Shrinidhi Ambinakudige

Comparing tree diversity and composition in coffee farms and sacred forests in the Western Ghats of India

Expansion of coffee cultivation is one of the causes of deforestation and biodiversity loss. However, shade grown coffee has been promoted as a means for preserving biodiversity in the tropics. In this study we compared tree diversity in two types of coffee management regimes with the sacred groves in the Western Ghats of India. We computed species accumulation curves, species diversity indices and evenness indices to compare the different management regimes. Results of diversity indices showed that shade coffee had less diversity compared to sacred groves. Exotic species dominated the tree diversity in lands where the tree harvesting rights are with the growers. Native trees dominated the tree diversity when growers had no ownership rights on trees. A species accumulation curve suggested that the sacred grove had higher species richness compared to other two habitats. Lack of incentive to preserve endemic species as shade trees is forcing growers to plant more exotic species in shade grown coffee plots. If encouraged, shade grown coffee can preserve some biodiversity, but cannot provide all ecological benefits of a natural forest.

Remote Sensing of Cryosphere

The cryosphere is the frozen water part of the Earth’s system. The word is derived from the Greek “kryos,” meaning cold. Snow and ice are the main ingredients of the cryosphere and may be found in many forms, including snow cover, sea ice, freshwater ice, permafrost, and continental ice masses such as glaciers and ice sheets. Snow is precipitation made up of ice particles formed mainly by sublimation (NSIDC, 2011). Ice is the key element in glaciers, ice sheets, ice shelves and frozen ground. Sea ice forms when the ocean water temperature falls below freezing. Permafrost occurs when the ground is frozen for a long period of time, at least two years below 00 C, and varies in thickness from several meters to thousands of meters (NSIDC, 2011). Glaciers are thick masses of ice on land that are caused by many seasons of snowfall. Glaciers move under their own weight, the external effect of gravity, and physical and chemical changes. The cryosphere lowers the earth’s surface temperature by reflecting a large amount of sunlight, stores fresh water for millions of people, and provides habitat for many plants and animals.

An Analysis of Differential Migration Patterns in the Black Belt and the New South

The South has recently become a major economic hub and population magnet in the United States. This study examines if the Black Belt, a historically declining region within the South, has experienced a similar renaissance. The study also examines how local factors differentially influence migrants from the Black Belt and migrants from outside the South. The study identifies primary hot spots for Black Belt and non-Black Belt migrants. The data come from yearly internal migration files from 1996 to 2007 compiled by the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Census Bureau. The data show that both the Black Belt and the rest of the South experienced a net in-flow of migrants from other U.S. regions. However, the Black Belt had a net population loss to more prosperous areas within the South. The data also show that the Southern hot spots for migrants from the Black Belt are different than those for non-Black Belt migrants. The findings support a singular conclusion: the population growth of the New South is brought about largely because of changes in migration flows of Black Belt migrants.

The Global Coffee Crisis and Indian Farmers: The Livelihood Vulnerability of Smallholders

Abstract This paper examines the global coffee crisis that began in the late 1980s and its impact on local livelihoods for smallholding farmers in India. The coffee crisis is characterized by low farm-gate coffee prices caused by oversupply, an unregulated open market, and growing corporate concentration. Smallholding coffee farmers in India suffered severely during the recent crisis as they experienced lower yields, lower coffee prices, and weak market institutions. The impact of the coffee crisis is considered in terms of structural changes in the coffee market and rural institutions and the measures farmers have used to cope with market volatility.

Distribution Patterns of Invasive Casuarinas (Casuarina equisetifolia L.) Within Beach Environments on San Salvador Island, the Bahamas

ABSTRACT: Casuarinas (Casuarina equisetifolia L.) are a problematic invasive plant within the Bahamas, but very little is known about its population dynamics or spread capabilities. This study monitored casuarinas beach populations on San Salvador Island, the Bahamas, over a 2.5 year period to provide basic background data on distribution patterns and degree of spatial variability over time. Casuarinas had a significant clustered distribution along beach transects (P< 0.05). Numerous gaps in between clusters, 20 m or longer, were not colonized during the duration of the study. These patterns occurred among beaches with differing levels of human visitation. It seems that beach populations of casuarinas had low spatial variability within the spatial and temporal context of this study. These results may help guide future research and may be an initial step in developing effective management strategies in the Bahamas and in other areas where it has invaded.

Remote sensing of land cover's effect on surface temperatures: a case study of the urban heat island in Bangalore, India

Urbanization has substantially altered the earth’s surface, and cities’ impervious surfaces for anthropogenic activities often generate an urban heat island (UHI). This paper analyses the effects of the UHI in Bangalore, which in recent years has witnessed tremendous in-migration of people and expansion of infrastructure due to rapid growth of its information technology, biotechnology and manufacturing sectors. Temperature values extracted from the Landsat satellite’s Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) thermal bands and a “Normalized Difference Vegetation Index” (NDVI) were used to ascertain the relationship between vegetation cover and temperature. Results indicate that the city core has a significantly lower mean temperature than the city’s outgrowth zones. The presence of water bodies and vegetation in the city’s core helped to maintain lower temperatures than those found in the city’s outskirts, even though within the city core temperatures varied from 1 to 7° C within different land cover classes. The continued expansion of urban infrastructure and new, residential neighborhoods which lack vegetation seem to be contributing substantially to higher temperatures in the outgrowth zones.

A GIS analysis of the spatial relation between evapotranspiration and pan evaporation in the United States

Despite increases in global temperature, studies have observed a decrease in evaporation in the Northern Hemisphere. To examine whether a decrease in pan evaporation also indicates decreased evapotranspiration (ET), ET rates were modelled in a geographic information system by integrating climatic data and water-balance data from 1997 to 2007. Average monthly ET values were compared with National Climatic Data Center pan-evaporation (PE) data. PE and ET were significantly related, but the degree of significance and the direction of the relation (positive or negative) varied across eco-divisions and seasons. Thus, decreased pan evaporation does not necessarily imply that ET will decrease as well.

Assessment of Impacts of Hurricane Katrina on Net Primary Productivity in Mississippi

Abstract Southern forests contribute significantly to the carbon sink for the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) associated with the anthropogenic activities in the United States. Natural disasters like hurricanes are constantly threatening these forests. Hurricane winds can have a destructive impact on natural vegetation and can adversely impact net primary productivity (NPP). Hurricane Katrina (23–30 August 2005), one of the most destructive natural disasters in history, has affected the ecological balance of the Gulf Coast. This study analyzed the impacts of different categories of sustained winds of Hurricane Katrina on NPP in Mississippi. The study used the Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach (CASA) model to estimate NPP by using remote sensing data. The results indicated that NPP decreased by 14% in the areas hard hit by category 3 winds and by 1% in the areas hit by category 2 winds. However, there was an overall increase in NPP, from 2005 to 2006 by 0.60 Tg of carbon, in Mississippi. The authors found t...