Holocene year 2 issue 12

Year 2/ Issue 12/August–September 2017

Featuring Asian Biodiversity

The World After 5th Extinction

Computational Aspects of Wildlife Corridor Conservation In India

Use of Azolla

Monthly Newsletter of

A Step towards

“Wild” Habits Die Hard…

Eco-Friendly Agriculture

Amazing Wildlife Of Laos (Part VI)

Cover Photo: Sadhina Abeysuriya

Year 2/Issue 12/August – September 2017

"....far more pleasure is got from pressing the button of a camera than is ever got from pressing the trigger of a rifle....in one case the leopard can be watched for hours, and there is no more graceful and interesting animal in the jungle to watch....... in the other case a fleeting glimpse.... the acquisition of the trophy which soon loses both its beauty and its interest" ~ Jim Corbett The Man-eating Leopard of Rudraprayag

Sri Lankan Leopard Photography by Sadhina Abeysuriya

Year 2/Issue 12/August – September 2017

The Holocene is the geological epoch that began after the Pleistocene at approximately 11,700 years BP and continues to the present. As Earth warmed after the Ice Age, the human population increased and early man began to change the planet forever. For Exploring Nature, our newsletter Holocene is our platform to convey our concerns on human threat to biodiversity. We will use our newsletter as a media to highlight the current local and global issues which could impact biodiversity of Mother Nature and promote awareness of biodiversity in alignment with our group’s mission of promoting awareness of different aspects of Mother Nature among people.

In this newsletter our readers will get information and periodic updates on.

Recent significant discussions on biodiversity, going on across the world.

Major recent research and studies on biodiversity.

Biodiversity explorations planned and conducted by national and international groups as well as Exploring Nature.

Information and interesting readings on wildlife photography and biodiversity modelling etc.

Holocene Year 2/Issue 12/August – September 2017 © Exploring Nature

Content: Cover Story “Wild” Habits Die Hard…

In Conversation with Sadhina Abeysuriya

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Editorial The State and the Tigers – The Nation and its National Animal 8|Page Experts’ Voice Computational Aspects of Wildlife Corridor Conservation in India

By Saurabh Shanu & Sudeepto Bhattacharya 10|Page Voice of Nature Use of Azolla – A Step towards Eco Friendly Agriculture

By Vrushabh Borkar 12|Page Cohabitation Amazing Wildlife of Laos (Part VI)

By Outlander 17|Page Theme Poster Luzon Tarictic Hornbill (male)

By Juanita Rueda 22|Page

Cover, Design and Illustration © Exploring Nature All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without proper prior permission in writing from Exploring Nature.

Editorial Board Dwaipayan Ghosh, Arnab Basu and Anwesha Ghatak Social Media Coordinators Vrushabh Borkar and Koushik Mondal Logo and Title Design Arijit Das Majumder and Saikat Chakraborty Website www.exploringnature.org.in

The Monthly Newsletter of

e-mail holocene@exploringnature.org.in info@exploringnature.org.in 2|Page

Year 2/Issue 12/August – September 2017

In Conversation with The Lady–Liberated, who calls herself a “Free–Spirit”, Sadhina Abeysuriya, a "Nemophilist", Wildlife Photographer and an Avid Traveller from Sri Lanka!!

Anwesha Ghatak

Exploring Nature is always fascinated by great souls who are working tirelessly to make a difference in this universe, to preserve, procreate natural resources.

When I had to start with this interactive session for “Holocene”, the natural choice was Sadhina Abeysuriya, not only because she is a front runner in Wildlife Photography and Nature conversation, not only because she is a woman, not only because the leopards captured by her lenses are spine-chilling, actually it is all of the above.

Herd of Asiatic Elephants Photography by Sadhina Abeysuriya

When I first approached Sadhina on social media for this Q and A session, she was all sports, as excited as me. And after she was back from the Woods, I finally got in touch with her and then she opened up, like a wildflower, her childhood, passion, aspiration budded out.

17th July Sadhina: Hi Anwesha... I just got back from the wilderness... Will it be ok if we chat tomorrow as I'm knackered!

Anwesha: Absolutely!! Since we love nocturnal beings, can we chit chat 9 PM IST tomorrow 18th July…

Sadhina: Sure!

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18th July Anwesha: I will ask you questions and we’ll see how it unfolds!

Sadhina: Ok sure!

Anwesha: Actually I do not have any particular sets of questions! We can start by asking you… When did you discover that you are indeed a Nemophilist…?

Sadhina: Well... As a child I was always in the jungle...From the age of 7 I was taken to all the national parks by my father...So thanks to him I'm a queen of the jungle now! And the wilderness makes me smile…

Crested/Changeable Hawk Eagle Photography by Sadhina Abeysuriya

Anwesha: Was he appointed by the Government to protect forests, your father?

Sadhina: No, he loved nature as much as I do now...He always wanted to do something to protect the forests. He loved to travel, mostly to the forests…

Anwesha: So he was driven by our primitive urges to be close to nature…. So are you…

Sadhina: Yes definitely..... We travelled a lot and spent a lot of time going to different national parks...

But I miss that now! My parents both died 11 years ago in Wilpattu National Park…They got caught by a landmine while on safari…This was when the terrorist attacks were on and they were killing innocent people.. After that incident it took me 6 years to face the forest… Again!

Anwesha: I'm so sorry to hear about your losses. May their spirits be free in the Universe....May I know their names please and seek permission to publish…

Sadhina: My father was Nandan Abeysuriya and my mom was Henrieta Abeysuriya…

Anwesha: So two Naturalist lives came to an abrupt end by man-made machineries!!

Sadhina: Slowly but eventually I had to face it...So I started going to Wilpattu almost every weekend as I feel that they are always there... Now I feel it's my home!

Anwesha: Do you call their passing as Ironies?

Sadhina: Please explain…Ironies of?

Anwesha: Ironies of pretentious modern human behavior???

Sadhina: Yeah!!! With my parents 5 others died too as they were all friends!

Anwesha: And then you took on their unfinished quest?

Sadhina: Well yeah this is what I do... I protect the wilderness the way I can, because, that's what my dad has taught me…

Asiatic Elephant (Male) Photography by Sadhina Abeysuriya

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Anwesha: And you feel you're duty bound to do that…

Sadhina: Yes it is my duty to protect the forests...

Anwesha: Right! One interesting thought I would like to share...

Do you consider yourself a forest dweller? Allow me to elaborate.... Do you visit city life from the forests! Or the other way around!

Sadhina: Well I'm always in the forests... and then I come to the city! I hate city life!

Anwesha: I guessed so…

Sadhina: I come to the city if I have some work to be done...

And now since my husband, Major Rajiv Wanigasekara also loves the wilderness, we travel a lot…

Anwesha: What about the jungle you're most drawn to?

Sadhina: Though we visit other places around Sri Lanka, Major Rajiv and Sadhina Wilpattu national park is my home now. The jungle always calls me...Even the animals! I've had many close encounters with wild animals but never been hurt by any…Wilpattu overall is the most beautiful jungle I've seen in my country... It's called the “Land of the Lakes”…

Anwesha: And how many lakes the jungle is surrounded by?

Sadhina: Nearly sixty lakes (Willu) and tanks are spread throughout Wilpattu…. The unique feature of this park is the existence of "Willus" (Natural lakes)…

Anwesha: "Willus" as in colloquial Sri Lankan language?

Sadhina: Yes correct…Wilpattu is among the top national parks, world-renowned for its leopard population…

Anwesha: Oh Yes, Leopards.... Now that you've mentioned...I've seen your fascination for one of the most efficient killers, through your lenses!! Tell me about your first eye-contact with leopards!!

Sadhina: Well my first “tryst” with a leopard was when I was quite young and actually didn't know if it was wild! I wanted to get down from the jeep and touch him... But my dad held me and kept telling me that it's a wild animal and it's not like snoopy ( my pet dog ) .. And I cried so much!

Anwesha: That's a sweet memory of this magnificent creature!

Sadhina: But then I started realizing that they were all wild animals…I was so much in love with cats!

Anwesha: And then you got "serious" about leopards and other wildlife…

Sri Lankan Leopard cub Photography by Sadhina Abeysuriya

Sadhina: Even now when I see them my heart skips a beat and I smile so much…

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Anwesha: I can only imagine the excitement... Man and the beast, face to face!!

Sadhina: Yeah I began to love all animals and the wilderness… I've had face to face encounters with leopards so many times! And I will always cherish those moments…

Anwesha: Do you visit forests overseas or just your home country?

Sadhina: I have been to Tadoba and Pench in India...and I loved the places…

Anwesha: Wow! We, as South Asian countries represent one of the widest ranges of Bio-Diversity in the whole wrold! Reasons to be proud of!!

Sadhina: Yeah sure is…

Anwesha: Tell me, in the year 2017, what do you feel is their biggest vulnerability?

Sadhina: You mean leopards?

Anwesha: I mean Wild as a whole…

Sloth Bear Photography by Sadhina Abeysuriya

Sadhina: The fast depleting forest covers in the name of development!

Anwesha: Right… And the decades long conflicts in the land of Sri Lankan territories, how much have they impacted on the natural habitats?

Sadhina: The conflict had its positives and negatives...Very strangely most of the Forrest in the conflict areas was unaffected!

Anwesha: Oh ok! Now one technical question...Do you support Eco Tourism, if monitored?

Sadhina: Yes but as long as people don't chop down trees to make furniture and call it Eco tourism!

Anwesha: Ofcourse! Also the fauna, what's your stand on Syndicated Poaching?

Sadhina: Having unplanned settlements in the buffer zones in Forrest reserves is the main cause for poaching... Those responsible should be held accountable!

Anwesha: Absolutely… I must ask one question and the question is meant for all the buyers of luxury items made of animal parts ...Are you a responsible buyer?

Sadhina: I neither have any jewellery, furniture or any other items related to animal parts... Nor do I buy or encourage the sale or purchase of the same…

Anwesha: That's the message we would like to spread through Exploring Nature…I think we are arriving at the concluding part of this 'wild-er-ful" conversation...Exploring Nature joins hands in solidarity to all the Green armies across the globe!!

As a female front runner in wildlife photography and nature conservation, any special message to us?

Sadhina: Many worry but a few do...Be a doer…

Sri Lankan Leopard with Monitor Lizard Kill Photography by Sadhina Abeysuriya

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Anwesha: Great! Also I wanted to ask you…do you consider yourself a wildlife photographer or a nature conservationist or both.

Sadhina: Both...And I take pleasure in capturing both the beauty and the reality!

Anwesha: That's wonderful… Hope you enjoyed the chat as much as I did…

Sadhina: I sure did Anwesha... Thank you...

Anwesha: Pleasure's all mine! Keep up the voyages…

Sri Lankan Leopard Photography by Sadhina Abeysuriya

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Editorial

The State and the Tigers – The Nation and its National Animal On the afternoon of 15 July, passengers in a state transport bus plying between Armori and Desaiganj in eastern Maharashtra were surprised to see two young tigers ambling on the highway. The place near Kondhala in Gadchiroli district, was far from any tiger reserve or national park. How did they reach there? Tigers popping up in places far from their habitat is not new in central India, though.

Mines, dams and development have fragmented vast swathes of forest and destroyed tiger corridors, sending the big cats on cross-country journeys in search of new homes. The luckier ones settle in distant lands to start new, happy families. The others are run over by trains or buses on the way, or shot dead by poachers.

When the tiger count in the country has been increased by 30% from 1706 in last10 years, raising serious concern about their future in India may look pessimistic. The 2014 tiger estimation was surely a moment to celebrate that India's tiger population has stabilised, indeed increased. At the same time, we are afraid of getting fooled by numbers-deluded into believing that 'all is well' as 40% of Classical Tiger Habitats in the country has been curtailed out in these 10 years.

The 2010 report clearly showed that tiger habitats outside of the reserves are declining, and corridors are being decimated and fragmented. The final report of the 2014 estimation, expected sometime soon, reportedly reiterates this. And lost in the euphoria over the jump in numbers was another report, Connecting Tiger Populations for Long-term Conservation, by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), on India's key tiger corridors. The report stressed that vital connectivity between isolated reserves is very fragile, and increasingly threatened. Most of our reserves are small, and are increasingly getting islanded. Such isolated tiger populations eventually hit a genetic dead end, and succumb to inbreeding depression, causing them to collapse. If we want the tiger graph to rise, or even remain stable, conserving tiger corridors and landscapes is crucial, and this is the weakest link in this success story.

It was in 1952 that the central government, concerned about the declining wildlife population in the country, set up the advisory body Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL). Chaired by the Prime Minister, its mission was to conserve flora and fauna. In 2003, it was renamed the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). However, its recent decisions have gone against India’s most successful conservation effort to save the tiger. Truth be told, we are not giving the tiger the priority it deserves, and the will or commitment to save its habitat, is waning.

The board’s recent decisions threaten to hit the Panna tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh, which had recovered since poachers almost wiped out the park in 2008. The Ken-Betwa river-linking project cleared by NBWL will effectively drown 200 sq. km of tiger habitat. At its last meeting in June, the board cleared the Kutku Mandal dam, which will submerge over 1,000 hectares of forests in Jharkhand’s Palamau tiger reserve. Earlier this year, the board also cleared a project to assess the possibility of uranium mining in Amrabad tiger reserve, Telangana. It is a no-brainer that part of the tiger reserve will be soon de-notified. Other controversial decisions include de-notifying the core area of Satpura and Pench tiger reserves for commercial fishing, Achanakmar tiger reserve for bauxite mining and construction of roads through Corbett, Dudhwa and Katarniaghat tiger reserves. With the decisions of NBWL, which has noted conservationists as members, threatening to erode tiger habitats, where will the animals go?

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Tigers are territorial and solitary animals. The big cats are constantly moving across the fragmented central Indian forest landscape in search of a territory, a forest patch to settle down, and a place it can call home. One prime example was a male sub-adult tiger which disappeared from Pench in 2008 only to be spotted in the Mukki range of Kanha tiger reserve in 2011. Here the tiger reigned as the dominant male for over three years and sired several cubs. This tiger used the well-documented Kanha-Pench corridor, which is now threatened with blockage with a plan to broaden National Highway No. 7. The highway runs through the Pench tiger reserve. Another male tiger from Nagzira tiger reserve (Maharastra) made his way to Pench (Maharashtra) and eventually into Pench (Madhya Pradesh) in 2015-16. In recent times, four tigers have migrated from Pench in Madhya Pradesh to the Bhandar reserve forests to the west of Nagzira in Maharashtra. Until now, it was believed that tigers migrating across long distances were exclusively males. But two of the four tigers that successfully negotiated the over 160km were females.

Experts say around 35% of India’s tiger population live outside tiger reserves, although the number of tiger reserves has increased exponentially in the last decade. If one goes by the last all India assessment presented in 2014 by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the number of homeless tigers would be around 800. These are sitting ducks for poachers. The mean average (average of lower and higher range) of total tigers as per the 2014 assessment was 2,226 tigers.

Most tiger reserves are too small to harbour demographically and genetically viable populations of tigers over the long term and conserving areas outside the current tiger reserve network may be important for continued connectivity. These forest corridors which hardly have protection or conservation attention are like umbilical cords, without which the tiger won’t survive in the long run.

Our tiger reserves are increasingly becoming isolated islands which are crippling the gene pool flow.

When the who’s who of tiger conservation, including some members of NBWL, assembled at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan to celebrate yet another tiger day on last 29th July, did anyone think of the tigers wandering in distant lands looking for new homes and the ones dead on the way?

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Experts’ Voice

Saurabh Shanu

Department of Virtualization, School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradoon

Sudeepto Bhattachrya

Department of Mathematics, School of Natural Science, Shiv Nadar University Gautam Budhha Nagar

Wildlife habitat corridors are components of landscapes, which facilitate the movement of organisms and processes between areas of intact habitat, and thus provide landscape corridor. Corridors are thus regions within a given landscape that generally comprise native vegetation, and connect otherwise fragmented, disconnected, non-contiguous wildlife habitat patches in the landscape. The purpose of designing corridors as a conservation strategy is primarily to counter, and to the extent possible, mitigate the impacts of habitat fragmentation and loss on the biodiversity of the landscape, as well as support continuance of land use for essential local and global economic activities in the region of reference.

Landscape linkage may be defined as the degree to which the landscape impedes or facilitates movement among resource patches (Taylor et al. 1993, 2006). We also define corridor as a habitat, usually linear, embedded in a dissimilar matrix within a landscape, that connects two or more bigger patches of habitat, thereby providing linkage between the habitats and that is proposed for conservation on the grounds that it will enhance or maintain the viability of specific wildlife populations in the habitat patches. Further, we define passage as travel via a corridor by individual animals from one habitat patch to another (Beier and Noss 1998).

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Wildlife corridors, as implied from the definition above, are integral components of ecological landscapes. The objective of wildlife corridors is to facilitate the movement of organisms and processes between areas of intact habitat present in the landscape. Corridors are thus regions within a given landscape that generally comprise native vegetation, and connect otherwise fragmented, disconnected, non-contiguous wildlife habitat patches – islands – in the landscape (Beier and Noss 1998; Chetkiewicz et al. 2006; Conard et al. 2010).

Landscapes are dynamic and characteristically possess structural (pattern) and functional (process) attributes. Corridors, being integral components of landscapes, are characterized by two distinct categories of components, namely, pattern and process components (Chetkiewicz et al. 2006). The structural corridor between two habitat patches is given by the physical existence of the landscape between the patches. The functional corridor is a product of both – species and landscape. Hence, a functional wildlife corridor is both, a species - as well as landscape specific concept. Corridors thus, may be considered as emergent phenomena, caused by the interaction between pattern and process attributes of the landscape. The essential function and utility of wildlife corridors is thus to connect at least two significant habitat areas of biological significance, and thus ensure gene flow between spatially separate populations of species, fragmented due to landscape modifications, by supporting the movements of both biotic and abiotic processes (Baum et al. 2004; Beier and Loe 1992; Beier and Noss 1998; Briers 2002; Chetkiewicz et al. 2006; Dutta et al. 2013; Henein and Merriam 1990; Johnsingh et al. 1990; Lindenmeyer et al. 2008; Pulliam 1988; Sharma et al. 2013).

Scholarship, particularly since the last two decade of the twentieth century continuing till the present, have generally argued in favour of the role of wildlife corridors between fragmented habitat patches. Researchers have demonstrated that presence of species-specific wildlife corridors within a given landscape tobe instrumental in increasing gene flow and population sizes of the species (Conard et al. 2010; Hanski and Gilpin 1991; Hanski 1998; Hanski and Ovaskainen 2000; Harris and Gallagher 1989).

The above discussions imply that any feasible, realistic modelling to design wildlife corridor must be a species – specific exercise, with a proper choice of habitat for that focal species. We present a computational procedure for designing corridor for the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) in the Indian landscape complex. For a country biogeographically as vast and diverse as India, relative spatial location of tiger reserves with reference to one another becomes an important attribute to consider for making optimal decision for resource allocations, and thus either protecting existing tiger corridors, or even in some instances, creating proper wildlife corridors in. A key objective in such a decision making therefore would be to select the critical tiger habitats (CTH) in a manner that their spatial configuration ensures a high degree of interconnectivity within often intensely humandominated landscapes, over a long term land use scenario.

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Voice of Nature

Vrushabh Borkar

Abstract: Azolla has been of traditional interest to botanists and Asian agriculturists because of its symbiotic association with a nitrogen-fixing blue-green alga. Stimulated by the recent energy crisis, the interests of these two groups have merged, resulting in the publication of numerous articles in popular magazines and extension bulletins. These articles have focused on the green manure, nitrogen fixation, and hydrogen production qualities of Azolla (Galston, 1975; Newton, 1976; Brill, 1977; Singh, 1977b). The intent of this paper is to provide a current and comprehensive survey of all available literature on the Azolla-Anabaena symbiosis, essentially up-dating and expanding the excellent review by Moore (1969). Some of the included references were published prior to 1969 but were hitherto unavailable (e.g., those from Vietnam and China). The most remarkable characteristic of Azolla is its symbiotic relationship with the nitrogen-fixing blue-green alga (cyanobacterium), Anabaena azollae. The delicate Azolla (Fig. 1) provides nutrients and a protective cavity in each leaf (Fig. 2) to Anabaena colonies in exchange for fixed atmospheric nitrogen and possibly other growthpromoting substances (Schaede, 1947; Ashton and Walmsley, 1976). The rate of nitrogen fixation in the Azolla-Anabaena symbiosis rivals that of the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis. Talley et al. (1977) reported a daily fixation rate.

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Taxonomy and stratigraphy: (Source: www.wikipedia.org) Azolla (mosquito fern, duckweed fern, fairy moss, water fern) is a genus of seven species of aquatic ferns in the family Salviniaceae. They are extremely reduced in form and specialized, looking nothing like other typical ferns but more resembling duckweed or some mosses. The genus name, Azolla, is a conjugation of two Greek words, Az6 (to dry) and oily6 (to kill), suggesting the fern is killed by drought. Some of the fern's vernacular names are: water velvet, mosquito fern (English); Algenfarn (German); Helechito del Agua (Spanish); Lu P'ing, Ho P'ing, Man Chiang hung shu (Chinese); Akaukikusa, Koakaukikusa, Ooakaukikusa (Japanese); Chak pos kra bey, Chak krahan (Khmer); Nae harnghern (Lao); Beo hoa dau, Beo giau (Vietnamese). Azolla belongs to the Salviniales which is closely related to the Hymenophyllaceae (Copeland, 1947; Bierhorst, 1971). Lamarck established the genus Azolla in 1783 after examining specimens brought from Chile (Griffith, 1845). The genus was originally included in the Salviniaceae Sadeb., a family of heterosporous free-floating ferns (Sadebeck, 1902), but recently taxonomists have assigned Azolla to a monotypic family, Azollaceae C. Chr., separate from the genus Salvinia (Christensen, 1938; Reed, 1954; Sculthorpe, 1967; Konar and Kapoor, 1974; Martin, 1976).

Ecology: Azolla is a highly productive plant. It doubles its biomass in 3–10 days, depending on conditions, and yield can reach 8–10 tones fresh matter/ha in Asian rice fields. 37.8 t fresh weight/ha (2.78 t DM/ha dry weight) has been reported for Azolla pinnata in India (Hasan et al., 2009). Azolla filiculoidess (red azolla) is the only member of this genus and of the family Azollaceae in Tasmania. It is a very common native aquatic plant in Tasmania. It is particularly common on farm dams and other still water bodies.

The plants are small (usually only a few cm across) and float, but can be very abundant and form large mats. The plants are typically red, and have very small water repellent leaves. Azolla floats on the surface of water by means of numerous, small, closely overlapping scale-like leaves, with their roots hanging in the water. They form a symbiotic relationship with the cyanobacterium Anabaena azollae, which fixes atmospheric nitrogen, giving the plant access to the essential nutrient. This has led to the plant being dubbed a "super-plant", as it can readily colonize areas of freshwater, and grow at great speed - doubling its biomass every two to three days. The only known limiting factor on its growth is phosphorus, another essential mineral. An abundance of phosphorus, due for example to eutrophication or chemical runoff, often leads to Azolla blooms.

The nitrogen-fixing capability of Azolla has led to Azolla being widely used as a biofertiliser, especially in parts of Southeast Asia. Indeed, the plant has been used to bolster agricultural productivity in China for over a thousand years. When rice paddies are flooded in the spring, they can be inoculated with Azolla, which then quickly multiplies to cover the water, suppressing weeds. The rotting plant material releases nitrogen to the rice plants, providing up to nine tones of protein per hectare per year.

Azolla are weeds in many parts of the world, entirely covering some bodies of water. The myth that no mosquito can penetrate the coating of fern to lay its eggs in the water, gives the plant its common name "mosquito fern". Most of the species can produce large amounts of deoxyanthocyanins in response to various stresses, including bright sunlight and extremes of temperature, causing the water surface to appear to be covered with an intensely red carpet. Herbivore feeding induces accumulation of deoxyanthocyanins and leads to a reduction in the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the fronds, thus lowering their palatability and nutritive value.

Azolla cannot survive winters with prolonged freezing, so is often grown as an ornamental plant at high latitudes where it cannot establish itself firmly enough to become a weed. It is not tolerant of 13 | P a g e

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salinity; normal plants can't survive in greater than 1-1.6‰, and even conditioned organisms die in over 5.5‰ salinity.

Uses of Azolla in agriculture: Azolla covering water surface reduce light penetration of soil surface, resulting in the depreciation in the germination of weeds (70% of the weed). Thus growth of Azolla reduces aquatic weeds in flooded rice fields.

The integrated use of Azolla with rice and fish farming has been developed. The integrated approach can enhance a farmer's income while reduce the use of pesticide and fertilizers and consequently environmental pollution.

It can fix atmospheric nitrogen; carry out photosynthesis and uptake nutrients from its surrounding environment through its root system.

It has wide range of usage including fodder for dairy cattle, pigs, chicken, ducks and fish.

Azolla can be used for all type of vegetables and plantation crops.

In some village communities it has even increased the overall milk yield.

The application of Azolla as biofertilizer on agricultural crops, in order to provide a natural source of crucial nutrients nitrogen, can be very beneficial for the future.

Due to the same fact paddy fields benefit a lot from Azolla.

Improve the nutritional status of the soil.

Azolla has been used as green manure.

Improve yields by 15-20 per cent.

Azolla can be used as an animal feed, human food, a medicine and water purifier.

It may also be used for the production of hydrogen, fuelling the production of biogas that control mosquitoes and reduce ammonia volatilization which accompanies the application of chemical nitrogen fertilizer.

In addition to its traditional cultivation as a bio-fertilizer for wetland paddy (due to its ability to fix nitrogen), Azolla is finding increasing use for sustainable production of livestock feed. Azolla is rich in proteins, essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Feeding azolla to chickens increase egg productions, as compared to conventional feed. One FAO study describes how Azolla integrates into a tropical biomass agricultural system, reducing the need for inputs. Azolla has also been suggested as food stuff for human consumption. However, no long term studies of the healthiness of eating Azolla have been made on humans and Azolla may contain BMAA, a substance that is a possible cause of neurodegenerative diseases.

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Figure 1: Azolla in the Farm

Figure 2: Application of Azolla by farmer

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Figure 3: Azolla in the farm

Photo courtesy: Ms. Usha Dongarwar-Kashiwar Krushi Vigyan Kendra Sakoli (Dist- Bhandara)

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Cohabitation

Amazing Wildlife of Laos (Part – VI)

Compiled by “The Outlander”

In Laos, from May 2016 to January, 2017, most of my time was spent at Pak Lay – a small town in Xayaboury Province. This is the last instalment of Amazing Wildlife of Laos - The list of birds, reptiles, dragonfly and damselfly identified by me is given below.

BIRDS

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REPTILES

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AMPHIBIANS AND ARTHROPOD

MAMMALS

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DRAGONFLY & DAMSHEFLY

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Theme Poster

Luzon Tarictic Hornbill (Male) : Photographed by Juanita Rueda 22 | P a g e

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