Browsing by Author "Shaji, M"

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Development of storage techniques for thampakam (Hopea parviflora Bedd.) seeds
(Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2002) Shaji, M; Sudhakara, K
A detailed study was conducted at College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara, Thrissur, Kerala during 1999-2001 to develop a suitable storage technique for the seeds of Hopea parviflora Bedd. species through synthetic seed and cryopreservation technology. Moisture content of intact seeds/ seeds without seed coat/: excised embryonic axes decreased with increase in intensity and duration of desiccation levels and only the seeds without seed coat showed significant difference in moisture content due to maturity levels. Leachate conductivity was not significantly affected due to maturity levels of intact seeds and excised embryonic axes. But seeds without seed coat showed significant difference in leachate conductivity due to maturity levels and it was higher at seven weeks after anthesis. Increasing the duration of desiccation significantly increased the leachate conductivity of intact seeds/ seeds without seed coat! embryonic axes. Germination parameters of intact seeds and seeds without seed coat were not affected significantly by increased desiccation. However, excised embryonic axes showed significant difference in germination parameters when the intensity and duration of desiccation was increased. The synthetic seeds developed from these desiccated axes also showed significant difference in their germination parameters. Synthetic seeds stored at 4°C retained maximum viability after four weeks, compared to those stored at 200 C and 27 0 C. When stored at 27 0 C, the synthetic seeds developed from six weeks mature embryos retained viability up to three weeks whereas those at seven weeks after anthesis retained viability up to two weeks only. After cryopreservation, the propagules invariably failed to regenerate but could retain green colour for two to three days.
Modelling habitat suitability and climate change impacts on Nilgiri wood -pigeon(Columba elphinstonii)
(Department of Wildlife Science, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2024-01-30) Anagha, Jose; Shaji, M
Worldwide distributions of species are predicted to vary as a result of climate change, endangering their survival through reduced ranges and changing their presence in protected areas. Since many species in biodiversity hotspots have limited ranges that may become more restricted as species move toward their ideal environment, these areas may be more sensitive to the effects of climate change. This study assesses the possibility that range-restricted and endangered birds in the Southern Western Ghats might experience changes in their distribution as a result of climate change. The Species Distribution Modelling is done by using the software MaxEnt, to evaluate how the climate change influence the distribution of the selected species. To determine the settings for the model, ENM evaluate tool was used. The best-performing model was selected based on True Skill Statistics (TSS) and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) value. A bird species, Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon (Columba elphinstonii) seen in the Western Ghats which found to be declining its population by IUCN is selected for this study. Different environmental variables are integrated to generate the models for this species. Bio6 (Minimum temperature of the coldest month) indicates the lowest temperature of the coldest month and Bio18 (Precipitation of the Warmest quarter) are identified as the most influencing variable for Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon. The current suitable habitat available for the NWP throughout the southern Western Ghats is evaluated to be 12,704 km2. About 33% of the current suitable habitat of the NWP comes under the Protected Areas network of the southern Western Ghats. The models also predicted the loss of habitat in future under various climate change scenarios. It is estimated that the NWP loses its habitat about 21% to 39% in future under different SSP scenarios, such as SSP 1.26, SSP 3.70 and SSP 5.85 till the year 2050. The representativeness of protected areas may be maintained with the addition of new areas, but in order to determine if active management techniques to mitigate the impacts of climate change the methods required are; monitoring of species predicted, the conservation of appropriate habitat of this bird, elevate their conservation status, and work together to educate the public about the need to reduce emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases.
Spatio-temporal patterns in human-wildlife conflict in Kerala
(Department of Wildlife Sciences College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2018) Shaji, M; Nameer, P O
Traditional therapeutic uses of animals and animal products among indigenous people of Idukki district, Kerala, India
(Department of Wildlife Sciences, College of Forestry ,Vellanikkara, 2021) Shijith S, Nair; Shaji, M
Traditional therapeutic uses of animals and animal products among indigenous people of Idukki district, Kerala, India
(Department of wildlife sciences, College of Forestry,Vellanikkara, 2021) Shijith S Nair; Shaji, M
Humans have known about ethnobiological uses since ancient times and rely on fauna and flora for medicines, food, clothing, and other necessities of life. For their basic health-care needs, the world population is looking for an alternative medication generated from natural resources, and this natural alternative, which consists of various bioactive chemicals, may be more effective with less toxicity than manufactured pharmaceuticals. The Western Ghats are home to a diverse range of fauna and flora, with plant-based medicines accounting for the majority of natural medicines discovered thus far. Animal medicines, on the other hand, have a restricted number of references. Rural communities, who have acquired millennium old traditional wisdom from their predecessors and handed it down through generations, are crucial in disease management. Poverty and a scarcity of medical facilities are to blame, they rely mainly on traditional knowledge, hence This knowledge is only available in rural regions. Before it is depleted as a result of rising urbanisation, modernization, and industry, traditional plant and animal recipes must be recorded. It is critical to document particular human societies' plant and animal usage that are passed down through the generations in undiscovered areas. Furthermore, with the growing threat of microorganism resistance to existing allopathic medications, novel natural chemical combinations with synergistic or additive effects are desperately needed. As a result, the project was designed with the goals of 1) analysing and documenting indigenous people's ethnozoological knowledge in Kerala's Idukki area. 2) additionally, document the creation and use of medications derived from animals and animal products, and 3) quantitative indices are used to determine the highly desired ones. This might be the first investigation in the specific location to describe traditionally used medicinal fauna and its recipes. The findings of the study might help preserve traditional knowledge and identify new taxa as a potential source of adjunct to conventional medicine. 84 The outcomes of the reseaech followed imply that local populations in Idukki have a good understanding of how to make ethnomedicine out of faunal diversity based on what's available. This research preserves ethnobiological data while also laying the groundwork for pharmacological, phytochemical, and synergistic research. People employ animal products/parts either alone or in combination with other things to treat a variety of human diseases. The findings also reveal that ethnomedicine is an important part of the primary health care system in the research area, but that it is mostly centred on flora rather than fauna. The animal recipes offer new perspectives on drug research that, through synergistic mechanisms, may pave the way for the development of new and effective therapies. Traditional knowledge is rapidly fading; hence scholars are being encouraged to perform further study in this region so that it may be preserved and documented.