Search

Terrestrial ecosystems are one of the major sinks of atmospheric CO 2 and play a key role in climate change mitigation. Forest ecosystems offset nearly 25% of the global annual CO 2 emissions, and a large part of this is stored in the aboveground woody biomass. Several studies have focused on understanding the carbon sequestration processes in forest ecosystems and their response to climate change using the eddy covariance (EC) technique and remotely sensed vegetation indices. However, very few of them address the linkage of tree-ring growth with the ecosystem-atmosphere carbon exchange, and nearly none have tested this linkage over a long-term (> 100 years) - limited by the short-term (< 50 years) availability of measured ecosystem carbon flux. Nevertheless, tree-ring indices can potentially act as proxies for ecosystem productivity. We utilise the Coupled Climate Carbon Cycle Model Intercomparison Project (C4MIP) model outputs for its 140-year-long simulated records of mean monthly gross primary productivity (GPP) and compare them with the tree-ring growth indices over the northwestern Himalayan region in India. In this study, we examine three coniferous tree species: Pinus roxburghii and Picea smithiana wall. Boiss and Cedrus deodara and find that the strength of the correlation between GPP and tree ring growth indices (RWI) varies among the species., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to International Society of Biometeorology.)

A sound understanding of daily precipitation concentration provides critical insights about extreme precipitation and associated hazards such as rainstorms, flash floods, cloud bursts, and soil erosion. Therefore, this study examines the spatiotemporal variability and geoclimatic drivers of daily precipitation concentration using the concentration index (CI), precipitation concentration degree (PCD), Q Index (QI), and Theil index (TI) over a Western Himalayan Province, namely Himachal Pradesh, India. For this, the daily precipitation data pertaining to 111 grids (0.25° × 0.25° resolution), encompassing entire province, have been downloaded from India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune, for the period 1951 to 2020. The trends in concentration indices have been detected using Mann-Kendall (MK) and Sen's slope methods, whereas their relationship with geoclimatic drivers have been assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient (physiographic) and random forest regression model (climatic) at annual and monsoon season time scales. The results have revealed a high correlation between CI-TI (> 0.95), followed by QI-TI (> 0.84), QI-PCD (> 0.80), TI-PCD (> 0.78), QI-CI (> 0.65), and CI-PCD (> 0.60), representing nearly similar precipitation concentration distribution. Among the concentration indices, QI has shown maximum sensitivity to long-term changes followed by TI, CI, and PCD at both time scales. Similarly, physiographic factors have maximum effect on QI, showing its greatest sensitivity to latitude, longitude and elevation. While considering the impact of climatic drivers, Atlantic Meridian Oscillation (AMO) and Sunspot activity have exerted maximum influence on annual variability of CI, PCD, QI, and TI, whereas monsoon variability of these indices has been modulated by Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), especially over northern parts of Himachal Pradesh. These findings will assist soil and water resource managers, disaster executives, agricultural stakeholders, and urban planners in understanding the unexplored aspects of daily precipitation concentration and making informed decisions over the mountainous regions of western Himalaya., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: The authors confirm that the manuscript is original and has not been sent for publication elsewhere. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Terrestrial ecosystems play a central role in the global carbon cycle and climate mitigation due to their offering of a large carbon sink. More than one‐fifth of the geographical area of India, one of the largest nations on the Earth, is forested, which is highly diverse in vegetation and climate types, offers huge potential for carbon sequestration, but remains vulnerable to climate change. Hence, it is imperative to know the future changes in the terrestrial carbon budget over this region. Gross primary productivity (GPP) represents the carbon uptake by terrestrial ecosystems. The multimodel ensembles of GPP simulated by the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) provide a useful means in this regard. In this work, we study the strength and variability of GPP over India in the near‐past and future using these simulations. In future, all the models show an increasing trend in GPP, however, with widely varying trends. The preferred month of carbon uptake differs among the models. A comparison with a satellite biophysical record shows the models underestimated the GPP during the near‐past over India. The carbon uptake in the Eastern Himalaya dominates the Western Himalaya and central Indian regions. Specifically, till 2100, the growth rate of GPP varies from 4.9 to 16.69 gC m−2 y−2, from 2.47 to 18.91 gC m−2 y−2, and from 0.32 to 21.95 gC m−2 y−2 over these three regions, respectively. Plain Language Summary: Climate change is an imminent problem driven by greenhouse gases, with adverse impacts on the Earth system. Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas. Plants offer a natural strategy to mitigate climate change by their photosynthetic carbon uptake. For climate change impact assessment, projections of climate models are widely used, developed from our understanding of the Earth system, as measured by the observations. India is a large and populous country that remains highly vulnerable to climate change; it also plays a key role in global climate change and its mitigation. However, to devise a suitable mitigation strategy the future carbon sequestration by the natural ecosystems in this region needs to be quantified. The World Climate Research Program developed the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, a multi‐model ensemble study providing future projections of climate variables under different climate change scenarios. In this work, we use these ensembles to study the future photosynthetic carbon uptake over India and its three key forested regions. We find the photosynthetic carbon uptake to increase manifold over India, with significant inter‐model uncertainties. We also find the Eastern Himalaya to have stronger biospheric carbon removal from the atmosphere than the Western Himalaya and Central Indian regions. Key Points: Photosynthetic carbon uptake increases over India in future with the annual growth rate varying from 3 to 15 gC m−2 y−2The photosynthetic carbon uptake is larger in Eastern Himalaya compared to Western Himalaya and Central IndiaThere is a large discord on the strength, trend and variability of Gross primary productivity over India among CMIP6 models and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fluxes from agroecosystems contribute to the variability of the carbon cycle and atmospheric [CO 2 ]. This study is a follow-up to Gahlot et al. (2020), which used the Integrated Science Assessment Model (ISAM) to examine spring wheat production and its drivers. In this study, we look at the carbon fluxes and their drivers. ISAM was calibrated and validated against the crop phenology at the IARI wheat experimental site in Gahlot et al. (2020). We extended the validation of the model on a regional scale by comparing modeled leaf area index (LAI) and yield against site-scale observations and regional datasets. Later, ISAM-simulated carbon fluxes were validated against an experimental spring wheat site at IARI for the growing season of 2013–2014. Additionally, we compared with the published carbon flux data and found that ISAM captures the seasonality well. Following that, regional-scale runs were performed. The results revealed that fluxes vary significantly across regions, primarily owing to differences in planting dates. During the study period, all fluxes showed statistically significant increasing trends (p<0.1). Gross primary production (GPP), net primary production (NPP), autotrophic respiration (Ra), and heterotrophic respiration (Rh) increased at 1.272, 0.945, 0.579, 0.328, and 0.366 TgC yr -2 , respectively. Numerical experiments were conducted to investigate how natural forcings such as changing temperature and [CO 2 ] levels as well as agricultural management practices such as nitrogen fertilization and water availability could contribute to the rising trends. The experiments revealed that increasing [CO 2 ], nitrogen fertilization, and irrigation water contributed to increased carbon fluxes, with nitrogen fertilization having the most significant effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Devising effective national-level climate action plans needs a more detailed understanding of the regional distribution of sources and sinks of greenhouse gases. Due to insufficient observations and modelling capabilities, India's current carbon source-sink estimates are uncertain. This study uses a high-resolution transport model to examine the potential of CO2 observations over India for inverse estimation of regional carbon fluxes. We make use of four different sites in India that vary in measurement technique, frequency and spatial representation. These observations exhibit substantial seasonal (7.5 to 9.2 ppm) and intra-seasonal (2 to 12 ppm) variability. Our modelling approach, a high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting Model combined with Stochastic Time Inverted Lagrangian Transport (WRF-STILT) model, performs better in simulating seasonal (R2 = 0.50 to 0.96) and diurnal (R2 = 0.96) variability of observed CO2 than the current generation global models analysed in the study. Representation of local flux variability like biomass burning in the model needs further refinement, depending on the site location. During the agricultural season, crop biospheric uptake in the Indo-Gangetic Plain region significantly modulates the CO2 variability in the northern Indian stations. Depending on the region and time of the year, the anthropogenic and biospheric emission components contribute differently to CO2 variability. The choice of emission inventory in the modelling framework alone leads to significant biases in simulations (5 to 10 ppm), endorsing the need for accounting emission fluxes, especially for non-background sites. By implementing a high-resolution model, our results emphasise that observations from Indian sites can be useful in deducing carbon flux information at regional (Nainital) and sub-urban to urban (Mohali, Shadnagar, Nagpur) scales. On accounting for observed variability, the global carbon data assimilation system can thus benefit from the measurements from the Indian subcontinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is vital to keep an eye on changes in climatic extremes because they set the stage for current and potential future climate, which usually have a reasonable adverse impact on ecosystems and society. The present study examines the variability and trends in precipitation and temperature across seasons in the Kinnaur district, offering valuable insights into the complex dynamics of the Himalayan climate. Using Climatic Research Unit gridded Time Series (CRU TS) datasets from 1951 to 2021, the study analyzes the data to produce 28 climate indices based on India Meteorological Department (IMD) convention indices and Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI). Although there may be considerable variation in climate indices in terms of absolute values within different products, there is consensus in both long-term trends and inter-annual variability. Analysis shows that even within a small area, there is variability in the magnitude and direction of historic temperature trends. Initially, the data were subjected to rigorous quality control procedures, which involved identifying anomalies. Statistical analysis like trend analysis, employing Mann-Kendall test and Sen's slope estimator, reveal significant (p < 0.05) increase in consecutive dry days (CDD) at 0.03 days/year and decrease in consecutive wet days (CWD) at 0.02 days/year. Notably, the frequency of heavy precipitation occurrences showed an increasing trend. Changes in precipitation in the Western Himalaya are driven by a complex interplay of orographic effects, monsoonal dynamics, atmospheric circulation patterns, climate change, and localized factors such as topography, atmospheric circulation patterns, moisture sources, land-sea temperature contrasts, and anthropogenic influences. Moreover, in case of temperature indices, there is significant increasing trend observed. Temperature indices indicate a significant annual increase in warm nights (TN90p) at 0.06%/year and warm days (TX90p) at 0.11%/year. Extreme temperature events have been trending upward, with monthly daily maximum temperature (TXx) increasing by 1.5 °C yearly. This study enhances our comprehension of the global warming phenomenon and underscores the importance of acknowledging alterations in the water cycle and their repercussions on hydrologic resources, agriculture, and livelihoods in the cold desert of the northwestern Indian Himalaya., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

To assess the effects of 12 weeks Yoga based Cardiac Rehabilitation program on Blood Pressure Variability and Baroreflex Sensitivity in Eighty patients post myocardial infarction. Randomized controlled trial with two parallel groups. A tertiary care institution in India. The Yoga group received 13 hospital-based structured yoga sessions in adjunct to the standard care. Control Group participants received enhanced standard care involving three brief educational sessions on importance of diet and physical activity. Beat to beat arterial pressure variability and baroreflex sensitivity was determined non-invasively. Baseline measurement was done at 3 weeks post Myocardial Infarction. The measurements were repeated at 13th week and at 26th week post MI. There was no significant difference between the groups in time domain indices of SBP variability. At 26th week post MI, after normalization the Low Frequency power increased in the yoga group as compared to the decrease in the standard care group (p = 0.02). Though the High Frequency power increased in both the groups, the magnitude of increase was higher in the standard care group (p = 0.005). However, the total power increased significantly in yoga group with a concurrent decrease in standard care group (p = < 0.001). The SBP All BRS was significantly different between the groups with an increase in the yoga group and a decline in standard care group (p = 0.003) at 13th week. A short-term Yoga based cardiac rehabilitation has additive effects in improving baroreflex sensitivity and dampening blood pressure variability post myocardial infarction in patients under optimal medication. The main trial is registered in Clinical Trials Registry—India (CTRI) (Ref. No: CTRI/2012/02/002408). In addition, CTRI has also been registered for the sub-study. (Ref. No: CTRI/2017/09/009925). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research on crop genetic enhancement has created a continuous flow of new, improved germplasm for the benefit of farmers and consumers of the Global South during and after the Green Revolution. Understanding farmers' heterogeneous preferences for varietal traits in different market segments and incorporating the prominent ones in crop breeding programs are expected to facilitate a faster diffusion of these new varieties. Albeit knowing little about farmers' trait preferences in South Asia, public-sector breeding programs prioritize yield enhancement and risk reduction over other varietal traits. Against this backdrop, we examined wheat farmers' preferences for varietal traits in Central India, where the prevailing varietal turnover rate has been meager. We conducted a ranking exercise among 120 individuals, followed by a sex-disaggregated survey with a choice experiment among 420 farm-households in 2019. The lowest varietal turnover rate was observed for the socially marginalized castes. Most women respondents were not actively involved in making decisions related to wheat cultivation, including varietal selection. However, the results indicate that marginalized caste and women farmers are open to experimentation with new varieties, as shown by their positive willingness to pay for improved varietal traits. Across the gender and caste groups, grain quality attributes (especially chapati quality) were ranked high, above the yield-enhancing and risk-ameliorating traits. From the observed patterns, one could deduce that developing and disseminating improved varieties with better grain quality and targeting women and marginalized social groups in varietal dissemination programs could enhance farmer adoption of new, improved germplasm and wheat productivity in Central India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review summarizes the status of the impact of pranayama on health care. Thousands of years ago yoga originated in India, and in the present day and age, an alarming awareness was observed health and natural remedies among people through yoga and pranayama. Pranayama is a main component of yoga and it is the practice of breath regulation and has been proven as an effective method for improving health and addition to prevention and management of diseases. With increasing scientific research in yoga, its healing aspects are also being explored. Yoga is reported to reduce stress and anxiety, improve autonomic functions by triggering neurohormonal mechanisms by the suppression of sympathetic activity, and even, nowadays, several reports suggested yoga is beneficial for the physical health of cancer patients and pranayama for breathing-related diseases. Such global recognition of yoga also testifies to India’s growing cultural influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India's Indo-Gangetic plains, river flows are strongly altered by dams, barrages and water diversions for irrigation, urban supply, hydropower production and flood control. Human demands for freshwater are likely to intensify with climatic and socio-economic changes, exacerbating trade-offs between different sustainable development goals (SDGs) dependent on freshwater (e.g. SDG2, SDG6, SDG7, SDG11 and SDG15). Freshwater ecosystems and endangered aquatic species are not explicitly addressed in the SDGs, but only nested as targets within SDG6 and SDG15. Thus, there is high risk that decisions to advance other SDGs may overlook impacts on them. In this study, we link a water resource systems model and a forecast extinction risk model to analyze how alternative conservation strategies in the regulated Beas River (India) affect the likelihood of survival of the only remaining population of endangered Indus River Dolphins (IRD) in India in the face of climate change-induced impacts on river hydrology and human water demands, explicitly accounting for potential trade-offs between related SDGs. We find that the frequency of low flow released from the main reservoir may increase under some climate change scenarios, significantly affecting the IRD population. The strongest trade-offs exist between the persistence of IRD, urban water supply and hydropower generation. The establishment of ecologically informed reservoir releases combined with IRD population supplementation enhances the probability of survival of the IRD and is compatible with improving the status of relevant SDGs. This will require water managers, conservation scientists, and other stakeholders to continue collaborating to develop holistic water management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Meditation is a conscious mental discipline, that has been implicated in the relaxation response. The mechanism behind such a relaxing effect is psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), based on the interaction between mind, physical health, and self-healing; that conceptualizes that stress and an individual's emotional state led to predisposition to diseases. Research to date suggests that meditation may play an active role in remodeling the imbalance between mind and body by modulating the psychoneuroimmunological effects of stress. However, to date, the multi-dimensional psychoneuroimmune aspects of meditation together have not been completely explicated. An evidence-based mechanism has been framed for the first time in India to explain the psychoneuroimmunology of regular and long-term meditation practice. Summary: Present evidence-based mechanism confirms prefrontal cortex (PFC) acts as a 'Functional Connectome' where psycho-neuro-immune aspects of meditation function simultaneously to exert positive benefits in the regulation of cognitive and emotional behavior. Also, this mechanism will help us to understand how human augmentation with lifestyle modification fosters brain plasticity to overcome various neuropsychiatric illnesses. Key Message: Meditation is a scientific tool against neuro-psychiatric illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The winter precipitation over north India is due to the passage of synoptic systems known as Western Disturbances (WDs), which are embedded in large‐scale subtropical westerly jet (SWJ). The winter (December, January, February [DJF]) precipitation is vital to maintaining glaciers, sustenance of rivers, replenishing downstream springs, and agriculture. Any change in winter precipitation has a profound impact on agriculture, socio‐economic status, and water security of the nation. Thus, a close understanding of future changes in winter precipitation is critical to the country. The present study evaluates the future changes in sub‐seasonal variability of winter precipitation over north India using ICHEC‐EC‐EARTH‐SMHI‐RCA4 CORDEX‐SA experiment. Wet bias in precipitation and cold bias in temperature are observed in model. Almost all days in the winter season witnessed a shift towards a warm‐wet climate in a future warming scenario. A large amount of precipitation is observed in February in model as well as observation. A 10‐day interval scale spanning during DJF is considered to evaluate these changes. Future changes in winter precipitation are analysed under RCP4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. The percentage change in winter precipitation shows a maximum increase during the first fortnight of December and the first week of February. Precipitation intensity weakens during January. Two hundred hectopascal wind, 850 hPa wind, and moisture flux influence the increase in precipitation over the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evapotranspiration denotes the transport of water vapor between an ecosystem and atmosphere comprising the biotic (transpiration) and abiotic (evaporation) components. Additionally, the water vapor transports the energy used for its vaporization, the latent heat. In the present study we compare the ecohydrological cycle of a mangrove on the Bay of Bengal coast in southeast India with a broadleaf deciduous forest in northeast India using eddy covariance flux measurement for the very first time. Similar to a semi-arid ecosystem the evapotranspiration from mangrove is dominated by the dry sensible heat flux throughout the year, except pre-monsoon when it behaves like a well-watered ecosystem with evapotranspiration dominating the sensible heat flux. Such behavior is in stark contrast with the broadleaf deciduous forest which provides stronger evapotranspirative heating than sensible heat throughout the year including the dry seasons. The evaporative fraction remains consistently much lower at the mangrove than the broadleaf deciduous forest. Compared to the broadleaf deciduous forest, the mangrove ecosystem remains tighter coupled with the atmosphere. Transpiration contributes the larger share to the evapotranspiration of mangrove even in the dry seasons, whereas transpiration and evaporation contribute maximum to the evapotranspiration of broadleaf deciduous forest periodically through the year. Based on principal component analysis we show that both transpiration and evaporation at the mangrove are most strongly coupled with salinity, much different from the broadleaf deciduous forest where transpiration and evaporation are most tightly coupled with root-zone soil moisture and wind speed, respectively. The salinity regulation of transpiration has an important implication for the carbon cycle of mangrove and its appropriate parameterization in ecosystem and climate models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) affects Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) at interseasonal to interannual time scales. Given the heterogeneity in rainfall patterns over India, we have revisited the linkages between El Niño and ISM for the period 1600–2016 in this study. Our analysis based on the instrumental, paleo-proxy, model and satellite data sets show significant spatiotemporal variation in the ISM in response to El Niño. We observed strengthening of ISM over the northeast India (NEI) in conjunction with El Niño events. We suggest that the decadal trends in ISM over the NEI and central India (CI) were controlled by the long term variation in strength of El Niño events. We observed spatial variation in isoGSM derived rainfall and its oxygen isotopic composition (δ18O) in response to El Niño events. We further verified our observations from isotope proxy palaeo-records. Two high resolution speleothem (cave deposits) records of reconstructed ISM during 1600–2008 confirmed the inverse relation of rainfall patterns over CI (negative) and NEI (positive) during moderate to strong El Niño periods. These speleothem records infer a long-term pause in the El Niño (or stronger La Niña) like conditions, which were persisted during 1625–1715 and favored the stronger (weaker) rainfall over the CI (NEI). Furthermore, speleothem records showed stronger El Niño events during 1715–1760 causing significant reduction and enhancement in rainfall amount over CI and NEI, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a predominant source of morbidity in India. The incidence of depression is found to be increased among type 2 DM patients that makes the glycemic control as an exhaustive task and also leads to increasing the risk of diabetes induced complications. Aim: The present study aimed at studying the effect of three yoga on depression and glycemic control in type 2 DM patients. Methods: Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama, Kati Chakrasana and Vakrasana were taught to the recruited participants and clinical characteristic were measured at baseline, visit 1 and visit 2. Results: The mean FBS, PPBS and RBS values of the participants during the two visits were found to be decreased from 131.33±12.89 to 122.33 ± 10.63 (p <0.0001), 183.3 ±28.02 to 167.11 ± 13.95 (p=0.0052) and 181.81 ± 20.8 to 169.22± 21.79 (p=0.0050) respectively. The HAM D score of SIGH D tool from baseline to visit 2 was found to be reduced from 9 to 3.44 (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The study showed the evidence of the effectiveness of yoga in the management of depression and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Auto-rickshaw (three wheelers open cabin type of vehicle) drivers are exposed to traffic air pollution. Studies have demonstrated reduced pulmonary function among drivers. However, limited studies have determined the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among drivers. Aims: Among auto-rickshaw drivers of urban Puducherry to determine prevalence of (i) chronic respiratory symptoms by using Indian Study on Epidemiology of Asthma, Respiratory Symptoms, and Chronic Bronchitis (INSEARCH) questionnaire and (ii) COPD by measuring peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). Setting and Designs: Cross-sectional, descriptive study. Subjects and Methods: Cluster random sampling was used to select 297 auto-rickshaw drivers. Subjects were interviewed using the INSEARCH questionnaire. PEFR was measured using Wright's peak flow meter. We also assessed exposure to tobacco smoke. Statistical Analysis Used: Prevalence and 95% confidence interval of chronic respiratory symptoms and COPD were calculated. Results: All the auto-rickshaw drivers were male, and 75% were in the age group of 31-50 years. They spend most of the time on the roadside either driving or waiting at the auto-stand. Prevalence of nonspecific respiratory symptoms among auto-rickshaw drivers was 76% (breathlessness on exertion 68%, cough at night and phlegm in the morning 22%, wheezing 18% assessed for last 12 months). Around 28% of them had PEFR <80%. The prevalence of tobacco smoking was also high (64%), and 100% had exposure to tobacco smoke at the workplace. Conclusion: The nonspecific chronic symptoms were high among auto-rickshaw drivers as compared to the general population noted from a multicentric study done in India. We recommend that auto-rickshaw drivers should use personal protective equipment and would require regular screening and treatment for respiratory impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unprecedented precipitation along with heavy falls occurred over many parts of India from 28th February to 2nd March 2015. Many of the stations of northwest and central India received an all time high 24 hr cumulative precipitation of March during this period. Even the national capital, New Delhi, broke all the previous historical 24 hr rainfall records of the last 100 years to the rainfall record in March 2015. Due to this event, huge loss to agricultural and horticultural crops occurred in several parts of India. In the present study, an attempt is made to understand the various meteorological features associated with this unprecedented precipitation event over India. It occurred due to the presence of an intense western disturbance (WD) over Afghanistan and neighbouring areas in the form of north-south oriented deep trough in westerlies in middle and upper tropospheric levels with its southern end deep in the Arabian Sea, which pumped huge moisture feed over Indian region. Also, there was a jet stream with core wind speed up to 160 knots that generated high positive divergence at upper tropospheric level over Indian region; along with this there was high magnitude of negative vertical velocity and velocity convergence were there at middle tropospheric level. It caused intense upward motion and forced lower levels air to rise and strengthen the lower levels cyclonic circulations (CCs)/Lows. Moreover, the induced CCs/Lows at lower tropospheric levels associated with WD were more towards south of its normal position. Additionally, there was wind confluence over central parts of India due to westerlies in association with WD and easterlies from anticyclone over north Bay of Bengal. Thus, intense WD along with wind confluence between westerlies and easterlies caused unprecedented precipitation over India during the 1st week of March 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use and land cover changes over 1973-2017 period in peripheral Delhi were mapped based on digital classification of satellite data and their driving forces ascertained. Urban area expanded and agricultural area diminished at annual rates of 38.6% and 2.1%, respectively, during the 1973-2017 period. Urban expansion occurred more in scrub and sparse vegetation areas than in cultivated lands or ponds. Loss of cultivated land happened mostly due to abandonment of cropping and tree planting in farmhouses developed by the urban elites. Improvement in the state of forests in terms of their expansion as well as densification offsets their loss due to urbanisation, encroachment and logging. The increment in the green cover was due to strict enforcement of compensatory afforestation/forest conservation law, growing demand of ecotourism, emergence of tree-clad farmhouses and increased environmental awareness and surveillance. This research will help in comprehending policies favouring sustainable urban development.

Thousands of years ago yoga originated in India, and in present day and age, an alarming awareness was observed in health and natural remedies among people by yoga and pranayama which has been proven an effective method for improving health in addition to prevention and management of diseases. With increasing scientific research in yoga, its therapeutic aspects are also being explored. Yoga is reported to reduce stress and anxiety, improves autonomic functions by triggering neurohormonal mechanisms by the suppression of sympathetic activity, and even, now-a-days, several reports suggested yoga is beneficial for physical health of cancer patients. Such global recognition of yoga also testifies to India's growing cultural influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  This study aims to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of two major zebu dairy breeds (Tharparkar and Rathi) adapted to the arid region of Rajasthan state of India. Various variability estimates indicate the existence of sufficient within-breed genetic diversity. Mean estimates of F-statistics are significantly different from zero: F IS = 0.112 ± 0.029, F IT = 0.169 ± 0.033, F ST = 0.065 ± 0.017. The overall positive value of F IS (0.112) and an F IT value (0.169) that is more than the F ST (0.065) indicate departure from random mating. The drift-based estimates reflect a moderate yet significant level of breed differentiation between the Tharparkar and Rathi breeds. The evaluation of an exact test, showing that allele frequencies across all the loci differed significantly, supports the population differentiation. This is paralleled by the outcome of neighbor-joining clustering based on allele-sharing distance measures. The allocation of a high percentage of individuals (95.7%) to their population of origin and correspondence analysis further substantiates the existence of a cohesive genetic structure in both the breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eastward-moving upper air troughs in the subtropical westerlies, commonly known as the western disturbances (WDs) in the Asian subcontinent, are primary sources of precipitation over the north-west Himalayan (NWH) region and the northern plains of India during winter. Many simulation case studies with the help of numerical weather prediction models and a few observational case studies have been conducted to understand the spatial structure, dynamics, energy and weather associated with the WDs over the NWH in the past. However, studies using in situ observations on the impacts of the approaching WDs on various surface meteorological variables at a local scale in the high-altitude mountainous regions of the NWH are lacking. The objectives of this study are to examine the impacts of the approaching WDs on various surface meteorological variables for 11 stations in the NWH and the associated precipitation amount in a 24-hr time interval. Changes (departures) in the values of various meteorological variables are examined on the first precipitation day of the occurrence of active WDs to study the impacts of the approaching WDs and the associated precipitation amount in the 24-hr time interval which are found to depend on the altitude and geographic location of a station. The mean drop in the maximum and ambient air temperatures are found to be 2.0 ∘ and 0.7 ∘ C , respectively, while the mean rise in the minimum air temperature was found to be 0.8 ∘ C . A mean drop in the surface atmospheric pressure and a mean increase in the relative humidity are found to be 0.9 hPa and 19.5%, respectively, in a 24-hr time interval. The mean precipitation amount and mean maximum precipitation amount associated with the active WDs in the 24-hr time interval are found to be 8.9 and 68.8 mm, respectively. The results are briefly discussed in the paper. The findings of this study can be useful for operational weather forecasting and a selection of precursor variables for developing a real-time local scale weather forecast model(s) for remote areas of the NWH for the winter season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]