of windward side of Western Ghats analysis, using long-term in-situ JWD instrument data done. Convective and stratiform rainfall classification is based on the number of concentrations of rain droplets and rain rates. Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and ERA-Interim data sets are also integrated with disdrometer data to establish microphysical and dynamical features of pre-monsoon and monsoon season rain. Long-term trends of rain droplet size spectra are not studied until now over the Western Ghats.   Rain droplet spectra of pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons show notable differences. The rain droplets of monsoon display considerably higher divergence compared to pre-monsoon rainfall.  Monsoon rainfall has a higher concentration of smaller drops, while pre-monsoon rainfall contains a significantly higher concentration of large droplets. RSD classified on the rain rate demonstrates a higher mass-weighted mean diameter (D<sub>m</sub>) and a lower normalized intercept parameter (log<sub>10</sub>N<sub>w</sub>) in monsoon than winter. Similarly, the Diurnal variation of RSD reveals higher D<sub>m</sub> with a lower value of log<sub>10</sub>N<sub>w</sub> in pre-monsoon season. Also, in both seasons, the higher value of mean D<sub>m</sub> in convective precipitation than stratiform.  Convective activities with increased ground temperature alter RSD in pre-monsoon season rather than monsoon season through droplet classification, evaporation, and collision-coalescence processes.</p>

scholarly journals Does the Western-Ghats play any dynamical role in the distance effect of vortex over the Bay of Bengal on the enhancement of monsoon rainfall over Pune?

MAUSAM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 567-578
Author(s):  
SOMENATH DUTTA ◽  
S. I. LASKAR ◽  
M. MAITI
Keyword(s):  
Bay Of Bengal ◽  
West Coast ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Distance Effect ◽  
Southwest Monsoon ◽  
The Other ◽  
Dynamical Model ◽  
Considerable Depth ◽  
The Western Ghats

lkj & bl ’kks/k i= esa nf{k.k&if’pe ekulwu _rq ¼,l-MCY;w-,e-,l-½ ds nkSjku caxky dh [kkM++h esa mBs coaMj ds nwjorhZ izHkko ds QyLo:Ik iq.ks esa o"kkZ esa gqbZ o`f) esa if’peh ?kkV ¼MCY;w-th-½ dh xR;kRed Hkwfedk ¼;fn dksbZ gks rks½ dh tk¡p djus dk iz;kl fd;k x;k gSA bldh tk¡p djus ds fy, e/; ekiØe vojks/k ds Åij ok;q&izokg ds ,d xR;kRed ekWMy dk mi;ksx fd;k x;k gSA N% ?kVukvksa ds v/;;u ls ;g Kkr gqvk gS fd caxky dh [kkM+h esa coaMj mBus dh fLFkfr esa iq.ks esa gqbZ o"kkZ esa o`f) ns[kh xbZ gSA bu N% ?kVukvksa esa ls pkj  ?kVukvksa esa ;g ns[kk x;k gS fd xR;kRed ekWMy iq.ks esa o"kkZ dh izsf{kr ?kV&c<+ ¼deh&cs’kh½ dk irk yxkus esa xq.kkRed :Ik ls lQy jgk gSA bu pkjksa ?kVukvksa esa if’peh iousa if’pe rV ds fdukjs m/okZ/kj esa vis{kkÑr dkQh rhoz FkhaA vU; nks ?kVukvksa esa ls ,d ?kVuk esa ;g ekWMy o"kkZ dh vf/kdrk dks] de ls de xq.kkRed :Ik esa] irk yxkus esa lQy jgk gS ijUrq o"kkZ esa deh dk irk yxkus esa vlQy jgk gSA ,d vU; ?kVuk esa ;g ekWMy iq.ks esa o"kkZ dh ?kV&c<+ Kkr djus esa xq.kkRed :Ik ls Hkh iw.kZr;k vlQy jgk gSA vafre nks ?kVukvksa esa if’pe rVh; LVs’ku ij if’peh iou detksj ,oa lrgh FkhA   An attempt has been made to examine the dynamical role (if any) played by the Western Ghats (WG), in the distance effect of vortex over the Bay of Bengal (BOB) on the rainfall enhancement over Pune, during southwest monsoon season (SWMS). To examine it, a dynamical model of airflow over a meso-scale barrier has been used. Six cases have been studied, in which enhancement of rainfall over Pune in presence of vortex over the Head Bay are noticed. Out of these six cases, in four cases it is found that the dynamical model can capture, at least qualitatively, the observed fluctuation (rise and fall) of rainfall over Pune. In these four cases westerly along west coast was strong with considerable depth in vertical. In one of the other two cases, the model has been able to capture, at least qualitatively, the observed rise in rainfall but failed to capture the observed fall in rainfall. In the other case the model has failed completely to capture, even qualitatively, the fluctuation in observed rainfall over Pune. In the last two cases, westerly along west coast station was weak and shallow.  

Germinable soil seed bank dynamics during the gap phase of a humid tropical forest in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India

1993 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. M. Chandrashekara ◽  
P. S. Ramakrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Seed Bank ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Seed Density ◽  
Seed Bank Dynamics ◽  
Humid Tropical Forest ◽  
The Western Ghats

ABSTRACTThe present study showed that the density of germinable seeds in the soil of a humid tropical forest ecosystem at Nelliampathy, in the Western Ghats of Kerala in India, fluctuates sharply at different times of the year. There were more germinable seeds in the soil during the monsoon season. Regeneration was activated after canopy gap formation and thus a decline in the soil seed density in 1-year-old gaps was recorded. However, soil seed density increased with gap age. Differences were found between primary, late secondary and early secondary categories of species with respect to their soil seed bank. There were more seeds of primary species in the soil of natural gaps than in selection felled ones, while the seeds of early secondary shrubs and herbs were more in the soil of selection felled gaps than in natural gaps. The soil seed banks of the primary forest species, being transient, are not an important conservation tool for these species.

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