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Riverbank erosion is a global problem with significant socio-economic impacts. Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) has recently emerged as a promising technology for improving the mechanical properties of soils. The present study investigates the potential of selectively enriched native calcifying bacterial community and its supplementation into the riverbank soil of the Brahmaputra river for reducing the erodibility of the soil. The ureolytic and calcium carbonate cementation abilities of the enriched cultures were investigated with reference to the standard calcifying culture of Sporosarcina pasteurii (ATCC 11859). 16S rRNA analysis revealed Firmicutes to be the most predominant calcifying class with Sporosarcina pasteurii and Pseudogracilibacillus auburnensis as the prevalent strains. The morphological and mineralogical characterization of carbonate crystals confirmed the calcite precipitation potential of these communities. The erodibility of soil treated with native calcifying communities was examined via needle penetration and lab-scale hydraulic flume test. We found a substantial reduction in soil erosion in the biocemented sample with a calcite content of 7.3% and needle penetration index of 16 N/mm. We report the cementation potential of biostimulated ureolytic cultures for minimum intervention to riparian biodiversity for an environmentally conscious alternative to current erosion mitigation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plankton and semi-plankton samples collected from four floodplain lakes (beels) of Barpeta district of lower Brahmaputra river basin, Assam state, northeastern India (NEI) revealed eighteen rotifer species of biodiversity and biogeographic interest belonging to five families and six genera. One species is new to the Indian Rotifera and one species is new to Assam. Our collections are characterized by two Australasian elements, five Oriental endemics, seven paleotropical species, and one cosmo (sub) tropical species. Nine species, restricted to date to NEI, are examples of regional distribution importance in India while six species depicted disjunct distribution in the country. Interestingly, seven species are categorized as Eastern hemisphere elements. All the taxa are illustrated to warrant validation as an increasing magnitude of 'unverifiable records' is a serious impediment for the progress of rotifer biodiversity in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rotifer communities of 15 acidic - alkaline and soft - marginally hard water floodplain lakes of the lower Assam valley of the Brahmaputra river basin, characterized by low ionic concentrations, reveal 164 species (178 taxa) belonging to 39 genera and 20 families and represent the richest biodiversity known to date in these ecotones of the Indian subcontinent. Nine species are new to the Indian Rotifera. Cosmopolitan (59.7%)>pantropical (15.2%)>cosmotropical (12.2%) species dominate the taxocoenosis. Biogeographically interesting elements constitute a notable component (13.4%); important members of this category include six Oriental, two Australasian and seven Palaeotropical species. The examined fauna depicts a tropical character with predominance ofLecanespp. (28.0%). Littoral or periphytic rotifers (76.2%) dominate the planktonic species. Rotifers comprise a dominant qualitative (67-103, 79.1?±?11.0 species) and an important quantitative (mean: 41.1-65.9%) component of zooplankton in all floodplain lakes, register a moderate diversity (mean: 2.036-2.642), low dominance (mean: 0.019-0.216) and high evenness (mean: 0.840-0.893). The examined material indicates several interesting acidophilous elements. Richness depicts significant inverse correlation with pH. Water temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and alkalinity record significant direct relationships with the rotifer abundance. Diversity is influenced by abundance and is also directly correlated with water temperature and conductivity. Canonical analysis shows a notable cumulative impact of six abiotic factors on richness, density and diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]