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The availability of productive land is significantly impacted by the global phenomenon of urbanization. The amount of land available for food production and other essential activities decreases as cities grow because the urban perimeter encroaches on rural and natural areas. Conducting research on urban sprawl analysis and land use land cover (LULC) change assessment is essential in ensuring sustainable urban growth. Bengaluru, a rapidly expanding metropolitan city, has a significant impact on the area around it, making it a prime location for this kind of study. In this study, authors sought to assess how urban sprawl affected LULC in the Bengaluru rural district that surrounds the city of Bengaluru. The study evaluated changes in LULC over a two-decade period using remote sensing data and GIS tools. Five LULC classes were used to categorize the study area: settlement, waterbody, vegetation, agriculture, and barren land. The maximum likelihood technique was used to classify Landsat images from three different time periods using the supervised image classification method in the ERDAS software. Accuracy assessment was used to gauge the classified images' accuracy. The study's important findings showed how the LULC classes in the study area have been negatively impacted by the urban sprawl. The study emphasizes the significance of ongoing research in LULC change assessment and urban sprawl analysis to ensure sustainable urban growth and safeguard the availability of productive land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land Use Land Cover (LULC) change monitoring plays very significant role in planning, policy making, management programs required for development activities at regional levels of any country. This study is an attempt to monitor LULC change of Vijayapura taluk, Karnataka, India for the period of 25 years from 1995 to 2021 using Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS). Satellite Images from Sentinel-2A MSI (Multispectral Imager), Landsat-5TM (Thematic Mapper) are used to generate LULC maps. Vegetation Change in the study area is computed using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and results show that vegetation rate is increased from 0.6% in 1995 to 27.5% in 2021. Supervised Classification is carried out by using Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC). 5 major classes considered for classification are namely: Waterbodies, Cropland/Vegetation, Fallow Land, Built-up Area and Barren Land. ArcGIS software tool is used for implementing the proposed study. Google Earth Pro used for accuracy assessment which is done by taking ground truth values for corresponding Classifications. Results show that the proposed system is able to achieve 88.16% of overall accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streamflow can be affected by a number of aspects related to land use and can vary promptly as those factors change. Urbanization, deforestation, mining, agricultural practices and economic growth are some of the factors related to these land use changes which alter the stream flow. In the present study, the impact of land use land cover change (LULC) on stream flow is studied by using SWAT model for Tungabhadra river basin, located in the state of Karnataka, India. Tungabhadra river originates in the Western Ghats of Karnataka and flows towards north-east and joins the river Krishna. The land use maps of 1993, 2003 and 2018 are used for assessing the stream flow changes with respect to LULC. Calibration and validation of the model for streamflow was carried out using the SUFI-2 algorithm in SWAT-CUP for the years 1983–1993 and 1994–2000 respectively. Statistical parameters namely Coefficient of Determination (R2) & Nash–Sutcliffe (N-S) were used to assess the efficiency and performance of the SWAT model. It was found that the observed and simulated streamflow values are closely matching, which in turn projects that the model results are acceptable. The calibrated model was used for simulation of future dynamic land use scenario to assess the impact on streamflow. The results can be used for conservation of water and soil management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological, physical and physico-chemical characteristics of soils in Sollapura sub-watershed of Chikmagalur district in Karnataka have been studied. The district comprises of 7 taluks of which Tarikere comes under southern transition zone. Tarikere talu have wide range of climate variation from perhumid to semi-arid. The study revealed that the soils had colours in the hue of 10YR to 5 YR, well to poorly drained, slightly acidic to moderately alkaline, low to high in organic carbon and low to medium in cation exchange capacity with wide textural variations. The soils on gently sloping topography exhibit the development of argillic horizon (Bt). The soils have been classified as Alfisols soil order and Ustalfs at suborder level due to the presence of ustic soil moisture regime. On the basis of the major soil constraints, sustainable land use plan for the micro-watershed has also been suggested for their better management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of stream flow dynamics reveals principal characteristics of a river basin as it results from a complex blend of hydrological drivers. Earlier studies suggest climatic parameters and land use changes are the major causes of river flow changes in the basin. However, introduction of large-scale irrigation and other irrigation management activities in the basin will also play a crucial role in stream flow variations. The present work aims to understand the contributions of these drivers towards decreasing river flows in the Malaprabha river basin, Karnataka, India. Results of the Mann-Kendall trend test showed non-significant decreasing trends in annual and seasonal rainfall patterns in the area. The effect of Land Use /Land Cover (LU/LC) change on stream flows was analyzed using decadal LU/LC maps for the period 1985,1995 and 2005 as inputs to the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model. Further, the effect of Malaprabha reservoir on stream flows was analyzed by performing SWAT simulations for with and without reservoir conditions. The comparative analysis showed that there is negligible contribution of decadal LULC on river flows. However, the presence of the reservoir was found to be contributing 43% of stream flow variability. This study revealed that at catchment scale reservoir storage and related operational activities affects the river flows more significantly than LULC changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mysuru City is a unique place in India due to its culture, green cover, historical places, and pleasant weather. In the last few decades, the city was witnessed rapid urban growth. This present work is conducted to assess the decadal changes in Mysuru City vegetation cover using multispectral remotely sensed data of 2009 and 2019 within Mysuru City Corporation (MCC). The main objective of this work is to assess the vegetation cover of the city and generate the land use and land cover classes (LULC) map using the deep learning model. Therefore, convolutional neural network (CNN)-based multiple training round (CNN-MTR) deep learning model is proposed and used for the classification of remote sensing images. The classified results were analyzed to assess the vegetation cover changes in the city over one decade. Vegetation cover within the Mysuru City Corporation area was estimated in 2019 to be 39.09% as compared to 43.32% in 2009. These results indicate that over a decade vegetation cover of Mysuru City is decreased by 3.43%. The overall classification accuracy of the proposed CNN-MTR model was estimated to be 95.20% for 2009 and 94.17% for 2019 respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rivers are vital freshwater resources that cater to the needs of society. The burgeoning population and the consequent land-use changes have altered the hydrologic regime with biophysical and chemical integrity changes. This necessitates understanding the land-use dynamics, flow dynamics, hydrologic regime, and water quality of riverine ecosystems. An assessment of the land-use dynamics in the Aghanashini River basin reveals a decline in vegetation cover from 86.06% (1973) to 50.78% (2018). The computation of eco-hydrological indices (EHI) highlights that the sub-watersheds with native vegetation had higher infiltration (and storage) than water loss due to evapotranspiration and meeting the societal demand. The computation of water quality index helped to assess the overall water quality across seasons. The study provides insights into hydrology linkages with the catchment landscape dynamics to the hydrologists and land-use managers. These insights would aid in the prudent management of river basins to address water stress issues through watershed treatment involving afforestation with native species, appropriate cropping, and soil conservation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SCS-curve number (CN) is one of the most well-liked and commonly applied methods for estimating surface runoff. The present study aims to calculate surface runoff using SCS-CN watershed-based calculation and geospatial technology in the Kurumballi sub-watershed Shivamogga District of Karnataka, India. The study area covers about an area of 47.67 sq. km. The union of land use/land cover classification with hydrological soil groups (HSG) yields the runoff estimation by the SCS-CN curve approach. This method calculates the runoff volume from the land surface flows into the river or streams. Moreover, the study area's delineation of runoff potential zones was done using the thematic integration method. Different thematic layers were used, including lithology, geomorphology, soil, slope, land use and land cover, drainage, surface water bodies, groundwater contour, and isohyetal maps. Furthermore, associating it with the SCS-CN technique, the total surface runoff volume of the study area was estimated. The total surface runoff volume in the study area is 21065849.7 m³. To this study, thematic integration with the SCS-CN approach to estimate runoff for watersheds is valuable for improving water management and soil conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cauvery basin of Karnataka State encompasses a range of land cover types, from dense forest areas and plantations in the Western Ghats hills, to fertile agricultural lands in the river valley. Recent demographic changes, rapid economic development and urbanization have led to the conversion of vast stretches of forested land into plantations and permanent agriculture. We examine the human drivers of forest cover change between 2001 and 2006, using MODIS 250 m data at multiple spatial scales of nested administrative units i.e., districts and taluks. Population density does not emerge as a major driver of forest distribution or deforestation. Protected areas and landscape accessibility play a major role in driving the distribution of stable forest cover at different spatial scales. The availability of forested land for further clearing emerges as a major factor impacting the distribution of deforestation, with new deforestation taking place in regions with challenging topography. This research highlights the importance of using a regional approach to study land cover change, and indicates that the drivers of forest change may be very different in long settled landscapes, for which little is known in comparison to frontier forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofuel initiatives in India have gained momentum with the national biofuel policy targeting 20% blending of both petrol and diesel by 2017. Most of India's biofuel plans revolve around using sugarcane for bioethanol and jatropha for biodiesel production. This study, taking the southern Indian state of Karnataka as an example, aims at estimating the potential to achieve policy targets. The study spatially analyses land-use change owing to biofuel expansion and its effects on food production. We used an integrated modelling framework to simulate land-use change and bioenergy production under two scenarios - Industrial Economy ( IE) and Agricultural Economy ( AE). Results indicate that meeting the 20% blending target is a challenging goal to achieve under both scenarios. Bioethanol requirements can be nearly fulfilled (88% under IE and 93% under AE) because of sugarcane expansion. However, biodiesel demands cannot be fulfilled using only degraded lands as currently planned in India, but additional agricultural land (3-4% of the total cropland) will be required for jatropha-based biodiesel production. Food production will not be directly impacted until 2025, because the largest source of additional land could be short- and long-term fallows. We conclude that conservation oriented initiatives, such as water harvesting and energy conservation measures can increase productivities of biofuel crops and reduce fuel demands, respectively. State support and Clean Development Mechanism opportunities can enhance economic incentives for energy cropping. Therefore, a simultaneous and multipronged approach is needed to accommodate food and fuel demands in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife corridors are critical in maintaining ecological processes and wildlife management, but they are fragmented and degraded due to various land-use practices. It is crucial to restore wildlife corridors through participation of communities/institutions of the landscape. Ironically, however, most of the proposed conservation plans are devoid of them in conservation and policy-making. Therefore, valuing the onus of people and their inputs to restore and manage wildlife corridors would be a practical strategy. We are addressing this 'restoration initiative' in the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve, Karnataka, India by integrating knowledge from social and ecological sciences. The preliminary result indicates that, people and institutions from the landscape are willing to support the restoration efforts. This initiative would emerge as one of the successful, actionoriented and policy-driven projects in this landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intertidal fauna of the Dakshina Kannada coast, Karnataka, India, are facing a threat due to several factors. In the present study, we delineate various changes in the selected intertidal habitats along the coastline of the Dakshina Kannada district, to correlate these changes with the diversity of molluscs in the intertidal zones. The study also aims at understanding the threat faced by molluscs due to various factors. This study was carried out from November 2016 to September 2017. Mapping of the coastline of Dakshina Kannada was done using topographical maps and Indian Remote Sensing Satellite imageries (IRS-Resourcesat 1-LISS-III). Satellite data were processed using ERDAS IMAGINE 9.1 software and various land-use/ land-cover classes were analysed using ArcGIS 10.1. The resulting coastal maps were used to estimate the geomorphological changes and shifting of the shoreline position due to erosion and accretion. Shoreline changes were correlated to diversity changes within intertidal mollusc communities. The study revealed the abundance of molluscs at the intertidal zone of Sasihithlu and species richness at Someshwar and Panambur during post-monsoon. Significant correlation was observed between water temperature and diversity of molluscs, indicating that water temperature is the important physico-chemical parameter responsible for the change in molluscan diversity of the Dakshina Kannada coast. The variation in land-use/land-cover during the study period was analysed. The coastline has been threatened by different land-use patterns such as urbanization, industrialization, developmental activities, erosion and accretion. The changes occurring along the coastline during this study due to industrialization and anthropogenic factors have been discussed, which help in the implementation of conservation measures and protect the sensitive habitats of the shelled organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation of Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes play a vital role in understanding the landscape dynamics that have been influencing climate, biodiversity, hydrology, and ecology of a region. The information of temporal LULC aids decision-makers in framing sustainable land use policies for nature conservation. Anthropogenic pressure, especially unplanned developmental activities, has contributed towards fragmenting contiguous forests, thus affecting their structure and loss of habitat for endemic taxa. LULC changes in the Bellary district, Karnataka have been assessed through temporal remote sensing data. Classification of remote sensing data for estimating the spatial extent of land uses has been done through supervised machine learning algorithms namely random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and parametric maximum likelihood classifier (MLC). The performance of these algorithms was evaluated through accuracy assessments. Results reveal that RF has the highest overall accuracy (88.94%) and Kappa value (0.76) compared to overall Kappa of MLC (85.51%, 0.74) and SVM (85.47%, 0.63). Based on this, RF was considered for temporal data analyses, which highlighted the decline of forest cover from 2.61% (1973) to 0.74% (2022). The built-up has increased from 0.27% (1973) to 2.43% (2022), and agriculture from 68.21% (1973) to 84.95% (2022). Fragmentation of contiguous forests is evident from the decline in the interior or intact forests from 6.73% (1973) to 2.41% (2022) and the increase in the non-forest areas such as built-up, agriculture, etc., amounting now to 89.81%. Results highlight the need for immediate policy interventions for the conservation and protection of the remnant forest patches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 56% of the population of Karnataka state in India depends on agriculture for its livelihood. A majority of these are small and marginal farmers, with land under 2 ha, responsible for nearly half the food production in the state. The increasing rate of farmers' suicides in the state is reportedly fuelled among others, by increasing input costs, crop failure and accumulating debt. This triggered several policy measures, intended to improve the sustainability of farm livelihoods including those promoting organic practices in farming. The paper presents the results of a multicriteria analysis conducted to comprehend the effects of two different practice-policy scenarios on smallholders in Karnataka-one scenario 'with policy' (WP) to support organic agricultural practices and the other a 'business as usual' (BAU) scenario that continues to stress on market-based, synthetic inputs for cultivation. The paper integrates results from quantitative and participatory techniques to compare and project effects on ecological, economic and socio-cultural indicators. Ecological and economic indicators in WP are projected to be significantly higher than BAU in a majority of the study sites, while socio-cultural indicators show mixed outcomes, depending on regional and social characteristics. Across the study sites, small and rain-fed farms are benefitted better in WP compared to large and irrigated farms, respectively. Among small and rain-fed farms, soil fertility, water quality, agro-diversity, net income and freedom from indebtedness improve considerably, while there is slight reduction in collective activities and no perceivable change in land-based subsistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphology of a city undergoes transformation over time due to a variety of factors. One such factor is the master plan. The master plan is a powerful legal tool, the implementation of which has a lasting impact on the morphology of a town both built and unbuilt. The template for the master plans in India is the same be it a metropolitan city or a class III town. The resultant triggers and impact of this master plan are questionable more so in the case of smaller cities and towns. This paper investigates one such small city in the hinterland of Karnataka through a descriptive analysis of the compact historic city and the new developments; the impact of the master plan and the resulting changes. Through the analysis and arguments presented in the study for the reading of small towns and non metropolitan cities we support alternative readings of these towns and cities. Additionally through the analysis of compact city planning methodologies both historical and current we understand how the two aspects; that is small town urbanization and compact planning methodologies can be enmeshed to create new templates for master planning for small towns and cities. Our study is limited to the master planning exercise in the context of Karnataka and Gadag-Betageri in particular and needs to be further explored with respect to other urban development policies in order to be applicable to small towns and cities in general in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarizes the results of five field seasons of the Maski Archaeological Research Project, an interdisciplinary project evaluating the relationships between social and environmental production throughout prehistoric and medieval periods in a 64 km² region centred around Maski, Raichur district, Karnataka, India. We report the outcomes of intensive pedestrian survey and initial results from excavations, salvage activities and radiocarbon assessments of occupational histories. The data attest to the social and political significance of prehistoric burial practices, and medieval period settlement practices and land-use activities, highlighting how archaeological materials both belie and complement epigraphic analyses of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable area under eucalyptus plantation in the form of farm forestry exists in Malur and Hoskotetaluks of Karnataka, India. But in the recent years, Government of Karnataka has checked the spread of eucalyptus and farmers are gradually converting their eucalyptus plantations into agricultural lands. This study was aimed to evaluate soils of eucalyptus during growing and after restoration and its adjacent croplands having no history of eucalyptus cultivation in Taluks of Malur and Hosakote, Karnataka for physico-chemical properties and evaluated during the year 2019-2020 at College of Horticulture, Kolar. The results revealed that soils under 12, 24 and 48 years of eucalyptus cultivation when compared to soils after two, six and ten years of restoration and adjacent soils, showed significantly high bulk density (1.28 to 1.51 Mg/m³) and low water holding capacity (30.30 to 45.61%). These soils were more acidic in reaction (pH: 6.21 to 6.65) and contained significantly lower amounts of total soluble salts (EC: 0.04 to 0.07 dS/m), organic carbon (OC: 0.24 to 0.59%), available N, P2O5 and K2O (163.07 to 235.42, 26.03 to 47.23 and 112.89 to 168.55 Kg/ha, respectively), exchangeable Ca and Mg (1.70 to 2.75 and 0.80 to 1.32 cmol (p+ )/Kg, respectively) and available S (5.60 to 7.09 ppm) but contained significantly high amounts of available Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu (13.52 to 29.74, 14.06 to 20.14, 1.44 to 2.06 and 1.16 to 1.74 ppm, respectively). Further, bulk density, acidity and available micronutrient cations of soils tends to increase with prolonging the cultivation period of eucalyptus while, reverse trend was observed with respect to water holding capacity, organic carbon and available macronutrients contents. On the other hand, restored plots showed significantly decreased acidity, bulk density and available micronutrient cations and increased water holding capacity and macronutrients contents with increasing the restoration period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of data analytics on large-scale government administrative data — that belong to various domains like education, transport, energy, and health — can be enhanced by retrieving pertinent documents from diverse data sources. Without a supporting framework of metadata, big data analytics can be daunting. Even though statistical algorithms can perform extensive analyses on a variety of data with little help from metadata, applying these techniques to heterogeneous data may not always result in reliable findings. Recently, semantics-aware (or semantic search) search techniques received much attention as they utilize implicit knowledge to enhance the search. Similarly, traditional search engines rely on the inherent linkages within the underlying data model to improve their search quality. In the case of general-purpose information retrieval systems, to gather information from the internet (open access data) or to access open government administrative data, a domain agnostic ontology shall be employed to supply background knowledge. This paper draws on research undertaken by the authors at IIIT Bangalore Center for Open Data Research (CODR) in developing a semantics-aware data lake framework to host and analyze government administrative data. In this study, we present an ontology-based document retrieval solution where an ontology serves as an intermediary to close the gap between what the user seeks and what the search retrieves. Although our study settings are based on the Government of Karnataka (GoK, India), we believe the findings have wider resonance. Our experimental results based on agricultural data from the GoK look promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culicoides are important vectors for livestock and human pathogens. Wild animals act as reservoirs for important orbiviruses such as bluetongue and African horse sickness viruses. There are only limited studies on the distribution of Culicoides species in forest habitats. In this study, we collected Culicoides from different wildlife sanctuaries and national parks of Karnataka. We collected and morphologically identified 8597 Culicoides. We found 18 species of Culicoides in different sites, with C. oxystoma and C. imicola being the predominant species across the sites. The sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis of the Cox1 gene of Cuilicoides species revealed a huge level of sequence similarity and their wide distribution around the world. Most of the isolates from our study were closely related to Chinese isolates. The abundance of the species was analyzed using the Bayesian ordination method. We used a hierarchical joint distribution negative binomial regression model to detect the correlation between species owing to environmental covariates and residual correlation. The presence of potential vectors for important livestock pathogens in wild habitats in our study warrants further research on the detection of pathogens in Culicoides collected from forest habitats and adopt surveillance in wild animal habitats to prevent disease spread from wild animals to livestock and vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Application of organic manures, along with fertilizers, is important to maintain soil fertility to achieve higher productivity. In reality, the farmers apply organic manures and fertilizers in different proportions and quantities depending on their availability and purchasing power of farmers. Organic manures also help to enhance soil carbon stocks and soil biological activities. Hence, this study aimed to assess the role of organic manures on soil carbon stocks and soil enzymes in intensively managed ginger production systems. Method: Farmers' fields based study was conducted in Shivamogga district coming under Hilly Zone of Karnataka, India. The information on use of organic manures and fertilizers for ginger production were collected from 60 growers and they were grouped into three categories using the K-factorization statistical tool. Soil samples were collected after crop harvest and analysed for soil carbon stocks and soil enzyme activities. The mean values of 3 categories of farmers were compared using suitable statistical tools. Results: Added organic manure and the soil organic carbon (SOC) varied significantly among high and low organic manure applications. Incremental variations were observed in the order of Category 3 > Category 2 > Category 1 ginger fields. Enzyme activities were found higher in fields applied with high organic manures. Both soil carbon stocks and soil enzyme activities exhibited strong and positive correlations with organic manures. Conclusion: The study revealed that application of organic manures in intensively managed ginger production systems helps to enhance soil carbon stocks and maintain soil biological activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two multivariate models were compared to assess their yield predictability based on long-term (1980–2021) rice yield and weather datasets over eleven districts of Karnataka. Simple multiple linear regression (SMLR) and artificial neural network models (ANN) were calibrated (1980–2019 data) and validated (2019–2020 data), and yields were forecasted (2021). An intercomparison of the models revealed better yield predictability with ANN, as the observed deviations were smaller (−37.1 to 21.3%, 4% mean deviation) compared to SMLR (−2.5 to 35.0%, 16% mean deviation). Further, district-wise yield forecasting using ANN indicated an underestimation of yield, with higher errors in Mysuru (−0.2%), Uttara Kannada (−1.5%), Hassan (−0.1%), Ballari (−1.5%), and Belagavi (−15.3%) and overestimations in the remaining districts (0.0 to 4.2%) in 2018. Likewise, in 2019 the yields were underestimated in Kodagu (−0.6%), Shivamogga (−0.1%), Davanagere (−0.7%), Hassan (−0.2%), Ballari (−5.1%), and Belagavi (−10.8%) and overestimated for the other five districts (0.0 to 4.8%). Such model yield underestimations are related to the farmers' yield improvement practices carried out under adverse weather conditions, which were not considered by the model while forecasting. As the deviations are in an acceptable range, they prove the better applicability of ANN for yield forecasting and crop management planning in addition to its use for regional agricultural policy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of uranium in groundwater is a cause of concern all over the world. In mineralized regions where elevated concentrations of uranium are possible in groundwater, mining activities can further degrade the water quality. Hence, it is essential to document the baseline uranium concentration in groundwater before the commencement of mining. This study was carried out with the objective of assessing the concentration of uranium in groundwater around a proposed uraninite mining site in the Gogi region, Karnataka, India. Gogi is a village in the Yadgir district of Karnataka where groundwater is the main source of water for domestic needs. The uranium mineralized zone in this region occurs along the major E-W trending Gogi-Kurlagere fault at a depth of about 150 m. Groundwater samples were collected every three months from January 2020 to October 2020 from 52 wells located in this area. The concentration of uranium in groundwater ranged from 1.5 ppb to 267 ppb. The USEPA and WHO have recommended a permissible limit of 30 ppb, while the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India has a limit of 60 ppb for the purpose of drinking water. Based on these permissible limits for uranium in drinking water, concentrations exceeded the limit in about 25% of wells within 20 km from the mineralized region. Wells present in the granitic and limestone terrain exhibited higher concentrations of uranium in this area. Uranium concentration in groundwater changes depending on the degree of weathering, lithology, and rainfall recharge. This study will serve as a baseline and will help to assess the impact of mining activities in this region in the future. In wells where the uranium concentration exceeds permissible limits, it is suggested not to use groundwater directly for drinking purposes. These sites need to be explored further for the possible presence of uranium-bearing minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the avifaunal diversity was carried out in the Mangalore University campus, located in Dakshina Kannada District, Karnataka from 2013 to 2021, in and around the campus. A total of 150 bird species belonging to 18 orders and 56 families were recorded during the study. Out of these, the study area supports five species which are endemic to the Western Ghats. The feeding guild analysis revealed that the insectivorous group had the highest number of species (53 species). The study provides baseline data for monitoring the avifauna in the campus and demonstrates the importance of the area in bird conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphometric analysis was carried out on the Halayapura microwatershed in Karnataka, India. Using ArcGIS 10.2.2 and applying the DEM model, the micro-watershed was subjected to quantitative investigation to determine the channel network involved and understand geo-hydrological behavior. In addition, remote sensing and geospatial techniques were used to study the micro-watershed drainage analysis and its associated parameters, such as stream order, stream length, stream frequency, drainage density, texture ratio, form factor, circulatory ratio, elongation ratio, bifurcation ratio, and compactness coefficient for the micro watershed, were evaluated. According to the findings, the stream order ranges from I to IV, with 97 streams in the micro-watershed. Streams of 72, 19, 5, and 1 are found in the I, II III, and IV order, respectively. The bifurcation values range from 3.78 to 5.00, with the average weight around 3.14. The elongation ratio and farm factor are 0.77 and 0.46, respectively. The drainage density of the micro watershed is 5.20 km/km². The form factor, circularity, and elongation ratio contribute to a basin with an elongated shape through decreased flood proneness, erosion, and sediment transport capacity. The results of the microwatershed morphometric assessment are critical for evaluating and managing water resources and selecting a recharge structure for future water management in the study region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selected study area lies in Karnataka State of Southern India and is frequently subjected to prolonged dry spells, high soil erosion, declining groundwater levels, and reductions in crop yield. In order to make this region sustainable, estimation of soil loss, selection and prioritization of suitable interventions, and its adoption are very important. In this study, spatial soil loss estimation models were developed sub-district-wise using the Revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) and GIS for a period of 70 years (1951 to 2020). The observed soil loss data for the period of 2011 to 2015 were used for validation of the model (R2 = 0.89) and were found satisfactory. The average annual rainfall ranged spatially from 420 to 3700 mm, erosivity (R) ranged from 2606 to >15,000 MJ mm ha−1 h−1 year−1, and average annual soil loss varied from <2.0 to >15.0 t ha−1 y−1 in the northern dry zone of Karnataka. Most of the study area had an average annual rainfall of 550 to 800 mm and the soil loss was <10.0 t ha−1 y−1. A higher erosivity and soil loss occurred in the western part of the selected area where high rainfall is predominant. A considerable variability in rainfall, erosivity, and soil loss was found in high, medium, and low-rainfall regions from 1951 to 2020. The spatial soil loss was estimated catchment-wise and prioritized to determine the vulnerable areas. It was found that 7.69% of the area with soil loss ≥ 15.0 t ha−1 y−1 needs top priority for planning interventions (Priority 1) followed by 10.49% of the area with soil loss ranging from 10.0 to 15.0 t ha−1 y−1 (Priority 2) and 42.7% of the area under 5.0 to 10.0 t ha−1 y−1 (Priority 3), and the remaining area has lower priority. In order to make Northern Karnataka more sustainable, suitable site-specific moisture conservation practices and water-harvesting/groundwater recharge structures were planned using geospatial techniques. Among the selected moisture conservation interventions, conservation furrow and contour cultivation are very suitable for all the nine districts followed by compartmental bunding and semi-circular bunds. Out of the total area, conservation furrow was found suitable for 45.3% of the area, contour cultivation for 24.3% of the area, and compartmental bunding and semi-circular bunds for 16.8 and 16.9% of the areas, respectively. The study indicated that a considerable amount of topsoil is lost as erosion and, hence, planning and adoption of suitable in situ soil and water conservation practices and water-harvesting/groundwater recharge structures are the need of the hour for the sustainable management of this region. The identified locations were validated using visual interpretations, ground truth, and recorded data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The government of Karnataka has resolved to promote and employ an increasing number of alternative fuels, particularly, wind energy. Selecting a windmill supplier is a key decision when developing a wind energy project, and investors must evaluate various qualitative and quantitative variables that interact symmetrically to discover the best source. As a result, a multi-criteria decision-making procedure is applied to choose a wind turbine provider for wind power projects. A variety of approaches have been used to address this judgment process, some of which were predicated on the use of multi-criteria judgment techniques alone or in conjunction with some different multiple-criteria decision approaches. In this study, the researchers advocated selecting windmill producers for geothermal power generation using a judgment method based on a spherical fuzzy system. After the analyses of the last stage of this research, turbine manufacturers for installations could be suggested. The purpose of this research was to develop a fuzzy multi-criteria foundation for choosing appropriate rotor makers for electricity production. Specialists can utilize the conclusions of this study to choose an appropriate windmill operator in other states, including for green initiatives of a similar nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Among vector borne diseases, malaria remained a major threat to public health from decades because of its course and complications. Being the endemic region, malaria poses a great threat because it causes multiorgan failure. Though continuous monitoring, effective implementation of control measures are in place still India contributes to majority of cases in sub Asian region. Aim: To estimate the prevalence of malaria, to determine the seasonality and to analyse the trend of the disease over the period. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted at Chikamagalur a district in Karnataka, India, in the year 2022 over a period of six months. The study was done by collecting the data of patient details from the laboratory register. The results were analysed, positive results were calculated for disease burden by Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) and Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum). Results: Out of 27,474 samples, 94 were found positive for malaria parasite of which P. vivax cases were 90 (95%) and 4 (5%) was P. falciparum cases. Prevalence rate was 0.34%. There is 24% drop in malaria cases from 2019-2021 when compared to 2015-2018. Conclusion: The present study shows decline in the number of malaria cases from 2015 to 2021. The cases showed seasonal variation with maximum cases being reported in September. As India is in the decline phase of cases, with the collective efforts of clinicians, laboratory personnel and community health workers, elimination of malaria could be a possibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study presents spatial distribution, sources and toxicological risks of As, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the surface sediments from north-western Karnataka, southern India. Heavy metals (except Hg) are 1–5 times enriched than upper continental crust. High concentration of Cr, Ni, Cu, and Zn is in the central Kudalgaon, Devarayi, and Tavargatti and in the south-western Ganeshgudi area, whereas Arsenic is enriched in the north-eastern Alnavar, Kakkeri,Tavargatti and Pb, and Hg in the north-western Kapoli, Devarayi, Manjarpal villages. The ecological risk index, toxic risk index, and mean probable-effects-levels quotient of heavy metals suggest that ~ 40% of the area is prone to very high risk especially for Cr and As to the hydrological, biological, and ecological systems. Multivariate statistical analysis suggests possible geogenic sources for Ni, Cr, Cu, and Zn and anthropogenic sources such as emissions from vehicles and agricultural sectors for As, Hg, and Pb. This study is the first of its kind in the area, which will help, in better formulation of environmental pollution and risk related remedial measures to conserve the natural ecosystem and the well-being of humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient use of available resources in agricultural production is important to minimize carbon footprint considering the state of climate change. In this context, the current research was conducted to identify carbon and energy-efficient fodder cropping systems for sustainable livestock production. Annual monocropping, perennial monocropping, annual cereal + legume intercropping and perennial cereal + legume intercropping systems were evaluated by employing a randomized complete block design with three replications under field conditions. The lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) monocropping system recorded significantly lower carbon input (274 kg-CE ha−1 year−1) and showed higher carbon indices viz., carbon sustainability index (165.8), the carbon efficiency ratio (166.8) and carbon efficiency (347.5 kg kg-CE−1) over other systems. However, higher green fodder biomass led to statistically higher carbon output (78,542 kg-CE ha−1 year−1) in the Bajra–Napier hybrid (Pennisetum glaucum × Pennisetum purpureum) + lucerne perennial system. Similar to carbon input, lower input energy requirement (16,106 MJ ha−1 year−1) and nutrient energy ratio (25.7) were estimated with the lucerne perennial system. However, significantly higher energy output (376,345 and 357,011 MJ ha−1 year−1) and energy indices viz., energy use efficiency (13.3 and 12.2), energy productivity (5.8 and 5.3 kg MJ−1), net energy (327,811 and 347,961 MJ ha−1 year−1) and energy use efficiency (12.3 and 11.2) were recorded with Bajra–Napier hybrid + legume [lucerne and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.)] cropping systems, respectively. However, these systems were on par with the lucerne monocropping system. Additionally, Bajra–Napier hybrid + legume [cowpea, sesbania (Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers.) and lucerne] cropping systems also showed higher human energy profitability. Concerning various inputs' contribution to total carbon and energy input, chemical fertilizers were identified as the major contributors (73 and 47%), followed by farmyard manure (20 and 22%) used to cultivate crops, respectively, across the cropping systems. Extensive use of indirect (82%) and non-renewable energy sources (69%) was noticed compared to direct (18%) and renewable energy sources (31%). Overall, perennial monocropping and cereal + legume cropping systems performed well in terms of carbon and energy efficiency. However, in green biomass production and carbon and energy efficiency, Bajra–Napier hybrid + legume (lucerne and cowpea) cropping systems were identified as the best systems for climate-smart livestock feed production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of irrigation is generally considered an efficient way to reduce poverty in rural areas, although its impact on the inequality between farmers is more debated. In fact, assessing the impact of water management on different categories of farmers requires resituating it within the different dimensions of the local socio-technical context. We tested this hypothesis in a semi-arid area in Karnataka, South India, where groundwater irrigation was introduced five decades ago. Using the conceptual framework of comparative agriculture, based on farmers' interviews, we built a farm typology, traced the trajectories of farm types over the last decades and assessed their current technical and economic performances. Our results show that the differentiation of farm trajectories since the 1950s has been linked with the development of groundwater irrigation, interplaying with their initial assets, and the evolution of the national and local contexts. We highlight the mechanisms by which irrigation indeed reduces poverty but engenders fragilities, particularly for poor households, whose situation was aggravated by the depletion of water resources over the last two decades. Finally, this extensive understanding of the agrarian context allowed us to formulate and assess the potential of different ways forward, including irrigation technology, change in cropping or livestock systems, land tenure, and value added distribution. As such, this analysis would be of major interest to policy makers involved in reforming the agricultural context for better agricultural water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas, characterized by impervious surfaces, produce storm water runoff which during unexpected heavy rainfall exceeds the carrying capacity of the storm water drainage system causing urban flooding. Transport expressways are massive hard-scaped surfaces generating large amounts of polluted surface run-off during the rains. In the case of the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) Expressway at Bengaluru, India, which is also a tolled road, the demonstration is about using the surface run-off or stormwater as a resource for developing urban green infrastructure complementing the transport grey infrastructure. The functions of urban green infrastructure include air quality improvement, microclimate modification, storm water management, biodiversity, recreational opportunities and visual aesthetics. Here we show, that the surface runoff or stormwater is effectively channelled to the areas around, to mark the beginning of a well-planned and executed drainage system, maintenance-free landscape and technically a sound, urban green infrastructure in the form of site-specific models of Rain Gardens. The same models can be used in other transport expressways as they are the indicators of economic growth and connectivity although would require to be customized as per the city and its climatic conditions. This paper explores three different scenarios with a typical model of development of green infrastructure along the transport expressway tailormade for each of the situations. While in the first and the second models, the Central Rain Garden and the Edge Rain Garden have been respectively proposed, the third model explores a comparatively complex scenario in the form of an Intersection Rain Garden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of groundwater quality is essential for the conservation of natural resources. Hence, this study aims to assess the hydrochemistry of groundwater in and around the Nagalapura Taluk in Bellary district, Karnataka, India. The groundwater quality variables are mapped using a Geographic Information System (GIS). For the hypothesis, the mean value of ten groundwater quality variables was obtained from 50 bore well samples (2016-2018). To assess the lead ions and type of water, the USSL, SAR, and Na% were measured. Ionic ratio and Gibbs graphs were used to demonstrate the chemical reactions in the water samples. ArcGIS was used for spatial analysis of the quality variables. The results showed the order of Cl- > SO42- > HCO3- with water types Na+-Cl- and Cl-, and the order of Na+ > Mg++ > Ca++ > K+ with Na+ and Mg++ as the dominant anion and cation, respectively. The hydrochemistry of groundwater is determined by the geological structure in 64 percent of the water samples examined. The Wilcox diagram shows that no-alkali exposure to the crops is expected. Forty one samples (82%) fit within the C3-S1 group; this category is fit for irrigational needs. Only 01 and 03 samples showed maximum SAR during two seasons like pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods. The maps showed that groundwater in the selected sites is usually of higher quality, whereas the presence of dolomite indicates a reduction in water quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the study is to analyze the linkages between ecosystem services and food security of the Soliga tribes in India. This study mainly focuses on four dimensions of ecosystem services, (i) production and providing of wild food and water resources, (availability); (ii) rural livelihood, employment opportunities, and income generation (accessibility); and (iii) utilization of ecosystem services, persons are capable of increasing energy and nutrition from food (utilization); (iv) adequate and enough food is accessible, reachable, and utilizable on a dependable, sustainable basis (stability). This study has used primary data for analyzing the linkages between ecosystem services and food security of (Soligas tribe in Karnataka) 210 households were interviewed in South India. The results of the study is found that forest provisioning ecosystem services major role in their everyday food and nutrition. The main policy implication of the study is integrating ecosystem services and food security for sustainable agricultural production of tribal communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Documenting the biodiversity of protected areas and reserve forests is important to researchers, academicians and forest departments in their efforts to establish policies to protect regional biodiversity. Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) is an important protected area located in the central Western Ghats of Karnataka state known for its diverse flora and fauna with distinct ecological features. For the last four decades the sanctuary has witnessed the loss of forest cover, yet the vegetation in few locations is relatively undisturbed. The current inventory was undertaken during 2019–2020 to provide a checklist of woody species from SWS under-researched earlier. The list comprises 269 species of trees, lianas and shrubs distributed in 207 genera and 68 families. The most diverse families are Fabaceae, Moraceae, Rubiaceae, Rutaceae, Lauraceae, Apocynaceae, Meliaceae, Malvaceae, Phyllanthaceae, and Anacardiaceae, representing 48% of total woody flora. The sanctuary shelters 263 native and six exotic plant species. Thirty-nine species were endemic to the Western Ghats, five species to peninsular India and one species to the Western Ghats and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Four forest types, i.e., dry deciduous, moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, and evergreen forests, are represented in the sanctuary. Of the total species, only seven occurred in all forest types, while 111 species are exclusive to a single forest type. One-hundred-and-four taxa were assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List. Ten species that fall under Near Threatened, Vulnerable, and Endangered categories were encountered occasionally. The baseline data generated on plant diversity will be useful in highlighting the importance of these forests for species conservation and forest management. Such data form a cornerstone for further research. For instance, to understand the effect of invasive species and human impacts on the diversity of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hospitality business is a major contributor to the growth of tourism, consuming a significant amount of energy and resources on the planet. Because the hospitality sector is such a big part of the tourism sector, more attention is paid to its environmental impact. The goal of this study is to look at power management and consciousness among stakeholders' perspectives of the extent to which heritage hotel practices contribute to attaining the environmentrelated SDGs. To do this, a questionnaire was created and sent to the person in control of environmental obligations in the hotels under investigation, which were chosen using a random sample approach. A sample of 49 people seeks heritage motels in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. The survey included 70 percent of Karnataka's total Accredited Heritage motels. With the help of a research paper, information is gathered via case interviews and observations with hotel managers. The Casa Cottage Hotel of Karnataka has been effective in executing environment protection operations focused on improving feasible tourism actions and gaining competitive benefits as a result of implementing green hotel planning, which involves ecologically hotel implementation, property use, energy consumption, quality of air, water conservation, and wastewater treatment. The creation of hotels that are environment-friendly and sustainable has been focused on via the control of operational operations to limit the effects of external harm caused by present environmental circumstances. The hotels' dedication to sustainable development via energy was the driving force for the implementation of hotel industry criteria. To accomplish the environment-related SDGs, hoteliers should effectively include Heritage hotel practices into their operations plans, according to the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effectiveness of Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) satellite rainfall data for the development of multi-step ahead streamflow forecasting models. Daily time scale precipitation data of nearly three decades (1986–2012) over the Varahi river basin in Western Ghats of Karnataka, India were used for the analysis. Machine learning (ML) models, namely, the Group Method of Data Handling (GMDH), Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detector (CHAID), and Random Forest (RF) were simulated for one, three and seven days ahead streamflow forecasting. Additionally, the developed forecasting models were improved through the integration with Intrinsic Time-scale decomposition (ITD) (by decomposing the input data into a series of proper rotation components (PRC) and a monotonic trend). The uniqueness of this study lies in coupling ITD with machine learning models to forecast daily streamflow time-series. Concurrently, the precipitation data derived from India Meteorological Department (IMD) gridded rainfall dataset were also employed for developing analogous multistep ahead streamflow forecasting models. The proposed methodology was aimed to have an accurate and a reliable forecasting model that can assist water resources management and operation. Comparative performance evaluation using various statistical indices portrayed the superiority of CHIRPS satellite rainfall data product in forecasting daily streamflows up to a week lead time. The results indicate that, the hybrid ITD-based ML models developed using CHIRPS precipitation data as inputs held a better performance at all lead times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can improving access to mobile extension improve agricultural productivity? Recent evidence suggests both significant and insignificant ways in which SMS-based agricultural information could affect farming outcomes. It is unclear if variations in the programs' design or the methodological challenges in evaluating the programs cause wide-ranging impacts. Extension hotline services provide rapid, unambiguous information by agricultural experts over the phone, tailored to time- and crop-specific shocks. Using methods from experimental economics, we randomly distributed the hotline number to generate exogenous variation in the access to farming information. We conducted our study among 300 farmers in the South Indian state of Karnataka. Our results show that eliminating informational inefficiencies increases farmers' average yields for a high-stakes pigeon pea crop that faced adverse aggregate shock. The impact on the yield is through the adoption of cost-effective and improved farming practices. However, we do not observe any effect on the crops that were not affected by the shock. Our findings reveal that advisory recommendations customized to time- and crop-specific shocks are associated with a greater impact on agricultural productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed the taxonomic position and species diversity of ants in four different habitats (agriculture, vegetative, dry land, and human habitats). A total of 11,038 ant workers belonging to 40 species, 25 genera of 10 tribes, and six subfamilies were recorded. The Simpson index of diversity (1-D) was 0.97, indicating greater diversity in both vegetative and human habitat. Similarly, the Shannon index was 3.40 and 3.50 for both vegetative and human habitats, respectively, indicating assemblage of similar ant species in both habitats. In contrast, for agricultural habitat, Simpson index of diversity (1-D) was 0.90, and for dry land habitat, the least diversity of 0.80 was reported. However, in pair-wise comparisons, no significant difference was observed between agriculture and dry land and vegetative and human habitats. The agriculture and arid land habitats tend to have fewer species compared with the vegetative and human habitats. Human-disturbed areas have an important role as reservoirs of biodiversity and should be included in landscape management practices to improve ant conservation in the tropics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The data available for the health of Scheduled Tribes (ST) in India are often coarse-scale snapshots at district and state levels and fine-scale comparison within and across site is often not possible. In this paper, we examine the health inequalities between the ST and non-ST populations in two forested sites and compare the healthcare parameters for ST populations across three forested sites. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional household survey in three sites in and around three tiger reserves in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Arunachal Pradesh (AP). In each site, multi-stage sampling and cluster analysis provided a representative sample of households across villages of 859 ST and non-ST households. We examined the sociodemographic and health-related information including self-reported illnesses and healthcare utilisation; from these, we explored the within-site health inequality patterns for the two sites and intersite differences among the ST households of the three sites. Results: In Karnataka, the ST and non-ST differences favoured the latter with regard to socio-economic characteristics with no difference in self-reported illness/injuries or healthcare utilisation. In MP, both groups were similar with regard to socio-economic characteristics and healthcare utilisation. AP ST households reported the highest healthcare utilisation, while MP ST households reported the lowest care seeking at hospitals and relied on home networks and health workers. High tobacco consumption was noted among ST groups in all the sites. Conclusions: The ST and non-ST inequality patterns at a fine-scale were different between Karnataka and MP. The absence of health inequalities in MP indicates a uniform socio-geographical disadvantage while poor healthcare utilisation by ST people in Karnataka indicates health inequities. The ST households of AP reported the highest utilisation while those of MP reported the lowest. Programmes addressing the health inequalities of STs need to consider site-specific assessments of socio-geographical and health system factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoonotic diseases affect resource-poor tropical communities disproportionately, and are linked to human use and modification of ecosystems. Disentangling the socio-ecological mechanisms by which ecosystem change precipitates impacts of pathogens is critical for predicting disease risk and designing effective intervention strategies. Despite the global "One Health" initiative, predictive models for tropical zoonotic diseases often focus on narrow ranges of risk factors and are rarely scaled to intervention programs and ecosystem use. This study uses a participatory, co-production approach to address this disconnect between science, policy and implementation, by developing more informative disease models for a fatal tick-borne viral haemorrhagic disease, Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), that is spreading across degraded forest ecosystems in India. We integrated knowledge across disciplines to identify key risk factors and needs with actors and beneficiaries across the relevant policy sectors, to understand disease patterns and develop decision support tools. Human case locations (2014–2018) and spatial machine learning quantified the relative role of risk factors, including forest cover and loss, host densities and public health access, in driving landscape-scale disease patterns in a long-affected district (Shivamogga, Karnataka State). Models combining forest metrics, livestock densities and elevation accurately predicted spatial patterns in human KFD cases (2014–2018). Consistent with suggestions that KFD is an "ecotonal" disease, landscapes at higher risk for human KFD contained diverse forest-plantation mosaics with high coverage of moist evergreen forest and plantation, high indigenous cattle density, and low coverage of dry deciduous forest. Models predicted new hotspots of outbreaks in 2019, indicating their value for spatial targeting of intervention. Co-production was vital for: gathering outbreak data that reflected locations of exposure in the landscape; better understanding contextual socio-ecological risk factors; and tailoring the spatial grain and outputs to the scale of forest use, and public health interventions. We argue this inter-disciplinary approach to risk prediction is applicable across zoonotic diseases in tropical settings. Author summary: Worldwide, impacts of zoonotic diseases, that cycle between animals and people, are concentrated in tropical communities and often linked to the way people use and change ecosystems. Interventions for zoonotic diseases could be targeted better using risk maps based on computer models that integrate social and ecological risk factors across degraded ecosystems. However, such predictive models often perform poorly at local scales, incorporate narrow ranges of risk factors, and are disconnected from policy, managers and interventions. Co-production brings together stakeholders and knowledge, across the human health, animal health and environmental sectors, aligning with the OneHealth Initiative, to develop more informative predictive tools for zoonotic diseases. Through co-production, we develop predictive models for a fatal tick-borne disease, Kyasanur Forest Diseases (KFD) that is spreading across the degraded Western Ghats forest in India. These models incorporating contextual risk factors identified by stakeholders, accurately predicted patterns in human cases of KFD (2014–2018) in Shivamogga district, Karnataka State, and identified new hotspots of infection during the subsequent 2019 outbreak. Landscapes at highest risk encompassed diverse forest-plantation mosaics with high coverage of moist evergreen forest and plantation, high indigenous cattle density, and low coverage of dry deciduous forest. Co-production resulted in outbreak data that reflected where exposure occurred in the landscape and outputs of value for targeting of interventions, matched to the scale of forest use and public health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc is considered as the fourth important yield limiting nutrient in India, after N, P, and K. From the regular soil analysis data, Indian soils (50%) are found to be deficient in Zn and the zinc deficiency is likely to increase in future. Areas with low soil available Zn are often regions with widespread zinc deficiency in humans. Zinc malnutrition and deficiency in human is alarming and is gaining attention in recent years. Application of zinc to soil and crops is one of the simple and easiest ways to mitigate or alleviate Zn deficiency in human. Moreover Zn uptake, its translocation and yield response of various crops to applied Zn are need to be focused for finding sustainable solutions to the problem of zinc deficiency in crops and humans. In this manuscript, importance of Zn to plants and human, Zn malnutrition problems in India and global level, soil Zn status of Karnataka, various factors that responsible for Zn deficiency in the soils of Karnataka and the response of various horticultural crops to Zn application in the region is discussed. Soil maps are believed to be an important tool to delineate and manage nutrient deficient areas. It also elaborates the effective Zn management strategies to improve crop productivity and farm income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been reported that 20%–60% of all people injured in road traffic accidents (RTAs) tend to have some form of maxillofacial injury. Mangalore city, Karnataka State, India, traffic police has enforced the law to wear helmets to tackle the problem. The outcome of the initiative till date was not measured. Therefore, the objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of maxillofacial injuries among the victims of motorized two-wheeler RTAs, following the passing of the helmet law. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at the Accident and Emergency Department of K.S. Hegde Medical College and Hospital and at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Nitte (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, Karnataka, India. The inclusion criteria were the patients who had two-wheeler accidents during the time period of 2016–2017 was collected. The data related to age, gender, helmet wearing, diagnosis, and type of orthopedic injuries was included. A descriptive statistics was calculated along with 95% confidence interval; correlation coefficient and odds ratio using STATA software. Results: A total of N = 347 individuals were included in the study. The mean age of the individuals was 33.7 (2–85) years, and the median age was 32 years. 81.55% (N = 283) were male and 18.44% (N = 64) were female. Among the individuals, 51.5% (N = 179) were not wearing helmets and 44.38% (N = 154) of them were males. A total of 25.07 (N = 87) individuals had orthopedic injuries and 16.42% (N = 57) individuals had orthopedic injuries who were not wearing helmets. Conclusion: Under the limitations of the study, we conclude that majority of the two-wheelers are not wearing helmets. This study has demonstrated that the impact of wearing helmet on occurrence of craniofacial and orthopedic injuries is less. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sorghum (Sorghum vulgare Pers.) popularly known as jowar is the most important food and fodder crop of dry land agriculture. It is generally grown in both Kharif and Rabi season, with sown area of 25.3 and 38.3 lakh ha, respectively, at National level. The major states contributing to national sorghum acreage are Karnataka and Maharashtra. Crop acreage and yield estimation is of great significance to develop food policies and economic plans for a country. In this regard, under FASAL project, Sorghum production estimation is being carried out since 2013-14. Data from December to January is used for classification considering the peak season of crop. The satellite data used for classification has been gradually changed from Resourcesat 2 LISS III/ Landsat 8 OLI to Sentinel 2. Ground Truth has played major role to support the classification methodology. Total 1,409 GT points have been collected so far for both the states, with the help of state agriculture departments. NDVI based Crop Cutting Experiment (CCE) points are also generated and given to State for conducting the experiments at ground level. District level Sorghum crop yield is estimated using two procedures - i) Agro-meteorological regression models, ii) Remote sensing index based empirical models. The state and district level estimates were compared with government estimates. At state level the RMSE was found ranging from 6.5% to 34.7% and correlation (r) was found ranging from 071 to 0.87. At district level, the correlation between FASAL project estimates and government estimates ranged between 0.80 to 0.95. Overall, the paper discusses, the experience gained from the Rabi sorghum production estimation, in last 5 years, under FASAL project and the scope of improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton cultivation has made rapid strides in India since the introduction of Bt cotton, which provided effective protection against its major pest, Helicoverpa armigera and other bollworms. The presence of alternate host crops for cotton bollworms targeted by Bt cotton play a key role in resistance evolution to the in planta expressed Bt proteins. Several host crops for H. armigera such as pigeonpea, sorghum, tomato, chilli, sunflower and corn are cultivated alongside Bt cotton. Change detection in the extent of cotton and alternate host crops of cotton bollworm was conducted using IRS LISS-III data in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states. The changes in the extent of cotton and host crops were monitored using multi-temporal data of 2002, 2004 and 2008. The results indicated that Bt cotton (Hirsutum) has almost completely replaced the traditional Indian cotton (Gossypium arborium). Several alternate host crops of H. armigera were grown along with cotton. Pigeonpea was the major host crop in almost all the locations. Chilies dominated in Andhra Pradesh, sunflower in Karnataka and corn in Gujarat. These host crops serve as 'natural' refuge of H. armigera and possibly, for this reason this pest has not evolved resistance to the Bt expressed by Bollgard II even after 16 seasons of intensive cultivation; whereas the pink bollworm, a monophagous cotton bollworm, had developed resistance to Cry1Ac in 2009 and to Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab in 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on butterfly species in the western ghats in Dakshina Kannada District in Karnataka, India that act as health indicators of the ecosystem in the ghats.

Soil nutrients are essential for crop growth. Spatial variability of nutrients can occur in various scales, between regions, between fields or within the field. RS and GIS techniques enables farm management based on small-scale spatial variability of soil and crop parameters in the field. The present study was carried out in Nagenahalli microwatershed, Doddaballapur taluk, Bangalore rural district with the objective to determine and map the macronutrient status of soils in the watershed using GIS technique. The NPK was analyzed and mapped using Arc GIS to quantify the level of spatial nutrients availability. Results indicated that NPK ranged from 31.36 to 376.32 kg ha-1(N), 21.29 to 390.62 kg ha-1 (P2O5) and 55.10 to 521.47 kg ha-1 (K2O) respectively in the surface soils. Nutrient map showed that the soils were poor in available nitrogen and available potassium whereas sufficient in available phosphorous content. Furthermore NPK map can be used to identify deficient or sufficient areas for efficient fertilizer management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife reserves are becoming increasingly isolated from the surrounding human-dominated landscapes particularly in Asia. It is imperative to understand how species are distributed spatially and temporally in and outside reserves, and what factors influence their occurrence. This study surveyed 7500 km landscape surrounding five reserves in the Western Ghats to examine patterns of occurrence of five herbivores: elephant, gaur, sambar, chital, and pig. Species distributions are modeled spatio-temporally using an occupancy approach. Trained field teams conducted 3860 interview-based occupancy surveys in a 10-km buffer surrounding these five reserves in 2012. I found gaur and wild pig to be the least and most wide-ranging species, respectively. Elephant and chital exhibit seasonal differences in spatial distribution unlike the other three species. As predicted, distance to reserve, the reserve itself, and forest cover were associated with higher occupancy of all species, and higher densities of people negatively influenced occurrence of all species. Park management, species protection, and conflict mitigation efforts in this landscape need to incorporate temporal and spatial understanding of species distributions. All species are known crop raiders and conflict prone locations with resources (such as water and forage) have to be monitored and managed carefully. Wildlife reserves and adjacent areas are critical for long-term persistence and habitat use for all five herbivores and must be monitored to ensure wildlife can move freely. Such a large-scale approach to map and monitor species distributions can be adapted to other landscapes to identify and monitor critical habitats shared by people and wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We undertook a comparative analysis of ground insects and fruit eating butterflies on 29 different plantations in Kodagu District of Karnataka which is one of the rich biodiversity zones of the Western Ghats. These included organic and conventional coffee and cardamom plantations using different levels of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. A total number of 457 ground insect species were collected using pit-fall traps which included 92 species of ants and 123 species of beetles, among other insect taxa that we measured. Similarly, 25 species of butterflies belonging to the family Nymphalidae were collected using bait traps. We found a clear negative effect on the ground insect species diversity (Shannon index) and evenness (Shannon evenness index) in pesticide treated plantations as compared to the organic plantations. A similar negative effect was observed for butterfly diversity in plantations using pesticides. Our results corroborate the value of organic plantations in supporting higher levels of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]