Search

In this study, we analyze the spatiotemporal patterns of propagation of pre‐monsoon heatwaves and their drivers in India. Using complex networks, we find that heatwaves originate most frequently in northwest India and propagate in the northeast or southeast direction. Heatwaves propagating in the northeast direction have a higher intensity, lower moving distance, smaller areal coverage, and shorter duration than heatwaves moving in the southeast. We find that the larger area and duration of heatwaves propagating southeast are a result of development of larger and more persistent high‐pressure systems extending over entire northern and eastern India, which are influenced by El Niño Southern Oscillation. On the other hand, higher radiative fluxes and larger heat entrainment in the boundary layer in the heatwaves propagating northeast contribute to their higher intensities. Plain Language Summary: We analyze the spatial patterns of where heatwaves originate and how they spread in the pre‐monsoon period in India. We find that most heatwaves originate in northwest India. Some of these heatwaves spread to north and central India while some propagate to south India. Heatwaves in northern and central India have higher intensity and last for a shorter period of time as compared to those which spread to south India. The area and duration of heatwaves moving toward south India are influenced by El Nino events. On the other hand, the intensity of heatwaves of central and north India is higher due to greater shortwave radiation and heat entrainment in the boundary layer. Key Points: Regions of origin and termination of pre‐monsoon heatwaves in India are identified using complex networks and event synchronizationMajority of heatwaves originate from northwest India and propagate in the northeast or southeast directionHeatwaves propagating southwards have larger duration and areal extent and are influenced by El Niño Southern Oscillation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study is to identify the global research output on Taliban during the period of 25 years spanning from 1996-2020. Specific objectives are to analyze the distribution of literature, publication trends, authorship patterns, institutional productivity, collaboration networks, and prolific funding agencies. The data was harvested from the Web of Science Core Collection. A total of 614 records were retrieved on Taliban having 4416 total citations. The highest output was recorded in 2002, with a share of 7.83% to overall literature. The citation pattern depicted a fluctuating, the highest share being received in the year 2002 (14.47%), followed by the years 2010, 2004, and 2007 with the citation share of 11.03%, 10.67%, and 6.82% respectively. The results depict that among all the countries, the USA is topping the list, contributing almost 47.1% of the total research output followed by the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Australia, and Canada with the publication share of 16.78%, 6.19%, 6.03%, and 4.4% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical forests are rich in biodiversity with great potential for carbon (C) storage. We estimated ecosystem-level C stock using data from 70 forest plots in three major forest types: tropical dry deciduous (TDD I and TDD II), tropical semi-evergreen (TSE I and TSE II) and tropical evergreen forests (TEF I, TEF II and TEF III) of Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, India. The average C stock in these forests was 336.8 Mg C/ha, of which 231.3, 3.0, 2.4, 15.2 and 84.9 Mg C/ha were stored in woody vegetation, understorey, litter, deadwood and soil respectively. The live vegetation, detritus and soil contributed 65.5%, 5.5% and 29% respectively to the total ecosystem-level C stock and distributed in forest types in the order: TEF III > TEF II > TEF I > TSE I > TDD II > TSE II > TDD I. The plant diversity, structural attributes and environmental factors showed significant positive correlations with C stocks and accounted for 6.7, 77.2 and 16% of variance. These findings indicate that the tropical forests in the Western Ghats store large amount of C, and resulting data are invaluable for planning and monitoring forest conservation and management programs to enhance C storage in tropical forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation in tree biomass and carbon (C) stocks in tropical dry forests is important at both regional and global scale to know their contribution in global C cycle. In Indian tropical forests, the information on variation in tree biomass and C stocks at forest type level is scarce and fragmented. In the present study, three tropical dry deciduous forest types: dry deciduous teak forest (DDTF), dry deciduous mixed forest (DDMF) and Boswellia forest (BF) have been selected in Madhya Pradesh, Central India, to assess the biomass and C stocks. The total tree biomass (aboveground + belowground) ranged from 70.4 (DDTF) to 296.6 (BF) Mg/ha with a mean of 184.1 Mg/ha, whereas the tree C ranged from 35.3 (DDTF) to 140.9 (BF) Mg C/ha with a mean value of 87.4 Mg C/ha. The greatest biomass (220.4 Mg/ha) and C stocks (104.7 Mg C/ha) have been observed in BF type, whereas the least biomass (160.9 Mg/ha) and C (76.4 Mg C/ha) have been observed in DDTF type, with the mean biomass and C stock values of 184.1 Mg/ha and 87.4 Mg C/ha, respectively. In both DDTF and DDMF types, Tectona grandis contributed 76.5 and 26.4% of C, whereas in BF type, Boswellia serrata contributed 73.6% of C to the total C stock. A significant positive (R2 = 0.951; p < 0.01) relationship has been observed between basal area and tree C stock. The present study would improve our understanding of C stocks present in these forest types and could be used to enhance the C sequestration potential through conservation, monitoring and management of such forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A MODIS-based technology on agricultural burning has been proposed. • Overall number of fires increasing significantly from 1268 in 2002 to 7915 in 2016. • Most of these fires were recorded in cropland (48.1%) followed by deciduous forest. • Fire counts in cropland have been increased from 454 in 2002 to 4359 in 2016. • The agricultural residue fires were maximum in April and minimum in August. An accurate characterization of the seasonal and inter-annual variability of agricultural residue burning in tropics is needed to devise strategies to control or minimize substantial amounts of particulate matter and pollutants released to the atmosphere through the burning of agricultural residues. The present study quantifies the spatiotemporal changes in agricultural residue burning in Madhya Pradesh, India. In this study, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data on the occurrence of fire over a period of 15 years (2002–2016) was used to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of agricultural residue burning in Central India. Overall, there was an increasing trend of fire occurrence, which increased from 1268 in 2002 to 7915 in 2016. Most of these fires were in croplands (48.1%) followed by deciduous broadleaf forests (36%). Cropland fires were increased almost 10-fold from 454 in 2002 to 4359 in 2016 at an average annual rate of 64%. The agricultural residue fires were high in Rabi harvesting period (March to May), as compared to that in Kharif harvesting period (October to December). The present study indicates an increased agricultural residue burning activity in the Madhya Pradesh and needs an immediate attention and develop sustainable alternative methods for crop residue management. The present study also suggests that Modis can be used for long-term assessment of small fires. We recommend ploughing of agricultural residues into the soil as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to the burning of crop residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geomorphic and morphotectonic evaluations of the Kashmir Basin have been carried by implicating different geomorphic indices such as stream-gradient index (SL), hypsometric integral (HI), drainage basin asymmetry (AF), valley floor height and width ratio (Vf), transverse topographic symmetry factor (T), mountain front sinuosity (Smf), drainage basin shape (BS) and sinuosity index (SI) for the categorization of relative index of active tectonics (RIAT) through the use of geographic information systems (GIS) so as to decipher the role of neotectonics in geomorphologic evolution of the basin. The verified RIAT classes through field investigation and validation reveal the traverse of twenty-one active faults in the basin with demarcation of three RIAT classes viz., class-1 (inactive 20.07% of the area), class-2 (moderately active; 36.52% of the area) and class-3 (very active; 43.4% of the area). The observed values of RIAT distribution pattern are well corroborated with field observations. Ultimately, the overall geomorphic outputs and clustering of recent seismicity support the active tectonic control over the Kashmir basin, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We used an eco‐phylogenetic approach to investigate the diversity and assembly patterns of tropical dry forests (TDFs) in Central India. We aimed at informing conservation and restoration practices in these anthropogenically disturbed forests by identifying potential habitats of conservation significance and elements of regional biodiversity most vulnerable to human impact and climate change. Location: Tropical dry forests of Madhya Pradesh, Central India. Methods: We analysed the species richness, stem density, basal area and phylogenetic structure (standardized effect size of MNTD, MPD, PD and community evolutionary distinctiveness cED) of 117 tree species assemblages distributed across a ~230 to ~940 m elevational gradient. We examined how these community measures and taxonomic (Sørensen) and phylogenetic (UniFrac) beta diversity varied with elevation, precipitation, temperature and climatic stress. Results: Species richness, phylogenetic diversity, stem density and basal area were positively correlated with elevation, with high‐elevation plots exhibiting cooler temperatures, higher precipitation and lower stress. High‐elevation assemblages also trended towards greater phylogenetic dispersion, which diminished at lower elevations and in drier, more stressful plots. Phylogenetic turnover was observed across the elevation gradient, and species evolutionary distinctiveness increased at lower elevations and under harsher abiotic conditions. Main Conclusions: Harsher abiotic conditions at low elevations may act as a selective filter on plant lineages, leading to phylogenetically clustered low‐diversity assemblages. These assemblages contained more evolutionarily distinct species that may contribute disproportionately to biodiversity. Conversely, milder abiotic conditions at high elevations may serve as refuges for drought‐sensitive species, resulting in more diverse assemblages. Conservation practices that prioritize both high‐ and low‐elevation habitats could promote the persistence of evolutionarily distinct species and areas of high biodiversity within the Central Indian landscape. Establishing connectivity between these habitats may provide a range of climatic conditions for species to retreat to or persist within as climates change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study analyzes the tree diversity and regeneration status of species between repeated forest fires and unburned areas of the tropical dry deciduous forest of Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR), Madhya Pradesh, Central India. Fire frequency maps were prepared with the help of Landsat 5, 7, and 8 satellite images, and the study area was classified into seven fire frequency classes (B1 to B7) and one control class (B0). Five plots were laid in every fire class including the control. A total of 45 tree species belonging to 33 genera and 20 families were recorded during the study period and of these, 44, 26, and 25 species were recorded in the three-growth stages: trees, saplings, and seedlings, respectively. Of the 7873 individuals recorded, 2667, 1243, and 3963 were seedlings, saplings, and trees, respectively. Our results showed that tree species diversity was higher at moderate fire frequencies than controls, but decreased with increasing fire frequency classes. Regeneration of species was significantly different among all fire frequency classes. Certain fire-tolerant species were increasingly dominant with increasing fire frequency classes. With fires left to continue unabated, the dry deciduous forest of the Central Indian region could have lower tree diversity in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is categorized by alteration of vital pathways such as β-catenin (CTNNB1) mutations, WNT signaling activation, tumor protein 53 (TP53) inactivation, BRAF, Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) inactivation, KRAS, dysregulation of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes, MYC amplification, etc. In the present study an attempt was made to screen CTNNB1 gene in colorectal cancer samples from Pakistani population and investigated the association of CTNNB1 gene mutations in the development of colorectal cancer. Methods: 200 colorectal tumors approximately of male and female patients with sporadic or familial colorectal tumors and normal tissues were included. DNA was extracted and amplified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subjected to exome sequence analysis. Immunohistochemistry was done to study protein expression. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations of CTNNB1WT and mutant S33F and T41A were performed to evaluate the stability, folding, conformational changes and dynamic behaviors of CTNNB1 protein. Results: Sequence analysis revealed two activating mutations (S33F and T41A) in exon 3 of CTNNB1 gene involving the transition of C.T and A.G at amino acid position 33 and 41 respectively (p.C33T and p.A41G). Immuno-histochemical staining showed the accumulation of β-catenin protein both in cytoplasm as well as in the nuclei of cancer cells when compared with normal tissue. Further molecular modeling, docking and simulation approaches revealed significant conformational changes in the N-terminus region of normal to mutant CTNNB1 gene critical for binding with Glycogen synthase kinase 3-B (GSK3) and transducin containing protein1 (TrCp1). Conclusion: Present study on Pakistani population revealed an association of two non-synonymous polymorphisms in the CTNNB1 gene with colorectal cancer. These genetic variants led to the accumulation of the CTNNB1, a hallmark of tumor development. Also, analysis of structure to function alterations in CTNNB1 gene is crucial in understanding downstream biological events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]