Sunday, July 4, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Biodiversity in hypersaline environments:”Salt Pans” by Dr. Savita Kerkar
Bidiversity in hypersaline environments:”Salt Pans”
Savita Kerkar
Dept of Biotechnology
Goa University
Hypersaline environments are ecosystems which support the existence of profuse microbial ife at high salt concentrations. No less intriguing is the adaptability of many halophiles,epecially those belonging to the domains: Bacteria and Eukarya,which display ahigh degree of versatility in their ability to rapidly adjust to changes in the osmotic pressure of their surrounding medium. With the increase in our understanding of the diversity of halophilic microorganisms,it has become clear that nature has devised an extensive variety of strategies to cope up with life in hypersaline environments. The basic knowledge accumulated on the properties of halophilic Archaea,Bacteria and Eukarya has led to the development of some interesting biotechnological applications, including use of their organic osmotic solutes as enzyme protectants, production of salt –resistant enzymes and use of certain Dunaliella strains for mass production of B-carotene. India is the 3rd worlds largest salt producer. Gujarat, Maharastra, Goa , Kerala, Tamil Nadu & Sundarbans are the main salt producers in India. India produces 10 million tone of salt per annum, however the production is decreasing. In Goa 25,000 metric tons of salt was produced annually upto 2002 with 200 operational salt pans.Presently only 16,000 metric tons is harvested. From a net exporter of salt ,now India is a net importer as the traditional salt industry is now on the verge of collapse. Salt pans act as sponges and absorb the pressure from the tides and thus protect the environment. It is our moral obligation to protect these existing endangered salt pan ecosystems and the diverse organisms.
Savita Kerkar
Dept of Biotechnology
Goa University
Hypersaline environments are ecosystems which support the existence of profuse microbial ife at high salt concentrations. No less intriguing is the adaptability of many halophiles,epecially those belonging to the domains: Bacteria and Eukarya,which display ahigh degree of versatility in their ability to rapidly adjust to changes in the osmotic pressure of their surrounding medium. With the increase in our understanding of the diversity of halophilic microorganisms,it has become clear that nature has devised an extensive variety of strategies to cope up with life in hypersaline environments. The basic knowledge accumulated on the properties of halophilic Archaea,Bacteria and Eukarya has led to the development of some interesting biotechnological applications, including use of their organic osmotic solutes as enzyme protectants, production of salt –resistant enzymes and use of certain Dunaliella strains for mass production of B-carotene. India is the 3rd worlds largest salt producer. Gujarat, Maharastra, Goa , Kerala, Tamil Nadu & Sundarbans are the main salt producers in India. India produces 10 million tone of salt per annum, however the production is decreasing. In Goa 25,000 metric tons of salt was produced annually upto 2002 with 200 operational salt pans.Presently only 16,000 metric tons is harvested. From a net exporter of salt ,now India is a net importer as the traditional salt industry is now on the verge of collapse. Salt pans act as sponges and absorb the pressure from the tides and thus protect the environment. It is our moral obligation to protect these existing endangered salt pan ecosystems and the diverse organisms.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
What is fungal biodiversity to us?- By D. Jayarama Bhat
What is fungal biodiversity to us?
By
D. Jayarama Bhat
Department of Botany, Goa University, Goa-403 206
Fungi are eukaryotic, achlorophylous, filamentous or unicellular, microorganisms. They are ubiquitous in nature, found everywhere, and constitute a major decomposers’ community in the biosphere. By number, they are very large. Of the estimated 1.5 million species, only about 83,000 have so far been documented from around the world. Then, where are the remaining fungi? Nearly 30% of the known fungi have been recorded only from the tropics. Fungi of India are known, to some extent. The unexplored habitats in the warmer belt of the globe including the Indian subcontinent are said to be the ‘store-house’ of hitherto unknown fungi in nature.
By virtue of their amazingly large number and diversity of enzymes and metabolites, fungi are able to subsist either as saprotrophs, obligate pathogens or facultative inhabitants, on plants and animals. The substrates and/or habitats that fungi occupy include aerial leaves, internal tissues of plants, decaying leaves and twigs, herbivore dung, live or dead insects, ponds, lakes, streams and rivers, mangroves, oceans and seas and humans . Conspicuous fruit-body forming mushrooms, polypores, brackets, earth-stars, bird-nests, etc., belonging to Basidiomycota and morels and some of the big cup-fungi in Ascomycota are referred as macrofungi. All other fungi, viz. members of Chytridiomycota, Zygomycota and Ascomycota and their asexual phases, are considered as microfungi.
The factual species diversity of fungi may be much greater than the estimated numbers. Estimates of the global species vary from 0.5 to 9.9 x 106 with a proposed 1.5 x 106 species. It is possible that as many as 1.5 M species have still remained undetected.
Diversity of fungi exhibited in form and structure is often expressed in function. The taxonomic diversity in fungi is said to be a reflection of their metabolic versatility. In the recent years, a large number of molecules with known and unknown biological activity have been discovered from fungi. Presently, the fungi are considered as most valuable and economically stainable resources that could conveniently be channelized into various applications in agriculture, bioremediation, carbon sequestration, energy production, fermentation, feed, food, fuel, health-care and industry.
Biodiversity studies
Recent years have witnessed keen interest in understanding the importance of various ecosystems and their biodiversity. The interest is reflected through programmes such as the ‘Global Taxonomy Initiative’, endorsed by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which is aimed to improve taxonomic knowledge and capacity building and to promote conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of the benefits of biodiversity. As per the guidelines of CBD, National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), India, has been set up and is presently functioning from Chennai (www.nbaindia.org).
Strangely, fungi attracted less attention in discussions of biodiversity studies and conservation efforts, as compared to plants and animals. Floristic mycology did not attain significance in the biological scene. Nevertheless, continued survey and isolation and documentation by several dedicated mycologists from a few universities and institutions have resulted with accumulation of recognizable data on fungi of India.
India, endowed with diverse physiography, vegetation, ecosystem and habitats, has huge potential for further explorations and utilization of its untapped biodiversity. The NBA has recently formulated guidelines for understanding and utilization of the microbial diversity, including fungi, of our country. A variety of habitats and substrates present in two mega-biodiversity zones, i.e. the Western Ghats in southern India and the north-eastern Himalayas, are rich repositories of fungal wealth. Efforts are now on to document the fungi of India from hitherto unexplored and under-explored habitats and substrates and to assess the economic value of these microorganisms. The ‘All-India Coordinated Project on Taxonomy (AICOPTAX) of Fungi’, initiated by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, since 2000, is one such major attempt.
Fungi of the Western Ghats
Though fungi of the Western Ghats have been explored and documented since the beginning of last century, only small fraction of them is known so far. We have been exploring the fungal diversity in this laboratory, since the inception of the University. It will be a challenge for the future not only to unravel the fungal wealth of this region and conserve in ex situ repositories but also to use them for advantage in sectors such as agriculture, bioremediation, C-sequestration, energy, fermentation, feed, food, fuel, and health-care.
.
Uses of fungi
Fungi are used in bread-making, edible mushrooms, alcoholic fermentations, production of life-saving drugs, non-toxic dyes and flavours, biocontrol agents of crops and human pathogens, nutritive and protein-rich food additives, acids and enzymes useful in bio-pulping, bioleaching and bioremediation, mycorrhizal biofertilizers, and SSF of organic waste. Annual global trade of goods and services from fungi in the form of acids, antibiotics, beverages, biofertilizer, biofuel, bioremediation, foodstuffs, healthcare, immunosuppressant, industrial enzymes, vitamins and waste degradation, is said to be about US $ 43 million in 2004. The search for industrially useful novel metabolites and medicinally significant bioactive molecules, is now a priority area research. However, less than 1% of fungal species are available in live form in culture collections around the world, and only a small fraction of the fungal taxa has so far been assessed for their activity.
Efforts are now on to document and conserve the fungi of India from hitherto unexplored and under-explored habitats and substrates and further to assess the economic value of fungal biodiversity. With vast stretches of forests, numerous seasonal streams and rivulets, the forests of Western Ghats have an invaluable wealth of fungal diversity to showcase in the coming days.
We can transform the fungal resources into sustainable revenue generating national wealth. We need very dynamic, motivated and talented young people to work with fungi. The institutes of higher learning in the country should train more young mycologists who would translate the biological wealth into sustainable national treasure. Let the media tell around the world around that facilities are available at Goa University to study the fungi and understand them.
By
D. Jayarama Bhat
Department of Botany, Goa University, Goa-403 206
Fungi are eukaryotic, achlorophylous, filamentous or unicellular, microorganisms. They are ubiquitous in nature, found everywhere, and constitute a major decomposers’ community in the biosphere. By number, they are very large. Of the estimated 1.5 million species, only about 83,000 have so far been documented from around the world. Then, where are the remaining fungi? Nearly 30% of the known fungi have been recorded only from the tropics. Fungi of India are known, to some extent. The unexplored habitats in the warmer belt of the globe including the Indian subcontinent are said to be the ‘store-house’ of hitherto unknown fungi in nature.
By virtue of their amazingly large number and diversity of enzymes and metabolites, fungi are able to subsist either as saprotrophs, obligate pathogens or facultative inhabitants, on plants and animals. The substrates and/or habitats that fungi occupy include aerial leaves, internal tissues of plants, decaying leaves and twigs, herbivore dung, live or dead insects, ponds, lakes, streams and rivers, mangroves, oceans and seas and humans . Conspicuous fruit-body forming mushrooms, polypores, brackets, earth-stars, bird-nests, etc., belonging to Basidiomycota and morels and some of the big cup-fungi in Ascomycota are referred as macrofungi. All other fungi, viz. members of Chytridiomycota, Zygomycota and Ascomycota and their asexual phases, are considered as microfungi.
The factual species diversity of fungi may be much greater than the estimated numbers. Estimates of the global species vary from 0.5 to 9.9 x 106 with a proposed 1.5 x 106 species. It is possible that as many as 1.5 M species have still remained undetected.
Diversity of fungi exhibited in form and structure is often expressed in function. The taxonomic diversity in fungi is said to be a reflection of their metabolic versatility. In the recent years, a large number of molecules with known and unknown biological activity have been discovered from fungi. Presently, the fungi are considered as most valuable and economically stainable resources that could conveniently be channelized into various applications in agriculture, bioremediation, carbon sequestration, energy production, fermentation, feed, food, fuel, health-care and industry.
Biodiversity studies
Recent years have witnessed keen interest in understanding the importance of various ecosystems and their biodiversity. The interest is reflected through programmes such as the ‘Global Taxonomy Initiative’, endorsed by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which is aimed to improve taxonomic knowledge and capacity building and to promote conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of the benefits of biodiversity. As per the guidelines of CBD, National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), India, has been set up and is presently functioning from Chennai (www.nbaindia.org).
Strangely, fungi attracted less attention in discussions of biodiversity studies and conservation efforts, as compared to plants and animals. Floristic mycology did not attain significance in the biological scene. Nevertheless, continued survey and isolation and documentation by several dedicated mycologists from a few universities and institutions have resulted with accumulation of recognizable data on fungi of India.
India, endowed with diverse physiography, vegetation, ecosystem and habitats, has huge potential for further explorations and utilization of its untapped biodiversity. The NBA has recently formulated guidelines for understanding and utilization of the microbial diversity, including fungi, of our country. A variety of habitats and substrates present in two mega-biodiversity zones, i.e. the Western Ghats in southern India and the north-eastern Himalayas, are rich repositories of fungal wealth. Efforts are now on to document the fungi of India from hitherto unexplored and under-explored habitats and substrates and to assess the economic value of these microorganisms. The ‘All-India Coordinated Project on Taxonomy (AICOPTAX) of Fungi’, initiated by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, since 2000, is one such major attempt.
Fungi of the Western Ghats
Though fungi of the Western Ghats have been explored and documented since the beginning of last century, only small fraction of them is known so far. We have been exploring the fungal diversity in this laboratory, since the inception of the University. It will be a challenge for the future not only to unravel the fungal wealth of this region and conserve in ex situ repositories but also to use them for advantage in sectors such as agriculture, bioremediation, C-sequestration, energy, fermentation, feed, food, fuel, and health-care.
.
Uses of fungi
Fungi are used in bread-making, edible mushrooms, alcoholic fermentations, production of life-saving drugs, non-toxic dyes and flavours, biocontrol agents of crops and human pathogens, nutritive and protein-rich food additives, acids and enzymes useful in bio-pulping, bioleaching and bioremediation, mycorrhizal biofertilizers, and SSF of organic waste. Annual global trade of goods and services from fungi in the form of acids, antibiotics, beverages, biofertilizer, biofuel, bioremediation, foodstuffs, healthcare, immunosuppressant, industrial enzymes, vitamins and waste degradation, is said to be about US $ 43 million in 2004. The search for industrially useful novel metabolites and medicinally significant bioactive molecules, is now a priority area research. However, less than 1% of fungal species are available in live form in culture collections around the world, and only a small fraction of the fungal taxa has so far been assessed for their activity.
Efforts are now on to document and conserve the fungi of India from hitherto unexplored and under-explored habitats and substrates and further to assess the economic value of fungal biodiversity. With vast stretches of forests, numerous seasonal streams and rivulets, the forests of Western Ghats have an invaluable wealth of fungal diversity to showcase in the coming days.
We can transform the fungal resources into sustainable revenue generating national wealth. We need very dynamic, motivated and talented young people to work with fungi. The institutes of higher learning in the country should train more young mycologists who would translate the biological wealth into sustainable national treasure. Let the media tell around the world around that facilities are available at Goa University to study the fungi and understand them.
Goa University, Dept. of Botany and Goa union of Journalists orgnized UGC sponsored biodiversity awareness workshop programme
International Year of Biodiversity 2010
UGC sponsored biodiversity awareness programme
Organised by Department of Botany, Goa University
And
Goa Union of Journalists (GUJ)
Saturday, July 3rd, 2010
Main conference hall, ground floor, Administrative block, Goa University
Programme
UGC sponsored biodiversity awareness programme
Organised by Department of Botany, Goa University
And
Goa Union of Journalists (GUJ)
Saturday, July 3rd, 2010
Main conference hall, ground floor, Administrative block, Goa University
Programme
Reception and registration:-9.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m at the venue
Inauguration:-
10. 30-11.00 a.m.
10.30- Dignitaries occupy the dais as UN biodiversity year Theme song is played on the screen
10.30-10.35 Welcome address by Prof. and Head, Dept. of Botany, Dr. P. K. Sharma
10.35- 10.45- “Biodiversity research at Goa University’ talk By the Dean, Faculty of life sciences and environment, Prof. P.V.Desai
10.45-Inaguration of the workshop by the Vice chancellor, GU, Prof. Dilip Deobagkar, Release of workshop DATA DVD
10. 50.-11.00 Address by the Vice chancellor
11.00 -11.05 Vote of thanks by President, GUJ
Opening lectures- Theme -Climate change and biodiversity
11.15-11.30- “Dr. Baban Ingole, Scientist F, NIO would speak on “Climate change and Marine biodiversity’
11.30-11.45 a.m.-Dr. Nandkumar M. Kamat, Asst. Professor, Botany dept. would speak on “Climate change and terrestrial biodiversity”
----------------------------------Tea break from 11. 45-12.00 p.m.---------------------------------
Technical session- I- How Biologists view Biodiversity
12 p.m. to 1.30 p.m.
Short 10-12 minutes powerpoint presentations
- Biodiversity and conservation of plants –Prof. M.K.Janarthanam, Dept. of Botany
- Biodiversity and conservation of fungi –Prof. D. J. Bhat, Dept. of Botany
- World of algae –Dr. K.G.Hiremath, Ass. Professor, Dhempe college
- World of mycorrhizae-Dr. B.F. Rodrigues, Dept. of Botany
- Life at the extremes-the Archean diversity” –Dr. Irene Furtado, Ass. Professor, Dept. of Microbiology
- Sulphur bacteria and the Salt pans- Dr. Savita Kerkar , Ass. Professor, Dept. of Biotechnology
- Diversity of birds–Dr. Sonali Borges, Faculty, Biotech dept. Dhempe college
- Reptiles-Mr. Nitin Sawant, director, WWF, Goa state office
------------------------------Lunch break—1.30- 2.30 p.m.- -----------------------------------
Technical session II- “Lesser known facets of biodiversity”
2.30 p.m. to 3.00 p.m -Powerpoint presentations by
2.30 p.m. to 3.00 p.m -Powerpoint presentations by
- Beautiful butterflies, dashing dragonflies-Mr. Parag Ranganekar –ornithologist and lepidepterologist
- Biodiversity and ecotourism -by Mr. Nirmal Kulkarni –Herpetologist and natural historian
Interactive session
3.00-4.00 p.m.
Theme:-"Reporting biodiversity news:-constraints and challenges which we face"-
3.00-4.00 p.m.
Theme:-"Reporting biodiversity news:-constraints and challenges which we face"-
Open session with participation by working journalists and columnists- Rajendra Kerkar, Subhash Mahale, Paul Fernandes, Vijay Gaonkar, Govind Potekar, Christina Viegas and others to speak and delegates and biologists to interact
----------------------------Tea break- 4.00-4.15 p.m.- ------------------------------
4.15 -5.15 p.m.
Panel discussion
Theme:-Bridging the gap between biologists and journalists -how biodiversity awareness can be effectively spread in the age of climate change
Theme:-Bridging the gap between biologists and journalists -how biodiversity awareness can be effectively spread in the age of climate change
Prakash Kamat, Sagar Javadekar and others
5.15-5.30 p.m.
Valedictory function
Comments and suggestions by delegates,
Distribution of participation certificates
Vote of thanks
Conclusion
Note for delegates
1. Arrangements would be made on request from 9.30 a.m. -10.30 a.m to pick up and drop journalist delegates from press room Panaji to university and after the end of the workshop.
2. Tea and lunch would be served in the lobby
3. All registered journalist delegates, on first cum first serve basis would get printed resource material and a DVD with articles, research papers, data, images, videoclips, posters on biodiversity. However, there are limited sets (40) of DVD. Those who register late would be sent a copy on request.
4. Minor adjustments in the programme may be necessary
Note:-An exhibition of books on nature, biodiversity and display of reports, books, posters from local publishers and monographs by faculty and some M. Sc. dissertations and Ph.D. thesis of university students on biodiversity would be arranged in the foyer (outside the hall). Please spare time to view the same. Some workshop material can be viewed on http://www/gugujbiodiversityworkshop.blogspot.com . The site would be updated and remain active for the full year.
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