Bio Diversity

The green microalga strain, Botryococcus braunii Kützing, was provided by the Culture Collection of Algae at the University of Texas (Austin, USA). The effects of nitrogen and temperature on growth and lipid production were studied for 18 days. Cultures of B. braunii were incubated in five different nitrogen concentrations: 1 g L-1 (group 1), 0.5 g L-1(group 2), 0.25 g L-1 (group 3), 0.125 g L-1(group 4) and free nitrogen (group 5). The highest biomass concentration (0.564±0.200 g L-1) and lipid content (33.31±0.014%) were obtained by cultivation with an initial nitrogen concentration of 0.50 g L-1 in these experiments. In free nitrogen, the maximum lipid content was 56.31±0.026% of dry weight, while the biomass concentration was 0.270±0.063 g L-1 at 20 °C. The density of the biodiesel obtained from B. braunii was calculated as 0.8263 kg.L-1, its viscosity as 4.97 mm2.s-1 at 40 °C and its flash point as 109 °C. According to these results, nitrogen-starved Botryococcus braunii increased the production of lipids and could be made more suitable for biodiesel production. This study suggests that it is possible to utilize Botryococcus braunii for biodiesel production.

The “biological monitoring” has been widely used to assess the environment impact of pollutant discharges. The methodology must be evaluated in terms of false positives and false negatives. A false positive is an indication that an excursion beyond previously established quality control conditions (i.e., unacceptable conditions) has occurred when, in fact, one has not. A false negative is an indication that conditions are acceptable when, in fact, they are not. Statistics must play a more important role in biological monitoring because they are capably of explicit statement of confidence in the biological monitoring results. With appropriate statistical evaluation of the data, professional judgment on whether to initiate immediate action or wait for more confirming data will be more objective and reliable. In order to optimize the usefulness of biological monitoring, the selection of biological monitoring methodology shall not be based on the investigator’s favorite organism or group of organisms. Neither can be a convenient methodology adopted by regulatory agencies. The selections must be based on the compatibility of data generated with the decision making process, including the statistical establishment of confidence in the result obtained.

Biological activity of extract of Cissus quadrangularis against IV instar larvae and pupae of Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti were studied. The effect of the Petroleum ether, Benzene and Methanol extracts of C. quadrangularis are tested against IV instar larvae and pupae of Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti. All kinds extracts showed moderate larvicidal and pupicidal effects at 24h. When the IV instar larvae of Cx quinquefasciatus were exposed to the doses of 12.56, 13.83 and 32.91 ppm respectively of petroleum ether, benzene and methanol extracts of 50% mortality was recorded. After 24h of exposure, the same extracts of C. quadrangularis at 15.84, 17.50 and 38.94ppm concentrations gave 50% pupal mortality. The LC 50 values for IV instar larvae of Ae. aegypti are 15.73, 17.16 and 33.37ppm and the LC50 values of pupae are 22.13, 25.73 and 48.76ppm respectively for Petroleum ether, Benzene and Methanol extracts. The larvicidal and pupicidal effects of plant extracts indicate that Cx quinquefasciatus is highly susceptible to the extracts of C quadrangularis. The larvae were more susceptible to plant extracts than pupae of both Cx quinquefasciatus and Ae aegypti. Among the various organic solvent extracts of C. quadrangularis, petroleum ether was found to be the most effective larvicidal and pupicidal agent. The efficacy of Cissus quadrangularis was in the order of Petroleum ether > Benzene > Methanol

Sustainable production is the need of the hour for a sustainable environment. To obtain a sustainable future is possible only through recycling of the recycled product .In the world where demand cannot meet with the existing requirements it is necessary to go on with the natural resources prevailing. In this case, biodiesel occupies a unique place to satisfy the expectations. Biodiesel from neem cake has an excellent efficiency to provide a good combustion to run vehicles and generators at a sufficient economy. The paper details on producing biodiesel from neem oil through fractional distillation involving both esterification and trans-esterification processes. The fuel recovered by this process is further recycled to extract esters. The unique technique that this paper provides is an approach to minimize the wastage and economy of the recyclically recovered fuel while using it in generators. The power thus obtained is made to use in sufficient quantities to initiate the recycling further thus enhancing the process to be a cyclic one. The practical work of the above said is being conducted in the laboratory. The prevention of solidification of fuel is also made possible through a technique which is discussed in the paper. This way the approach further insists on a complete usage of the already recovered green fuel including the unburnt fuel to mix along with the normal diesel used in automobiles. This approach also focuses on minimizing the emission effects from automobiles and generators.

Didymoplexis seidenfadenii Sathish & Ormerod, Ixora agasthyamalayana Sivad & N. Mohanan, Kunstleria keralensis C. N. Mohanan & N. C. Nair, Melochia nodiflora Swartz, Merremia cissoides (Lam.) Hall. f. and Synedrella vialis (Less.) A. Garay, are reported here as additions to the flora of Tamil Nadu. A brief description with relevant notes is provided for the easy identification of taxa in the field.

The study was carried out to assess genetic diversity among nineteen oil palm accessions collected for conservation, evaluation and future incorporation into Oil Palm Research Institute (OPRI) breeding programmes. Genetic diversity and relationship among the nineteen accessions were evaluated using 10 microsatellites. The number of alleles revealed by each of the polymorphic loci ranged from 2 to 3 with an average of 2.5. Cluster analysis resolved the nineteen accessions oil palm accessions into two clusters. The percentage similarity between the oil palm accessions ranged from about 63% to 100%. This study suggest that there was not much genetic diversity among the nineteen accessions used in the study compared to other similar genetic diversity studies in oil palm using microsatellites.

Croton hirtus L’Herit is a poorly known exotic species naturalizing in Tamil Nadu with faster rate. Critical analysis of this taxon with recently described Chrozophora baskarani from Sirumalai hills proved that both of them are identical. Hence, the later is merged with Croton hirtus. The present communication throws light on the identity and distribution of this little known alien species.

A study was conducted to assess the knockdown and adulticidal efficacy of d-trans allethrin (0.1%) and d-allethrin (0.2%) mosquito coils under laboratory condition against Anopheles stephensi Liston, Aedes aegypti Linn. and Culex quinquefasciatus Say. These coils provided significant knockdown activity against the tested mosquitoes. KT₅₀ and KT₉₅ values indicated that Ae. aegypti was more susceptible to d-trans allethrin and An. stephensi was more susceptible to d-allethrin. Cx. quinquefasciatus was less susceptible to both the coils and needed longer time to be knocked- down. Mortality and revival rates after 24 h varied between the mosquito species. The highest mortality was recorded against Ae. aegypti (68.5%) followed by Cx. quinquefasciatus (55.5%) and An. stephensi (34.5%) respectively after 24 h of exposure to the coil fumes.

The purpose of this study is to explore the importance of Kalabagh dam in the perspective of Pakistan. In addition, the study observes different views of the residents which cover all four provinces of Pakistan namely, Sindh, Punjab, Khyber PukhtoonKhawa (KPK) and Baluchistan. The importance of Kalabagh dam in Pakistan is related with electricity generation capacity which will meet the country’s power requirement. There has some reservation regarding construction of the dam. Sindh province objects that their share of the Indus water will be curtailed as water from the Kalabagh will go to irrigate farmlands in Punjab and Khyber PukhtoonKhawa at their cost. KPK province of Pakistan has concerns that large areas of Nowshera (district of KPK) would be submerged by the dam and even wider areas would suffer from water-logging and salinity. Further, as the water will be stored in Kalabagh dam as proposed Government of Pakistan, it will give water level rise to the city that is about 200 km away from the proposed location. Baluchistan is not directly affected by the dam as such, however, most nationalist Balochis claim the dam an instance of Punjab lording it over the smaller provinces. They have however, not included the dam in any of their state. Punjab needs more water to keep up with the growing population and industrial demands on its agriculture, therefore, the dam at Kalabagh would also supply cheap hydro-electric power to the whole country. The results of the study are of value to both academics and policy makers.

Noctuid moth diversity was studied in three selected places in Rajmahal hills viz., Maharo, Satia and Bathbanga from March 2011 to May 2013. Totally 58 species of Noctuids were identified and their diversity, evenness and dominance were calculated. The study revealed very good diversity and evenness of noctuid moths in Rajmahal hills. A 3.8 value of Shannon index showed very high diversity and 0.89 value of evenness showed the relative abundance of all species of moths. This study will encourage others to take up biodiversity studies in this region.