Search

Despite growing health concerns and increasing water scarcity, adequate wastewater treatment and reuse remains limited in India. Low-cost, decentralised, and nature-based on-site sanitation systems could play a key role in a circular water approach. This paper evaluates the performance of a Wastewater Fertigated Short Rotation Coppice (wfSRC) system based on willow, poplar, and bamboo species as a potential solution, offering low-cost, efficient water treatment, and high biomass production. Through a full-scale wfSRC pilot plant (250 m3·day−1 municipal wastewater on 6864 m2) established at Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh, India, treatment capacities, biomass production rates, and contamination tolerance of different willow, poplar, and bamboo species were investigated. The chemical compositions of incoming wastewater, percolation water, soil, and biomass were monitored regularly. Despite the high load, all plant sections of the wfSRC system showed efficient removal of wastewater-originated pollutants. BOD5 and COD removal efficiencies were up to 99% and 95% respectively. Removal efficiencies for PO4-P reached 93% and for TN 91%. In general, total nitrogen and phosphate loads appear to be the limiting design parameters under the conditions at Aligarh to meet all discharge limits in India. Biomass production was projected to be >225 tDM·ha−1·yr−1 for bamboo, 65 tDM·ha−1·yr−1 for willow, and 206 tDM·ha−1·yr−1 for poplar. The pilot, conducted from March 2022 to June 2023, showcased how these densely planted agroforestry systems can effectively treat wastewater through natural processes such as oxidation, microbial degradation, and plant uptake. The findings demonstrate wfSRC's potential to serve as a nature-based, sustainable approach to wastewater treatment, particularly beneficial for suburban and rural areas in India and similar regions worldwide. This paper also provides recommendations for future implementation of wfSRC systems, emphasizing the need for careful planning regarding plant selection, system design, and operational strategies to maximize treatment efficiency and biomass production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India with 2.4% of total global land area is home for about 8% of global biological diversity. In providing goods and services to 18% of world's human population this megadiverse country is losing its biological wealth at an alarming rate. The degradation of terrestrial (forests, grasslands, agriculture, etc.) and aquatic (small to large fresh and marine water bodies) ecosystems has been the key factor in accelerating this irreversible and unrepairable loss. Although ecosystem restoration targets are well reflected in various programs and policies of India, the scientific insights and preparedness on this topic and critical analysis of this knowledge to guide policy initiatives for ecosystem restoration was lacking. Therefore, this editorial paper reviewed 22 papers, published in special issue on ' Ecological Restoration of Degraded Ecosystems in India: Science and Practices ' in Ecological Engineering journal, to analyse the scientific knowledge to inform policy and practices towards achieving ecosystem restoration goals in India (https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ecological-engineering/special-issue/109W0PCNQBM). Most studies in this special issue focus on providing solutions for restoration of different degraded ecosystems. A few of them are solving the dilemma of native and non-native species selection for reforestation and afforestation activities. One study provides insights on management of an invasive species in grassland ecosystems. Three studies suggest adopting conservation agriculture practices to enhance agricultural biodiversity, carbon sequestration and socio-economic benefits for marginal farmers. Two out of five papers dealing with aquatic ecosystems provide a framework to quantify the magnitude of degradation, other two propose restoration technologies for coastal zones on India and one assessing the effectiveness of relocating collar reef from degraded urban coasts to reference coastal sites. • Twenty-two papers published in a special issue are reviewed here. • Papers cover terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem restoration studies from India. • 87% papers provide pragmatic solutions for restoration of degraded ecosystems. • Timely collection on scientific preparedness of India for ecosystem restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian tropical deciduous forest due to higher species richness, irregular stem densities and stem cover, multistoried canopy and microclimate, offers dynamism to the understanding of the spatial patters in aboveground biomass (AGB) and carbon (AGBC) within different plant functional types (PFTs). Field-based AGB and AGBC estimates are vital for carbon cycle study and provide inputs for data-deficit regional and global carbon and climate models. In this paper we generated the primary baseline data on tree composition, species richness (SR), AGB and AGBC gathered from nine 10,000 m 2 long-term ecological research (LTER) plots in three distinct PFTs {dry mixed (DM), sal mixed (SM) and teak plantation (TP)} within an Indian tropical deciduous forest along Himalayan foothills during 2009–2012. The functional relationship of PFT structural attributes i.e. SR, density, basal cover, leaf area index and litter fall on AGB was investigated. PCA was applied to study the relationship between PFT microclimate, structural attributes and diversity vs. AGB. A total of 22, 22 and 6 tree species were found in DM, SM and TP PFT, respectively. Shannon's diversity index was highest (2.46) in DM, whereas Simpson's dominance index was maximum (0.85) in TP. AGB (Mg ha −1 ) ranged from 290.82–455.99 among all PFTs. AGBC (Mg ha −1 ) ranged between 207.52–220.34, 215.58–228.87, and 125.94–141.18 in DM, SM and TP respectively. AGB observed strong positive correlation with tree density and cover. PCA revealed humidity and air temperature as the major microclimatic variables, leading to higher AGB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamism of river bed morphology is continuous and an integrated process of mountain's natural outflow in Himalayan Foothill Rivers. In-stream seasonal sediment flux, bridge establishments, bridge scouring and railway-road construction have detrimental influence over the natural flow regime of the river thereby causing channel degradation in the piedmont zone of eastern Himalaya of India, specifically near the urban areas where river management strategies are very weak. Such extreme anthropogenic events have a distinctive influence in changing river bed morphology in the middle-lower part of river Chel in Darjeeling Himalayan piedmont zone of India. Huge sediment aggradation and transportation networks historically have affected River Chel and have caused channel avulsion which poses a serious threat to the physical and ecological environment of Chel. Aggradation and lifting of sediments from the river bed are fatal for the geomorphologic character of the river, though no studies have been undertaken yet, to analyse the situation quantitatively in this regard. This paper presents evidence that suggests the changing river bed morphology, the dynamic nature of the river, the poor health of the river which is principally the impact of the seasonal sediment flux and bridge construction and thus some methods of river restoration in the middle-lower part of the river have been explained. Agglomeration of sediment, flow bifurcation, the volume of seasonal water mass, bed elevation changes and scouring are a major dynamic disposition for change of river bed morphology. Point bar, sidebar, braided active channel, ripples, and rise in the bed elevation are rapid changes in upper to lower part of bridges that are examined in the present study. In the dry season (December to February), a huge amount of sediment lifting makes incommodious man-made holes and a number of emergent channels which principally control the formation of a new active channel in the next monsoon season. The avulsion of major intra-active channels and morphological changes of the river bed for the last 85 years have also been observed in this study. Unlabelled Image • This paper presents evidence that suggests that the changing river bed morphology, the dynamic nature of the river, the poor health of the river is principally the impact of the huge sediment aggradation and bridge construction and thus some methods of river restoration in the middle-lower part of river Chel. • Suspended sediment, aggradation and degradation, Scouring calculation for boulder agglomeration, Compare of satellite images and Topographical map for braided channel shifting are major methods for understanding of outcome results. • Agglomeration of sediment, flow bifurcation, volume of seasonal water mass, bed elevation change and scouring are major dynamic disposition for change of river bed morphology by bridge construction scouring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eutrophication has emerged as one of the main threats to surface water bodies. The parameters for assessing eutrophication are not generally measured regularly from the lakes of India as part of monitoring programmes and it is necessary to express the trophic status in terms of secondary indicator variables that are included in the routine analysis by the State/Central government. In this paper, the trophic status of Ashtamudi Lake has been studied, considering its international importance and socio-economic relevance. The cause and response variables such as total phosphorus, Secchi disc depth, chlorophyll-a and the secondary indicator variables such as pH, turbidity, DO, EC, Salinity, TDS and BOD were analysed during the pre-monsoon season. The lake was predominantly classified as eutrophic, with some areas coming under a hypereutrophic state. A comparison was made among the five methods of water quality index by the use of secondary indicator variables to identify the appropriate method for simulating trophic status and the WQI based on the logarithmic method considering pH, turbidity, DO and BOD was identified to predict the trophic state very well. Further, the application of numerical strategy such as fuzzy logic was used to determine water quality indexes and trophic status, which can define the quality of a water body as a consequence of the variation of environmental parameters. The developed approach was further validated by using historical data for the years 2013–2015, which were regularly monitored by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board. The trophic state predicted by the approach was found to be in agreement with that estimated using Carlson's method. Thus the developed model, based on secondary indicator parameters that are readily available from government agencies, can be used to assess the trophic state of lakes, thereby assisting policy makers to frame regulations to minimize eutrophication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents results of a research trial for standardizing a rehabilitation protocol through developing vegetation cover to rehabilitate red mud ponds. The trial was conducted at one of the red mud ponds of Hindustan Aluminum Company Limited (HINDALCO), the largest aluminum producer of India, at Ranchi district of Jharkhand State in eastern India. The trial was set up as a factorial experiment with five tree species, four treatment combinations, two irrigation types and two pit sizes. Growth data of five tree species for six parameters (collar diameter, GBH, plant height, crown diameter, number of leaves and number of branches) were recorded over 19 months. Four-way independent ANOVA was conducted on the growth data where all main effects, interaction effects and marginal means were computed. A best fit plantation protocol was developed out of this analysis, with Acacia nilotica and Albizia lebbeck emerging as the best performing tree species. Among different treatments, 20% gypsum along with 10% vermicompost and acid producing bacteria emerged as most preferred treatment amenders. Between two irrigation types, drip irrigation provided better growth results in all the tree species. Effect of the pit size was not found to be statistically significant for this time scale. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]