Residual fluxes of water and nutrient transport through the main inlet of a tropical estuary, Cochin estuary, West Coast, India.

Determining robust values for estuarine material fluxes has been a complex task and an interdisciplinary research challenge. With the advent of acoustic Doppler profilers (ADPs) having bottom-track capability and which provides three-dimensional current velocity profiles, more accurate estimation of cross-sectional fluxes is far accomplished in unsteady and bidirectional flow conditions of estuaries. This paper reports for the first time the discharge measurements conducted across Cochin inlet using ADP to examine the spring-neap variability in residual fluxes of water and nutrients during dry season.

Plankton food web and its seasonal dynamics in a large monsoonal estuary (Cochin backwaters, India)-significance of mesohaline region.

The paper presents the ecology and dynamics of plankton food web in the Cochin backwaters (CBW), the largest monsoonal estuary along the west coast of India. The data source is a time series measurement carried out in the CBW during the Spring Intermonsoon (March-May) and the Southwest Monsoon (June-September). The plankton food web consisting of autotrophic/heterotrophic picoplankton, autotrophic/heterotrophic nanoplankton, microzooplankton, and mesozooplankton was quantified in relation to the seasonal hydrographical settings in the CBW.

Transport of dissolved nutrients and chlorophyll a in a tropical estuary, southwest coast of India.

Intra-tidal variability in the transport of materials through the Cochin estuary was studied over successive spring and neap tides to estimate the export fluxes of nutrients and chlorophyll a into the adjoining coastal zone. The results showed that there was a substantial increase in the freshwater flow into the estuary following heavy rains (~126 mm) prior to the spring tide observations. The estuary responded accordingly with a relatively larger export through the Cochin inlet during spring tide over neap tide.

Perception, Practices Towards Research and Predictors of Research Career Among UG Medical Students from Coastal South India: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: The number of physician scientists worldwide is decreasing. A review of literature suggests paucity of information examining perceptions and practices towards research among medical undergraduate students in India. Hence, this study was undertaken.