Modern Trends of Research in Ecology and Environmental Science

Despite having a very rich heritage of biodiversity, India is facing large scale depletion of the forest cover. Anthropogenic activity, felling of trees, rapid industrialisation, urbanisation, habitat destruction and pollution are also leading many of the plant and animal species to extinction and putting some species on the verge of extinction. Similar pattern of destruction of habitat and over-exploitation of natural resources are causing depletion of biodiversity in the country as a whole. This book attempts to highlight the problems and different issues relating to biodiversity. It suggests remedial measures in general and for the north-east region in particular. The researches being carried out on the subject have been focused and adequately highlighted. The articles contributed by the established scholars present a fairly comprehensive account of the biodiversity related problems in India and their conservational/remedial measures. The book should be of immense use to students, teachers, scientists, professionals, policy makers and intellectuals in dealing with the problems related to environment and biodiversity conservation.

Biman Kumar Dutta (b.1948) is M.Sc. In Botany from Gauhati University (1970) and Ph.D. from University of Wales (UK) (1977). After the completion of Ph.D. he joined as a faculty member in the Department of Botany of North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong in 1978. In 1985 he joined Tocklai Experimental Station as a Scientist and worked on Agricultural Ecology (Tea agro ecosystem) for 12 years, He is considered to be a tea scientist of national repute. In 1997 he joined Assam University, Silchar (Assam) as a Professor and Head of the Department of Ecology. Subsequently he has been elevated to the position of Dean, School of Environmental Sciences. At the moment he is working  on Agricultural Ecology and on the biodiversity conservation with special reference to the North-East Tribes settled in South Assam. Professor Dutta has produced a large number of Ph.Ds. and many research scholars are working under him for Ph.D. in Agricultural Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation. Professor Dutta has published a large number of scientific papers in national and international journals. He is a Fellow of the Indian Botanical Society and Indian Phytopathological Society.  Abhik Gupta (b.1956), M.Sc. in Zoology and Ph.D. from North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, is basically a freshwater ecologist who worked on the hill stream ecosystems in Meghalaya and the biological monitoring of their pollution. After joining the Department of Ecology, Assam University, Silchar in 1996, he is presently working on the ecology of rivers and wetlands in this area. He is also conducting studies on the bird, turtle and amphibian fauna in South Assam, as well as on the nature of interactions of different ethnic groups including tribals with their environment in general, and wildlife species in particular. He has published 75 research papers of which 30 have appeared in reputed international journals, besides several reports and books.