Research Papers

Vanishing water bodies behind Ahmedabad’s warm climate
A study shows how the open space on the western bank of the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad acts as a heat sink. Posted on 28 Aug, 2019 10:48 AM

A study published in the Journal of Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, analyzing the cooling effect of the city of Ahmedabad’s water bodies, has thrown up some interesting findings. The east bank of the Sabarmati river, which flows through Ahmedabad, was found to be significantly cooler than the west bank, witnessing a greater drop in temperature even during summer.

Silverbill enjoying the cool feeling of breeze on the wet feathers in the scorching heat (Image: Koshy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0)
Hydropower in the Himalayas: Potential and risks
Study highlights significant hydropower opportunities in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. Posted on 21 Aug, 2019 11:01 PM

Worldwide, the demand for energy has risen significantly and quickly, leading to serious impacts on environmental sustainability and hindering global efforts to mitigate climate change. Hydropower, a leading renewable option has the additional benefits of water storage for agriculture and other uses.

Hydel project near Kullu (Image: Nadir Hashmi, Flickr Commons)
Growing crops, one byte at a time
Mobile agri-advisory services provide timely and relevant advice to farmers. But do they translate to practice in the field? Posted on 19 Aug, 2019 12:09 PM

Agricultural extension and advisory services facilitate the transfer of knowledge, information, improved technologies and practices to farmers, farmer organizations and market actors. Research has shown positive effects of extension access when it came to knowledge, adoption, productivity, and economic returns for farmers.

CCMobile App compatible with Android and iOS, tends to connect farmers with their crop (Image: YourStory)
Mangroves: Powerhouses of carbon storage the planet desperately needs
Mangroves are carbon-dense ecosystems that can play an important role in carbon storage, study suggests. Posted on 16 Aug, 2019 09:35 AM

Straddling land and sea and swarming with life, mangroves are key to healthy coastal ecosystems. They are recognised for their role as storm barriers, protecting coastal areas from flooding and erosion by dissipating the energy of huge waves. They act as nurseries for fish, help filter river water of pollutants and trap excess sediment before it reaches the ocean.

A cluster of mangroves on the banks of Vellikeel river in Kannur, Kerala (Image: Wikimedia Commons; CC BY-SA 3.0)
Protecting the kidneys of Kolkata – the East Kolkata Wetlands
A real estate boom is tightening its grip on the East Kolkata Wetlands, a unique waste processing ecosystem. Cooperation and coproduction, not conflict are needed to save them. Posted on 08 Aug, 2019 05:12 PM

 The East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW) are a truly unique ecosystem, presenting a very different sight from the normal urban landscape in India.

Fishermen use wastewater of Kolkata to rear fish (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Is the Jalayukt Shivar Abhiyan just a quick fix to manage droughts?
A research paper argues that quick fix solutions to drought management will not work unless they are backed up by proper planning, implementation, monitoring and regulation of water use. Posted on 02 Aug, 2019 10:29 AM

Maharashtra is reeling under drought this year too, with the situation in Marathwada particularly bad.

Quick fix solutions to droughts will not work (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
How do farmers perceive soil erosion?
A study in Telangana argues that farmers’ expertise is important while assessing the severity of soil erosion. Posted on 01 Aug, 2019 03:24 PM

Regionally and globally, soil erosion is a major contributor to total land degradation.

A farmer in Pochampally (Image:Saurabh Chatterjee, Flickr Commons, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Gender in hydropower development: A long way to go
A study finds that hydropower organisations in India continue to maintain a culture of hierarchy, follow masculine norms and are insensitive to the needs of women and the marginalised. Posted on 22 Jul, 2019 04:44 PM

Large dams, back in the game?

Hirakud, India's oldest dam (Image source: India Water Portal on Flickr)
Adequate water most important for plant diversity
Study shows how rainfall and temperature affect variety of plants in major bio-geographic zones of India Posted on 09 Jul, 2019 03:58 PM

New Delhi, July 9 (India Science Wire): India has a total geographical area of nearly 329 million hectares. The climate varies from the north to the south and east to west. However, in spite of this diversity, little is known about how climate affects the diversity of plants that grow in a particular area.

Image used for representational purposes only. Image source: India Water Portal on Flickr
Cultivating more millets to make food production climate resilient in India
A study finds that selectively increasing coarse grains/millets in crop production can greatly help in reducing the negative impacts of climate shocks on future food production in India. Posted on 09 Jul, 2019 02:32 PM

Crop production is highly influenced by the sensitivity of crops to variations in climate and can have major implications for food supply and rural livelihoods. The effects of climate change are increasing in India, where extreme rainfall events have become more frequent and spatially more variable.

A millet crop ready for harvest in rural India (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
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