Alarming waterweeds proliferation in the Vembanad Lake System might significantly increase water loss through transpiration.

Eichhornia crassipes and Monochoria vaginalis are waterweeds, and their uncontrolled proliferation in fresh and brackish water habitats is a serious ecological problem in many parts of the world. These weeds are quite common in the Vembanad Lake System (VLS), India's second-largest Ramsar wetland. During the non-monsoon season, the Thannermukkom saltwater barrage divides the VLS into two zones: saline water downstream and freshwater upstream.

Parasitic copepods infestation on commercially exploited fishes from Kayamkulam backwater, Kerala, India.

Parasitic copepods infestation on three species of commercially important fishes belonging to the family Mugilidae () and Cichlidae ( and ) from Kayamkulam backwater were analysed between February 2015 and January 2017, covering all the three seasons. A total of 2305 fishes were analysed for parasites. Out of these, 299 fishes were infested with different species of parasitic copepods.

Critical Analysis of Forest Degradation in the Southern Eastern Ghats of India: Comparison of Satellite Imagery and Soil Quality Index.

India has one of the largest assemblages of tropical biodiversity, with its unique floristic composition of endemic species. However, current forest cover assessment is performed via satellite-based forest surveys, which have many limitations. The present study, which was performed in the Eastern Ghats, analysed the satellite-based inventory provided by forest surveys and inferred from the results that this process no longer provides adequate information for quantifying forest degradation in an empirical manner.

An appraisal of physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of Nanmangalam Reserve Forest soil.

A detailed evaluation was performed on the soils of Nanmangalam Reserve Forest (NRF) in order to understand its physico-chemical, microbiological and enzymatic characteristics. The results of analysis showed that soil pH was directly proportional to the soil depth and the soil moisture content was irreversibly related to varying soil depth. Soil organic carbon was positively correlated with (p < 0.

Chlorate ion mediated rutile to anatase reverse phase transformation in the TiO2 nanosystem.

Rutile TiO(2) nanoneedles (8 nm × 100 nm) synthesized at room temperature by anodization in perchloric acid (pH < 1) are shown to undergo an interesting reverse phase transformation to anatase nanoparticles (8 nm) at 300 °C only if the chlorate ions are maintained in the ambient medium. When chlorate ions are removed by multiple washing, the rutile phase and the needle morphology are maintained. The mechanism of formation of the ion-stabilized solid and its thermal evolution is discussed.