Environment India

  Imagine a world where forests aren't just pretty backdrops, but vital life-giving forces. A recent study from Jawaharlal Nehru University has revealed a fascinating secret: the type of forest can significantly impact the health of nearby farmland. Researchers found that broadleaf forests, with their wider leaves, are more beneficial to soil health than coniferous forests. These forests promote the growth of beneficial microbes, increase organic matter content, and release essential nutrients, leading to healthier and more productive farms. An Agricultural Farm Near Forest The research, led by Shankar and Garkoti (2024) , published in journal Science of The Total Environment , highlights the pivotal role of Nepalese-alder ( Alnus nepalensis ) forests in enhancing soil quality and nutrient availability. This remarkable improvement is largely attributed to the alder’s nitrogen-fixing capabilities and higher microbial biomass, which contribute to better soil structure...

  Sloth bear, dhole, tiger most affected among apex predators globally due to road development: Study The sloth bear, tiger and dhole are among 36 apex predators worldwide affected the most due to road construction in their native habitats, a study published February 21, 2022, in the journal Nature, has stated. The sloth bear was the most affected predator as its habitat was in the Indian subcontinent, “where roadless areas are almost non-existent,” the study said. Some 97% of its area of distribution was covered by roads, which led to several instances of roadkills, or deaths due to collisions with vehicles. The sloth bear is followed by the dhole or Asiatic Wild Dog, which is, in turn, followed by the tiger, Asiatic black bear, clouded leopard, sun bear and Sunda clouded leopard. The researchers said Asiatic predators, especially in south Asia, were more exposed to roads. Roads are especially harmful for apex predators because their home ranges are large and thei...

  Mahananda river survey records 190 dolphins, warns of fishing threats to Red List species A November 2021 survey of the Ganges river dolphin in the Mahananda river may help close the existing information gap in the IUCN Red List Assessment for the dolphin species. The recent November 2021 survey covered a 250 km stretch over 10 days, states the  report  published recently.  Dolphin mortality due to entanglement in nets and oil-baited hook lines continues to remain a challenge in the river. Unregulated sand mining, pollution, solid waste dumping and construction of embankments for flood control have negatively impacted Mahananda ecology and the survival of dolphins and other riverine species. Despite anthropogenic pressure and intensive fisheries, the researchers are still hopeful about dolphin conservation through active community participation. 👉 Mongabay India Assam tea gardens experiment with solar for reliable power supply and cutt...

  Back to nature: Immense need for crop diversification and role of agroforestry   The traditional approach of low input-based extensive and diversified agricultural practices termed as ‘crop diversification’ could be an alternate approach that might be used to save farming as a counter-strategy for farming bio-socio-psychological anomalies. Crop diversification is a strategy applied to grow more diverse crops from shrinking land resources with an increase in productivity in the same arable land.   For more than five decades, Indian agriculture has been facing severe problems related to an increase in input cost to increase productivity. However, the productivity proportional to input maintains for a certain time before plateauing and then progressively declines in many cases. Farmers have been using the common government-promoted Green Revolution cropping pattern  —  rice-wheat-rice for a longer time to enhance productivity. Unilaterally, foll...