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This research synthesises two evaluations of a local level climate change adaptation and planning process in the southernmost coastal region, Kanyakumari, India which was supported through community-based appraisals. First, understanding the public perception of climate change factors is crucial in generating support for climate change response. Second, generating enough grass-root level support from the local population to assess the long-term climate change impacts on decision-making to design the adaptation strategies for sea-level rise. These two results highlight the level of understanding and awareness of climate change's impact by the local population in the coastal region of Kanyakumari. A well-designed questionnaire with structured interviews, to collect data on local knowledge and local perception of climate change and sea-level rise from 100 respondents was distributed each in 44 coastal villages in the study area. The finding showed that 20.7% of the local population have knowledge of climate change and its impacts and 18.4% of the population agreed that the impact of sea-level rise is experienced in the coastal region. This study is to provide insight into the communities' knowledge of the adaptive capacity of the local population to cope with climate change towards the treaty of sea-level rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Large White Yorkshire (LWY) breed has been extensively used for crossbreeding in India. Genetic evaluation of pre- weaning mortality (PWM) in LWY pigs maintained at Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu was done to understand adaptability of the breed to tropical conditions. Methodology: Pre-weaning mortality was recorded as a binomial trait, for which threshold models have been found to be appropriate. (Co)Variance components for random sources of variation including direct genetic, maternal genetic, maternal permanent environmental and common litter were estimated using linear and threshold models. Factors including inbreeding of the individual animal affecting the trait were included as fixed effects in the mixed models used. Conclusion: The pre-weaning mortality of LWY pigs was comparatively lower indicating better adaptability of the breed. Inbreeding levels above 6 per cent were found to increase PWM. Common litter had significant influence on the genetic parameter estimates. Estimates obtained using threshold model were higher than those obtained by linear models. Threshold models provided solutions for complex models, which had convergence problems with the linear, REML method of estimation. Heritability estimates for PWM obtained through this study could be useful in formulation of breeding plan for LWY pigs in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of comprehensive information on the climate of the coastal region results in insufficient understanding of the impact of changing climate on the coastal ecosystems and also impedes in framing suitable climate-based adaptation strategies and policies at the regional and local level. Monitoring current climate change demands a historical perspective, as much as possible, and framing a baseline climate data is important for establishing a reference point to assess climate change. Thus, the study of past climate change relies critically on the availability of datasets that characterize the climate of the region. In this context, the objective of this article is to provide climate portfolio (collection of climate information) of Pichavaram mangrove region of Tamil Nadu coast, India, and to give an outline of its predicted impacts. Climate data of the past 60 years have been collected, and the trend analysis of major climatic variables such as temperature, rainfall, relative humidity and wind speed has been studied statistically. This research article critically appraises the available climate data, identifies general patterns of climate change in the coastal region and highlights the gaps in existing knowledge on the impact of climate change at the local level. It gives a holistic approach on understanding climate at local level and provides baseline climate information. This, in turn, is expected to shore up in framing suitable adaptation strategies and policies for the coastal region with the most valuable ecosystem such as mangroves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]