Ayyam Velmurugan

Enhancing nutrient recovery and compost maturity of coconut husk by vermicomposting technology

Vermicompost was prepared by five different treatments from relatively resistant coconut husk mixed with either pig slurry or poultry manure. The recovery of vermicompost varied from 35% to 43% and it resulted in significant increase in pH, microbial biomass carbon, macro and micro nutrients concentration. Among the treatments highest relative N (1.6) and K (1.3) recovery were observed for 20% feedstock substitution by pig slurry while poultry manure substitution recorded highest P recovery (2.4). Compost maturity parameters significantly differed and well correlated. The characteristics of different treatments established the maturity indices as C/N 15-20; Cw<1.8; Cw/Norg<0.55; Lignin<10-12; CHA/CFA>1.5 and HI>15.0. The manurial value of the coconut husk compost was improved by feedstock substitution with pig slurry (80:20). The results revealed the technical feasibility of converting coconut husk into valuable compost by feedstock substitution with pig slurry.

Wetlands of Small Island Nations in South Asia vis-à-vis the Mainland and Island Groups in India: Status and Conservation Strategies

The wetlands of small island nations in South Asia such as Sri Lanka and the Maldives are compared with that of India with respect to their status, biodiversity, threats and conservation measures. Sri Lanka has diverse coastal habitats, which are known to support fishes (1800 species), marine turtles (5 species), marine mammals (38 species), corals (183 species), mangroves (40 species), birds (100 species), reptiles (33 species) and seagrasses (10 species). The Maldives boasts one of the world’s richest marine biodiversity comprising 250 species of corals, over 1200 of reef fishes, 200 species of sponges, over 1000 species of crustaceans and over 100 species of echinoderms. Marine biodiversity of India comprises 12,913 species, of which more than 5800 species are reported from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Marine biodiversity of Lakshadweep islands is represented by corals (172 species), fishes (396), sponges (95), molluscs (260), echinoderms (84), crustaceans (80), turtles (04), birds (142), marine mammals (6), seagrasses (07) and mangroves (03). The major threats to these wetlands of South Asian countries are climate change, extreme events like tsunami, coastal erosion, population pressure, habitat destruction and over-exploitation. The chapter emphasises the need for adopting frontier tools for biodiversity documentation and innovative strategies for their conservation.

Innovative Technologies to Sustain Saline Island Agriculture in the Scenario of Climate Change: A Case Study from Andaman Islands, India

In the coastal and humid tropical island region, waterlogging and soil salinity are serious threat to the sustainability of rainfed agriculture due to sea water inundation and intensive monsoon rainfall. In addition, there has been a marked change in surface temperature, rainfall, evaporation, and extreme events linked to climate change affecting the tropical islands. Therefore, an innovative management of waterlogged and saline soils of island ecosystem is imperative for sustainable agricultural production. The current technology enables the transfer of desirable genes from wild relatives to cultivated plants and improvement of land races followed by selection of crops and their varieties by the island farming community for waterlogged and saline conditions. The available evidences suggest that crop planning, multi-stress crop combinations, integrated farming system, and suitable agroforestry models have the potential to provide the basic needs of the people even under stressful and climate change situations. Land shaping measures have great potential to address waterlogging and salinity together while it promotes crop and farming system diversification which are more sustainable than monocropping with rice. In island conditions, rain water harvesting, storage, and its efficient use should be an integral part of the strategy for sustainable agricultural production. In addition, the livelihood of the people can be enhanced by suitable aquacultural practices in the coastal saline soils while sea weed cultivation holds greater promise to diversify the agricultural activities in the island saline environment.

Harnessing Genetic Resources in Field Crops for Developing Resilience to Climate Change

Abstract The three major challenges of the 21st century are managing climate change, overcoming poverty and food insecurity. Global population has reached 7.0 billion in 2011 at the same, in contrary to the popular belief, the world food production has also increased and kept pace with population. But the percapita food availability interms of all essential food grains and access to food has come down. The challenging situation is further aggravated by global climate change. This necessitates multidimensional approach to solve the issue of food grain production. In this context biodiversity is the most important the basic resources on which human scope lies. However, biodiversity is negatively impacted by climate change. Conversely, biodiversity through ecosystem services contributes to climate-change adaptation and mitigation. Selection of suitable food crops and their varieties for a given edaphic and biotic conditions is a sensible decision because it provides scope for utilisation of genetic variability to enhance yield and adaptability. In this chapter, different breeding techniques and biotechnological tools available for exploiting genetic resources in field crops so as to address the climate change are discussed. It is also prudent to mention conservation methods for field crops so that the benefit of biodiversity is passed on to the future generations.

Biodiversity and Climate Change Impacts on the Lakshadweep Islands

Abstract The Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India is an archipelago located in the Arabian Sea. It consists of 11 inhabited and 16 uninhabited coral islands, 12 atolls, 3 reefs and 5 submerged banks. The lagoons are a very unique ecosystem of these islands, which normally occurs on the western side of the islands. In the island ecosystem, a wide variety of flora and fauna are found. The coral ecosystem having more than 140 species provides an ideal habitat for a variety of flora and fauna. From Lakshadweep 400 species of plants, 101 species of birds and 603 species of marine fishes are recorded. At the same time, observations have indicated a rise in sea level, as well as change in sea surface temperature and rainfall pattern. Downscaling of some of the global-level studies on climate change has indicated possibilities for increase in climatic extremes such as hot days, heavy rainfall and drought over these islands. Besides this, anthropogenic activities pose a major challenge to the biodiversity of these islands. In this chapter, the observed and the projected changes in climate on the biodiversity of these islands are discussed. Further, the threat to biodiversity and measures taken by the local government to protect the biodiversity are enumerated.

Invasive Species in Freshwater Ecosystems – Threats to Ecosystem Services

Abstract Invasive species refers to non-native species that produce negative consequences in the relatively new habitat or producing effects that human don’t like and deem harmful. In the freshwater ecosystem of tropical islands fishes, amphibians and crustaceans have been introduced for aquaculture, sport, improvement of wild stock, the aquarium trade and biological control. Many have been accidental escapes. Unintended impacts have been alterations to the habitat as well as direct competition for food and living space, introduction of pathogens, hybridisation, environmental and socioeconomic effects. In certain cases, some alien fishes helped to increase the aquaculture production in several countries such as carps. Apart from increased production, the effect of introduction might be irreversible as they will establish and occupy the ecosystem permanently due to their voracious feeding and proliferative breeding habits. The study also calls for strict quarantine measures to check the exotic fish introductions, which might be a beneficial step in conservation of native aquatic fauna under changing climatic conditions in islands.

Land Shaping Methods for Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal and Island Region

Abstract In the coastal and islands of the tropical region waterlogging and soil salinity are the major concerns to the sustainability of agriculture that is already under pressure from climate change events and natural hazards. Restoring the ecosystems and degraded soils of these regions is vital to provisioning of ecosystem services for the native people and ecological functions and services of these hotspots of biodiversity. Implementing innovative land management practices such as permanent raised bed and furrow, rice-cum-fish, three tier land management, ponds with broader dykes, deep furrow and high ridge, ridges and furrow systems and brackish water aquaculture will not only address the land degradation concerns but also enable to harvest rainwater and diversification of agriculture. These land shaping methods also help to cope with the weather variations and projected climate change and favour integration of fish and livestock component with crop cultivation providing greater stability to farm income.

Coconut Biodiversity – Nature’s Gift to the Tropical Islands

Abstract Coconut is a very important well-adapted crop of the tropics, which has proved to be the backbone of tropical islands’ economy. The accession from tropical islands exhibits wide diversity in its morphological, biochemical and genetic constitution. There are certain special characters that make coconut an ideal crop of the tropics. These characters have helped to improve the productivity of palm and bring desirable traits into cultivars through conventional breeding approaches and application of modern biotechnological tools. Consequently, coconut is involved in the diversification of activities and enhancing the income of people from tropical islands. However, coconut landraces are now severely under threat from the globalisation of trade, cultural levelling, changes in agriculture and climate change. Drought stress affects coconut production in almost all countries where it is grown, because it is mainly a rainfed plantation crop. Through the International Coconut Genetic Resources Network, numerous countries and institutions are collaborating to conserve coconut germplasm and to make coconut a more profitable crop for smallholders. Coconut biodiversity combined with modern technological support has the potential to address many of the emerging issues and provide livelihood to the tropical islanders.

Biodiversity Conservation: Issues and Strategies for the Tropical Islands

Abstract Biological diversity refers to the variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur. The loss of biodiversity is important because human existence depends on the biological resources and it is the essential component of several ecosystems. The natural resources are over exploited in many of the tropical islands in spite of fragile ecosystem to meet growing rural poverty and strive for economic growth. All these factors together with climate change are responsible for the extinction or threatened status of a number of species. In many of the tropical islands, loss of genetically distinct and unique species is due to human-induced selective pressures. Consequently, there has been a growing realization that the conventional method of conservation is no more effective in dealing with the socio-ecological complexity and political dimensions of biodiversity conservation. By conserving biodiversity, we not only ensure that our surroundings are richer and more diverse, but also we secure the resources that will continue to provide improvements in the quality of human life.

Climate Resilient and Livelihood Security – Perspectives for Mauritius Island

Abstract Biodiversity is of high importance to the Republic of Mauritius. Apart from the essential role forests, agriculture, inland water, wetlands, coastal and marine biodiversity play in providing important ecosystem services and livelihood of local population, they represent a key component of mitigation and adaptation measures for climate change impacts, disaster risk reduction, economy and human well being. As a Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Mauritius faces several challenges as a consequence of climate change that impacts its biodiversity, basic livelihood, critical infrastructures and other socio-economic interests. Therefore the government has initiated number of measures to infuse climate resilience to the economic activity and biodiversity that provides livelihood to the island population. The details of total biodiversity, climate change impact and climate resilient measures for Mauritius are discussed in this chapter.