Ceros
Hornbills and everything under a tropical tree
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Latest news!
Latest news!
New paper led by Nandita Madhu: Native trees within plantations and surrounding forest cover are essential for bird conservation in cashew-dominated landscapes within a biodiversity hotspot. Published in Forest Ecology and Management
New Paper led by Jithin Vijayan: Effects of abiotic and biotic factors on tadpole occurrence and abundance in seasonal rock pools of rock outcrops, northern Western Ghats. Published in Aquatic Ecology
New Paper led by Arpitha Jayanth: Deciduous forests hold conservation value for birds within south Andaman Island, India. Published in Ecological Applications
New Paper led by Jithin Vijayan: Orchards and paddy differentially impact rock outcrop amphibians: insights from community- and species-level responses. Published in Ecological Applications
Narcondam Hornbill pair on a fruiting Caryota mitis. Artwork by Sartaj Ghuman
What Drives US?
What Drives US?
Tropical forests are among the most biodiverse—and most threatened—ecosystems on Earth. Our work is grounded in the belief that understanding and conserving these ecosystems is urgent and essential.
We strive to:
Understand ecology and evolution of species and their roles in tropical ecosystems.
Understand how human activities affect biodiversity—from genes to communities.
Restore degraded forests and ecological functions.
Raise awareness about threatened species and ecosystems.
By focusing on neglected yet highly threatened species and habitats, we aim to fill critical knowledge gaps that can guide and prioritize conservation efforts. We work across four global Biodiversity Hotspots—the Himalaya, Western Ghats, Indo-Myanmar, and Sundaland—studying woody plants, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
A duetting pair of Malabar Pied Hornbills, set against the backdrop of a young cashew plantation carved out from foothill forest in the northern Western Ghats. Artwork by Sartaj Ghuman.
Why CEROS?
Why CEROS?
Our program’s name—CEROS—is inspired by the Latin name for hornbills (e.g., Buceros), reflecting our origins in research and conservation of hornbill species. While hornbills remain a key focus of our work across South and Southeast Asia, we have since expanded to include other threatened species and ecosystems. The name CEROS also loosely encapsulates the core of our work: Community Ecology and Restoration in the Sahyadris.
Ongoing projects
Ongoing projects
Research (community ecology)
Research (community ecology)
Understanding the organisation of plant-frugivore communities
Team: Rintu Mandal, Arpitha Jayanth*, Himanshu Lad, Natasha Desai*, Rasika Kadam*
Collaborators: Navendu Page, Jahnavi Joshi, Sartaj Ghuman, Abhishek Gopal, Anand Osuri, Divya Mudappa, Bee Choo Strange, George Gale, Vijak Chimchome, Aparajita Datta
Field sites: Namdapha TR, Anamalai TR, South Andamans, Narcondam WLS, Pakke TR, Hala-Bala WLS
Community assembly of reptiles in open ecosystems
Team: Vaishnavi Apte, Jithin Vijayan, Himanshu Lad
Collaborators: Aparna Watve, Varad Giri
Field sites: Chalkewadi, Mahabaleshwar, Kaas (northern Western Ghats)
Community assembly of riverine birds in Himalaya
Team: Rohan Menzies
Collaborators: Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi
Field sites: Namdapha TR
Understanding the co-occurrence of evergreen and deciduous forests
Team: Arpitha Jayanth*, Bindu K, Himanshu Lad, Vishal Sadekar, Nayantara Biswas*
Collaborators: Navendu Page, Sartaj Ghuman, Divya Mudappa, T. R. Shankar Raman
Field sites: South Andaman Islands, Sahyadris of Maharashtra, Anamalai TR, Kali TR
Research (hornbill ecology and evolution)
Research (hornbill ecology and evolution)
Hornbill phylogeography and population genetics
Team: Pooja Pawar, Devanand N
Collaborators: Jahnavi Joshi, Bharti D. K., Dr. Uma Ramakrishnan
Field sites: Eastern Himalaya, Narcondam WLS, Western Ghats
Drivers of hornbill distribution
Team: Nandita Madhu, Himanshu Lad, Vishal Sadekar, Nayantara Biswas*, Siddharth Biniwale*
Collaborators: Divya Mudappa, T. R. Shankar Raman
Field sites: Western Ghats
Research (human impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem function)
Research (human impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem function)
Influence of forest cover on cashew pollination
Team: Aditya Satish, Vishal Sadekar, Nandita Madhu
Collaborators: Rama Narayanan, Sanath Manimoole, Kruti Chhaya
Field sites: Dodamarg, Maharashtra (northern Western Ghats)
Research (macroecology)
Research (macroecology)
Drivers of bird diversity in India
Team: Dhanush SS
Collaborators: Jahnavi Joshi, Shashank Dalvi, Abhishek Gopal
Conservation
Conservation
Ecological restoration in the Western Ghats
Team: Vishal Sadekar, Sharvani Deshpande,
Collaborators: Western Ghats Nursery, Vanoshi Forest Homestays, Dhananjay Shedbale, Sahyadri Sankalp Society, Beej Katha, local community members from villages in Sindhudurg District, Rohit Aggarwal, John Eapen, Hemant Shah
Field sites: Kudal, Dodamarg, Devrukh (northern Western Ghats)
10. Tech for ecological restoration - Plantwise (www.plantwise-india.org)
Team: Sharvani Deshpande
Collaborators: Viswesh Suri, Akanksha Rathore, Navendu Page
* The primary affiliation of the team members is now with other organisations.
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