Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Coromandel Coast (India) India'

This thesis presents an analysis of floral diversity, soil C carbon storage and bird diversity in the south Konkan coast of the Western Ghats of India. The objectives of the investigation were to study structure, composition, distribution, richness and diversity of vegetation under different land-use types, to determine soil organic carbon content and to determine species composition, richness and diversity of birds under different land-use types. For the investigation, agricultural, forest, casuarina plantation, grassland, mango plantation, homegarden and mangrove sites were selected randomly over a 460 km2 area. At the forest, casuarina, home gardens and mangrove sites quadrate sampling technique was used for phyto-sociological analysis. Soil organic matter was detenTIin~crby the weight loss-on- ignition method on soils collected as selected sites. A point transect survey method based on distance sampling was used to study seasonal variation in bird species richness and diversity in different land-use types. The sample based rarefaction curves were computed using EstimateS 8.2.0 and Eco-sim version free software applications. The bird data was analyzed using Distance 6.2 release 2 software. Floristic analysis revealed that the study area is home for 407 plant species belonging to different 104 families. The most dominating families are Fabaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Malvaceae, Apocynacaeae, Asteraceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Convolvulaceae, Poaceae, Acanthaceae, Mimosaceae, Rubiaceae, Verbenaceae and Rhizophoraceae. The high species richness was recorded in the forest followed by homegardens and casuarina plantation, while it was lowest in the mangrove vegetation. The highest Shannon-Weaver index of diversity was recorded for the homegardens > forests > casuarina plantation > mangrove vegetation. The highest value of species evenness and Simpson's index of diversity was recorded for the forests and lowest in the casuarina monoculture. The highest total C storage up to 50 cm depth was found in forest soils > mango plantation > mangrove > agricultural land soils > casuarina monoculture soils. The study revealed that the top 30 cm layer contains about 61-69% of the total C stock. SOC content decreased vertically with increase soil depth. SOC content showed significant positive correlation with soil moisture content and soil salinity, and significant negative correlation with soil pH and bulk density. In a total of 4796 encounters, 9348 individual birds belonging to 114 species and 51 families were detected from seven habitats in two seasons during the study period. The highest species richness was observed in the monsoon season. Overall 72% bird species were common in the both seasons. The most dominating families are Accipitridae, Columbidae, Hirundinidae, Muscicapidae, Ardeidae, Corvidae, Cuculidae and Sturnidae. In the dry season the highest species richness and hannon-Weaver diversity index was observed in the forest land. In the monsoon, season the highest species richness and Shannon-Weaver diversity index was observed in the grassland . .The research findings on floral analysis of different land-use types suggest that the ~eg~on IS ecologically and ethno-botanically rich. The wide variety of floral and avian species mdlc~tes the high species richness and diversity in the study area. The region is prone to erratic, anthropogenic land-use changes such as deforestation, conversion to agriculture, industrilalization (especially nuclear power generation), shrimp farming, construction works and chira mining. This study provides a basis for developing measures for the conservation and management of natural resources in south Konkan coast of Maharashtra. Therefore, the study suggests that the nuclear power project should not be started on the site for future environmental health and safety, public health and security and to avoid future hazards of loss of biodiversity in the south Konkan coast of Maharashtra state.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are root and soil inhabiting symbionts with higher plants. The fungi are especially nutrient-function efficient in nutrient deficient soils. There have been innumerable studies of AM fungal facilitation of plant nutrient uptake in controlled environments. Comparatively little similar investigation has been undertaken in natural soils, including investigation of taxon specific nutrient-function efficiency in the phylum. Plant diversity and frequency, soil chemistry statuses, and AM spore diversity and abundance were sampled in an interrupted-belt transect in an aggrading dune sytem on west-coast India, followed by foredunes and transect nutrient amendment experiments in selected plant species. The transect extends 175 m inland from mean high-water mark (MH-WM). Examination showed nutrients were consistently deficient. A plant zonation pattern and increasing frequency over the transect were indicated, as well as decreasing pH and increasing organic matter (OM)-amendment AM species diversity gradients. Plant zonation does not correlate with soil chemistry. There was a distinct soil transition at the 175 m point and evidence of further system partition between foredune and behind-foredune regions. Plant and AM demographies bore no resemblance suggesting neither is driven by the other. Four AM genera were recovered, Acaulospora, Gigaspora and Scutellospora in high abundance, Glomus in comparatively low abundance. The two co-dominant species, A. spinosa and Gi. margarita, displayed divergent strategies in OM amendment. Certain AM taxa may be functionally associated with particular soil nutrients. There was no evidence of taxon-specific nutrient-function efficiency.

In the past few years, natural disasters have been taking more lives and, especially more in the lesser-developed countries. There have been debates in the scientific world on what could be the best ways to mitigate disasters and reduce their impacts. In addition, there is a growing concern about finding the best way of restoring normal lives in the disaster affected communities. Traditional top-down approaches practiced by local governments, aid-agencies, and NGOs have now been replaced by community-based disaster management approaches. International aid-agencies such as the World Bank, UNDP, CIDA, USAID etc., emphasize on the involvement of the community for development purposes and long term sustainability. However, experiences from catastrophic disasters such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 or the Hurricane Katrina of 2005 revealed post-disaster scenario to be chaotic and at times insensitive to local cultures and needs of victims. Literature review of past theories indicated the widening gap in disaster management approaches for establishing effective models to deal with recurrent mega-disasters. To address some of the gaps and issues related to disaster management strategies and approaches, an ongoing reconstruction process of the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 was evaluated in the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu, India. Four underlying objectives were set. The first was to review the evolving disaster paradigm and related theories and concepts in literature and to build connections with planning models and community based planning. Gaps in the literature were identified and a ‘common framework’ to study both the domains of environmental planning and disaster management was designed. The ‘framework’ was designed using other interdisciplinary planning frameworks, and suffices the second objective of this dissertation. The third objective was to assess an ongoing reconstruction process using an appropriate methodology and suitable indicators. Environmental issues and disaster related problems have risen over the last decade with its effects worsening in the developing countries. Despite technological advancements, it seems almost impossible to make disaster related losses negligible. However, losses can be minimised with proper interventions and community preparedness. Case studies were carried out within disaster affected fishing communities in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, India.

Portuguese presence in the Gulf of Oman developed, in general, since the early sixteenth century. However, the Arab shores were constantly side-lined in favour of Hormuz, the centre of Portuguese operations in the region. That changed in 1622, when the island was lost to an Anglo-Persian force. That moment, the Portuguese chose Muscat as a regional base and, as such, the Omani world became fundamental for the consolidation and enhancement of the Portuguese position as a leading power. Yet, the rule of the Omani shores proved to be difficult and hazardous. The Estado da India’s decline in resources, increasing European competition and the rise of a new united Arab entity exacerbated those difficulties and, in a few decades, Portuguese control was reduced to Muscat itself. This study addresses some of the pivotal characteristics and events related to the Portuguese presence in the Arabian coast of Oman, from the loss of Hormuz to the fall of Muscat in 1650. Therefore, military operations, commercial undertakings, financial difficulties, political decisions, religious features and tense relations are at the centre of the narrative. This way, it would be possible to understand how the Estado da India elite in Goa and the Portuguese officials in Oman acted throughout this period. Portuguese-Omani interactions started well before 1622 and continued well beyond 1650, but the three decades addressed in this dissertation can be seen as their climax.
A presença Portuguesa no Golfo de Omã desenvolveu-se, de forma geral, desde o início do séc. XVI. Contudo, a margem Árabe foi constantemente descurada em favor de Ormuz, o centro das operações Portuguesas na região. Tal mudou em 1622, quando a ilha foi perdida para uma força Anglo-Persa. Naquele momento os Portugueses escolheram Mascate como base regional e, dessa forma, o mundo Omanita tornou-se fundamental para a consolidação e desenvolvimento da posição Portuguesa como potência dominante. No entanto, a governação da costa Omanita provou ser difícil e perigosa. O declínio dos recursos do Estado da Índia, a crescente competição de países Europeus e a criação de uma entidade Árabe unida exacerbou essas dificuldades e, em poucas décadas, o controlo Português estava reduzido apenas a Mascate. Este estudo foca algumas das características e eventos chave da presença Portuguesa na costa Árabe de Omã, desde a perda de Ormuz até à queda de Mascate em 1650. Desta forma, operações militares, desígnios comerciais, dificuldades financeiras, decisões políticas, características religiosas e relações tensas estão no centro da narrativa. Assim, será possível perceber como a elite do Estado da India em Goa e os oficiais Portugueses em Omã agiram durante este período. As interações entre Portugueses e Omanitas iniciaram-se bastante antes de 1622 e continuaram muito para lá de 1650, mas as três décadas examinadas neste documento podem ser vistas como o seu auge.