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The participation of a diverse –in terms of geography, discipline and gender– group of Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in the peer review process can help alleviate the workload of senior researchers and counteract the perceptual biases that the latter tend to show. Moreover, ECRs can benefit from developing skills that are often not included in educational programs. From 2018 to 2021, the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists, in collaboration with other associations, organized six group reviews of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports by a total of more than 600 ECRs from over 70 different countries. This study aims to evaluate this group review in terms of its contribution to the production of scientific knowledge, and as a career development opportunity for ECRs. The data analyzed consists of application forms, review comments, and feedback surveys that were collected during each review process. The results of this study show that, overall, the group reviews were a success in terms of the experience of ECRs and their contribution to the peer review of the IPCC reports. Most survey respondents considered the general organization of the group reviews satisfactory and expressed interest in participating in future group reviews. However, most participants did not engage in discussions with their peers, which constitutes a missed opportunity to engage in active learning and the shared production of knowledge. ECRs made a significant contribution to the review of the IPCC reports by producing an average of 2,422 ± 532 comments per group review, 36% of which were substantive. PhD students were shown to be as proficient reviewers as postdoctoral researchers and faculty reviewers. More importantly, the diversity of reviewers in terms of geography and discipline, together with the fact that they are ECRs, can help produce more balanced scientific reports since they bring new perspectives, thus counteracting the biases that senior researchers have. These group reviews could be improved by providing more comprehensive training and facilitating communication among reviewers so that they can engage in meaningful exchanges. We conclude that the IPCC should formalize the inclusion of ECRs in future reviews of the IPCC reports.

Summary: The red Noctiluca scintillans bloom was observed off Cochin in the South Eastern Arabian Sea (SEAS), affecting a very large area during July–August 2016. The surface water samples from the bloom region were collected to study the physical, biological and light absorption characteristics. The bloom affects the food chain by their voracious predation on the species of both first and second trophic levels. The N. scintillans cell density during the bloom was estimated at 4.73 × 105 cells l−1. In the phytoplankton absorption coefficient spectra, the accessory pigments displayed peaks in the 488–558 nm regions, which represent the characteristic carotenoid pigment (red colored pigment) for the bloom of red Noctiluca. Signature of the coastal upwelling was found from the salinity and temperature distribution, which was measured prior to the bloom occurrence. From the sea surface temperature (SST), it is also confirmed the presence of fresh water from the Cochin estuary. Increased productivity near coastal region, along with episodic events of strengthening of the upwelling, favors the proliferation of smaller diatoms. The plankton succession from smaller diatoms to larger diatoms and dinoflagellates, favors the proliferation of the red Noctiluca. The occurrence of blooms of red N. scintillans, which feed on phytoplankton, mainly diatoms, and other dinoflagellates, could be a threat to larvae of oil sardine during the upwelling period, and may negatively impact on the commercially important fishery of oil sardine, in this region. Keywords: Noctiluca scintillans, Phytoplankton absorption coefficient, Upwelling, Oil sardine, South Eastern Arabian Sea (SEAS)

Microalgal biomass has emerged as a promising alternative to replace plant-based biofuel feedstock due to its higher lipid productivity. But cultivation of microalgae in expensive analytical grade culture media is a major obstacle in feasible algal biofuel production. Hence the present investigation was carried out to find an alternative, low-cost culture medium for the increased biomass yield and biochemical production of microalga, Desmodesmus subspicatus MB. 23. The strain was cultivated in different concentrations of 19: 19: 19 NPK media and checked for the algal biomass production and biochemical accumulation. Maximum algal cell density (5290 ×104 cells/ml), biomass yield and productivity (2.72 g/L, 60.87 mg/L/d) was attained in 2 g/L NPK fertilizer medium, whereas 1g/L medium exhibited increased chlorophyll production (chl-a, 4.7 mg/g d wt, chl-b 1.7 mg/g d wt). High level of carotenoid accumulation (4.6 mg/g d wt) as well as lipid accumulation (29.5%) was found in 0.5g/L fertilizer media and Fatty acid methyl ester analysis of the strain showed abundant production of C16 and C18 fatty acids. Findings of the current study proved that, lower concentration of 19:19:19 NPK fertilizer can be used for the enhanced production of green microalgae. Other than cost effective biofuel production, NPK fertilizer grown D. subspicatus can also be used for the production of a wide range of metabolites such as food and feed additives, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we report the nitrogen fixing potential of heterotrophic diazotrophs isolated from a tropical estuary and adjacent coastal sea. Results of the study revealed that most of the species that are capable of fixing nitrogen in the study area belongs to the genus Bacillus. The isolates from the estuary showed maximum homology with Bacillus megaterium, B. cereus, B. safencis, B. licheniformis, B. aerophilus, B. oceanisediminis, B. flexus, B. aquimaris, B. vietnamensis, and B. subterraneaus, whereas the diazotrophic isolates from coastal samples were closely related to B. subtilis, B. megaterium, B. circulans, B. aerophilus, B. flexus, and B. oceanisediminis. Experimental studies to determine the nitrogen fixation potential of isolates revealed considerable variation among different strains and the highest nitrogen fixing potential was recorded in B. megaterium (210.05 ± 7.0 nmol C2H4/mg protein/day) followed by B. flexus (108.76 ± 3.66 nmol C2H4/mg protein/day) and B. circulans (98.28 ± 4.32 nmol C2H4/mg protein/day). Molecular basis of nitrogen fixation by these heterotrophic Bacillus strains has been explored in terms of the presence of nifH gene in them. We observed that heterotrophic Bacillus sp. have potential ability to fix nitrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]