This volume presents part of the proceedings of NERC 2022, with an emphasis on conservation of bio-diversity in North-east India. This is a highly challenging and involved topic due to regionally diverse physiographic, geographical and eco-climatic conditions. Henceforth, systemic and holistic frameworks are required to disseminate upon the potential of science and technology for the conservation of the region’s bio-diversity. Notable among these frameworks refers to plant, microbial and animal bio-diversity conservation, value-added product development and sharing the benefits of such research for the perspective of bio-prospects, analysing critical environmental and climatic factors and their sensitivity upon urbanization strategies. Tools that are to be deployed for such insights involve plant, animal, and microbial bioscience and biotechnology, generalized rules for product design and development and survey based strategies. Addressing relevant competent methodologies and generic pedagogies, this volume on the bio-diversity conservation in North-eastern states of India aims to demonstrate the potential of pragmatic strategies that can be applied for the bio-diversity conservation in any region of world. Thereby, opportunities for nature linked livelihood security can be sought for the long term wellbeing of the humankind and ecology.
This work is a comprehensive information on the indigenous bioresources of North Eastern India with the scope of bioprospecting for discovery and commercialization of new sources and products and long-term ecological balance. The exploration, conservation and sustainable utilization of bioresources of world’s Megabiodiversity Hotspots are undeniable. North Eastern India is a recognised biodiversity hot spot where the evolutionary forces are at its optimum, making this region as centre of origin for many species. Although little bit exploratory studies have been conducted in this part of the globe but a scientific exploitation of the bioresources is almost lacking. Unscientific exploitation and overexploitation without proper knowledge of the bioresources may lead to imbalanced ecosystem of this mega diversity region. At the same time, very less exploration and exploitation will hamper biodiversity based development. Today, unscientific dramatic changes are underway in this region. Human activities are changing, degrading and destroying the bioresources in an unplanned manner. Scientific bioprospecting of the bioresources will boost the economy while ensuring conservation. This book offers comprehensive information about various levels of bioprospecting of the gene pool of this Indo-Burma Mega Biodiversity Hot Spot, the North East India, which is endowed with huge biodiversity potential for exploration and exploitation for the benefit of humankind. Also, this book highlights the less and merely explored part of the indigenous biodiversity of North East India with explanation towards their better sustainable exploitation for benefit of the people, economy and environment. The novelty of the book lies in expert coverage of the bioresources of this mega-diverse region including plants, microbes, insects etc. with provisions for their sustainable scientific utilization. This book portrays North East India as a melting pot of bioresources which are little explored and also those resources which are still to be explored. The book mainly highlights the bioprospecting approaches for North East Indian bioresources, and thus, it make itself a unique one in filling the knowledge gap that is there regarding the bioprospecting of the biodiversity of this special region on the earth. The book concludes by the ecotourism potential of this region. The target audiences for this book include biodiversity economists who are working on technology and bioresource management issues, and especially on biotechnology and biodiversity, development economists addressing the issues of bioresources in developing countries. These people may be in academia, in government, in non-governmental organizations and in private companies. The other target audiences group is policy scholars in government/public sectors who are interested in issues of biotechnology, IPRs, and biodiversity. In addition, scholars/experts in both development studies and resource management studies form another group of target audiences. Also, the book will be useful for the interaction between developed and developing nations regarding the issues of biodiversity and bioprospecting, as North Eastern India is the hub of Biodiversity.
North east India is a global biodiversity hotspot but a quite understudied area. Forest loss has always been problematic in the area. Using Landsat satellite data from three periods (70s, 80s/90s and 2010s), forest loss is assessed in sample protected areas and other sites in the study area, processing is undertaken using image processing and standard GIS tools. The landscape metrics of selected sites are assessed using the widely used program FRAGSTATS. Drivers of forest loss are central in the discussion of the study.
Biodiversity and Livelihood: Lessons from Community Research in India Is a compilation of research articles on the ecological biodiversity and local conservation efforts of selected regions in India, and among local communities throughout the county. 18 chapters have been contributed by experts in ecology, sustainability and ethnic studies in India. The chapters provide information on a wide range of tops which cover local communities, their agricultural practices and the ecological relationships between their community and the species on which their livelihood depends. Contributions emphasize different aspects of these topics, such as observational ecological information about the aforementioned regions and communities, the local biodiversity, tribal customs of ethnic communities that are linked to conservation, specific programs which are aimed at the conservation of specific plant and animal species endemic to the region, the benefits shared by the communities involved with conservation programs and recommendations shared by the authors for sustainable management of the regional ecosystem and its resources. Readers will find a wealth of information about biodiversity conservation in different regions in India (most notably the western and eastern ghats and provinces such as Kerala and Andhra Pradesh), from a basic and applied perspective. The book is, therefore, an informative reference for conservationists, ecologists, environmentalists and ethnologists who are studying the biodiversity and conservation of India. Readers involved in sustainable development programs in the region will also find the content valuable to their knowledge.
The Routledge Companion to Northeast India is a trans-disciplinary and comprehensive compendium of a vital yet under-researched region in South Asia. It provides a unique guide to prevailing themes, theories, arguments, and history of Northeast India by discussing its life-forms – human and not – languages, landscapes, and lifeways in all its diversity and difference. The companion contains authoritative entries from leading specialists from and on the region and offers clear, concise, and illuminating explanations of key themes and ideas. A hands-on, practical, and comprehensive guide to Northeast India, this companion fills a significant gap in the literature and will be an invaluable teaching, learning, and research resource for scholars and students of Northeast India Studies, South Asian and Southeast Asian societies, culture, politics, humanities, and the social sciences in general.
This handbook is designed for staff in protected areas around the world who encounter conflicts of all kinds. It presents a framework and strategies for responding to different types of conflicts, along with case studies that describe a variety of approaches for dealing with conflict.
India’s northeastern region, forged by a unique geological history and peopled by several waves of migration, is extraordinarily complex. Farming systems in the hills and the riverine plains are embedded in a heterogeneous environment, comprising forests, wetlands and fields, shaped over centuries by nature and people. Today, the environment and economy are undergoing rapid transformation, affecting peoples’ lives, livelihoods and methods of food production. The essays in this volume bring a multi-disciplinary perspective to critical aspects of the process of agricultural change, examine the gender dimensions of agriculture, and explore initiatives for sustainable livelihood and ecological conservation. Part I analyses the impact of policies and people’s own aspirations on the closely-intertwined ecology and economy of the region. Part II discusses the gender dynamics of farming, forestry and biodiversity in a socio-cultural context where women are primarily responsible for food production. Part III highlights some alternative farming interventions and community-based efforts for environmental conservation, sustainable resource management and improved livelihoods. This book will be useful to scholars and students of agriculture, economics, development, environment and gender studies, and to those involved in policy analysis, natural resource management and community organisation, as also general readers interested in India’s northeastern region.
Biodiversity Conservation - Challenges for the Future is a multidisciplinary book, linking topics on biodiversity, conservation, food and nutrition, organic farming, food security and sustainable management. The book summarizes the key ideas for meeting the challenges of biodiversity conservation. It presents suggestions and recommendations and reiterates the need for raising awareness among a range of stakeholders about conservation and sustainable management of biological resources and associated traditional knowledge resources along with ensuring appropriate capacity building at individual and institutional levels. The book also brings a wealth of knowledge about the local marine ecosystem and Western Ghats biodiversity. Readers will find an a overview of several aspects of biodiversity ranging from: a) The diversity of flora and fauna which will be of immense benefit to the local community. b) Laws and regulations related to access and benefits of sharing Bio-resources. c) Sustainable management models for marine and wetland environmental conservation. d) Case studies of human participation in biodiversity conservation programmes. e) Key ideas for meeting the challenges of biodiversity conservation and for planning conservation programmes. Biodiversity Conservation - Challenges for the Future is a handy resource for the local conservationist community consisting of policy makers, academicians, scientists, environmentalists, students and grass root level conservationists.
