ELECTIVE LABS

Coordinator: Dr. Deep Chandan Chakraborty

1. Biodiversity Monitoring: a) Measuring global biodiversity and its decline with special reference to mammals, birds, herpetofauna, fish and insects. b)Local and regional biodiversity-niche assembly theories, Unified Neutral theory c) Threats to species diversity: Habitat loss, Habitat fragmentation and species extinction, Endemism and biodiversity, Population bottleneck, Genetic drift, inbreeding depression, Risks to biodiversity extinction, Extinction vortex

2. Biodiversity and Ecosystem function: a) Theories on the relation between biodiversity and ecosystem function Species Complementarity, Sampling effect, Redundancy b) Decline of global biodiversity and loss of ecosystem function. c) Functional diversity and ecosystem functioning. d) Insurance Hypothesis: The effect of habitat fragmentation and dispersal on ecosystem functioning. e) Biodiversity and stability in soil ecosystem: pattern processes and the effect of disturbance. f) Global pollinator loss and their effect on crop production and non-crop plant reproduction. g) Multi-trophic dynamics and ecosystem processes. h) The economics of biodiversity and ecosystem function.

3. Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology: a) Theories in landscape ecology- Hierarchy theory and the structure of the landscape, Percolation theory, Metapopulation theory, The systems source-sink b) Scale and landscape- Scaling the landscape, Change of scale perception, Importance of parameters at different scales c) Processes in the landscape- Disturbance, Fragmentation, Landscape connectivity, Corridors d) Methods in landscape ecology- Spatial data processing, fractal geometry approach, Remote sensing in landscape ecology, Geographic Information System, Spatially explicit population models (SEPM).

Batches

• 2019-2020 - Aiswariya Das, Ananya Dutta, Ankita Roy, Chandrani Sarkar, Deblina Biswas, Manisha Ghosh, Meghna Biswas

• 2020-2021 - Debjani Dey, Nilofa Roy, Rimpa Sinha Mahapatra, Soubhanik Sengupta,  Soupayan Bhattacharya, Sutirtha Roy

• 2021-2022 - Anushree Kundu, Banani Shit, Meghna Das, Madhurima Mondal, Saswata Kandar, Sneha Chakraborty, Sreejayee Das

• 2022-2023 - Debjani Singh, Rupam Maji, Sourav Mukherjee, Sutrishna Halder, Tanushree Biswas

• 2023-2024 - Arpita Biswas, Laiba Arif, Gaurav Roy, Soumajit Dasgupta, Shriparna Bagh, Tausif Amirul Khilji

• 2024-2025 - Ankita Chatterjee, Tanisha Khanra, Priyosmita Saha, Priyanka Singh, Monalisa Biswas, Anuska Bandopadhay

M.Sc Thesis submitted: 

2019-2020

• An appraisal on the ecosystem services of mangroves with special focus on Indian Sundarban: Climatic threats and potential mitigation measures  (Ananya Dutta)

• Estuarine Morphodynamics and Ecosystem Functions of the Sundarban: Potential role of Macrobenthic Assemblages  (Meghna Biswas)

• Ecosystem Carbon Stocks of Mangrove Ecosystem: Assessment of Carbon Sequestration Potential and Approach towards managing Carbon dioxide emission (Manisha Ghosh)

• Contribution of NTFPs in the livelihood of forest fringe dwellers of Indian Sundarban with special reference of mangrove blood honey: Conservation implication and sustainable livelihood (Ankita Roy)

• Mangrove afforestation, rehabilitation and restoration: Methodology towards participatory mangrove management, assessment and monitoring (Deblina Biswas)

• An Overview of Urban Heronry and Nesting Ecology of Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans)  (Aishwarya Das & Chandrani Sarkar)

2020-2021

• Impact of Construction Activities on the Ground Dwelling Insect Communities: A Preliminary Analysis (Debjani Dey) 

• The seasonal assemblage of Avifauna at an urban-suburban gradient from East Bardhaman, West Bengal (Nilofa Roy) 

• Avifaunal diversity undergoes biotic homogenization along positive urbanization in the Hooghly district, West Bengal (Rimpa Sinha Mahapatra)

• Avifaunal assemblage and guild patterns in correlation with heterogeneous land usage at two prominent Riverbed Ecosystems of Southern  Bengal (Soubhanik Sengupta)

• Comparative Study of Avifaunal assemblage with reference to Nesting Ecology, Feeding Guilds and Tree-vegetation Composition of Jadavpur University Campus with Adjacent Urban Greenspaces in Kolkata (Soupayan Bhattacharya)

• Habitat association And spatiotemporal distribution Of House Sparrow (Passer domesticus): A preliminary study from Kolkata metropolis (Sutirtha Roy)

2021-2022

Effects of urbanization on the diversity and abundance of microfauna (Madhurima Mondal, Saswata Kandar, & Sneha Chakraborty)

A survey on the behavioural ecology of Rufous-necked Hornbill with reference to Breeding and Nursing Behaviour (Anushree Kundu, Banani Shit, Meghna Das & Sreejayee Das)

2022-2023

• A Survey of Entomological Fauna visiting the Calotropis flowers (Calotropis procera and Calotropis gigantea) growing in agriculture dominated the landscape of southern Bengal (Debjani Singh)

• A study on urban residential birds displaying varied temperature tolerance and other micro-environmental preferences within a continuous habitat patch (Rupam Maji & Sourav Mukherjee)

• Insect visitation pattern in three urban tropical entomophilous trees (Lagerstroemia speciosa, Peltophorum pterocarpum and Delonix regia) (Sutrishna Halder & Tanushree Biswas)

2023-2024

• Breeding ecology of Indian Spotted Eagle (Clanga hastate) (Gaurab Roy)

• A Survey of entomofauna visiting different Gourd species - (Momodica charantia, Trichosanthes dioica & Luffa actangula) growing agrosystem located in peri-urban landscape of South 24 Parganas (SOUTH) (Sreeparna Bagh)

• A survey of entomological fauna visiting the Paederia foetida flowers growing in agriculture dominated landscape of Southern Bengal  (Arpita Roy)

• A survey of entomofauna visiting two entomophilous treesLagerstroemia speciosa and Caeselpinia pulcherrima at two different sites in the urban landscape of Kolkata. (Laiba Arif)

Avifaunal diversity in green spaces and gardens in urban areas of Kolkata (Taushif Amrul Khilji)

• Biotic Homogenization of Bird communities along the positive urbanization gradient across the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass of Kolkata (Soumyajit Dasgupta)

2024-25

Publications

• Chakraborty, D. C., Halder, S. and Biswas T. (2022). Insect visitation pattern in three tropical entomophilous trees (Lagerstroemia speciosa, Peltophorum pterocarpum & Delonix reiga) growing in an urban landscape. Critical Studies in Science. Vol. 1. Edited by: Dr. Sayani Mukhopahyay & Dr. Asish Kumar Das. Publisher: Research & Development Cell, Asutosh College in association with Publication Cell, Asutosh College. pp: 27-42. 

Coordinator: Dr. Sriparna Datta Ray

1. Zonations, Characteristics, Morphometry of fresh water resources; Stratification and dynamics of oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and inorganic carbon. Water quality for fish production; Coastal, marine, Mangrove ecosystem and fisheries potential.

2. Fish nutrition – Stages of nutrient acquisition, Temporal pattern of nutrient acquisition, Integration of nutrient acquisition. Principles of fish nutrition and terminologies, nutritional requirement of cultivable fish and prawn; Nutritional bioenergetics.

3. Fish pathology and defense mechanism: Integrated Health management, Infection and Immune responses towards pathogens, Cellular and Humoral Fish Defenses. Diseases in aquaculture.

4. Homeostasis and reproduction: Ion transport, osmoregulation and acid base balance, hormones involved in fresh water and sea water adaptation. endocrine regulation and estradiol production and vitellogenesis, teleost gonadotropin and their regulation, gonadotropin subunit gene expression.

5. Freshwater, marine and coastal aquaculture: Advancements in technology for finfish and shellfish culture; Modern hatcheries and managements; raceways, cages, Pen, enclosures, recirculating systems, Intensive Fish Hub; Integrated Aquaculture, Processing and preservation technology of shrimps and fish.

6. Fish genetics and biotechnology: Principles of genetics, mechanism of inheritance, structure of gene, mutation and sex determination in fish; cryopreservation, polyploidy in fish, production of sex reversed fish, transgenic fish; selective breeding.

Coordinator: Dr.  Tapan Kumar Ray

1. Agricultural Entomology: a) Insect pest survey: Identification, Methods/Techniques, Pest surveillance and assessment, Status ranking, Forecasting, Limitations. b) Crop and stored grain pests: Principles and applications of integrated pest management, EIL-ETL dynamics, Action threshold, Pest spectrum, Secondary outbreak, Pest quarantine. c) Control measures: Physical, Cultural, Chemical, Biological, Genetical, Biotechnological and Biorational methods of pest control. Application of Artificial Intelligence in IPM

2. Physiological Entomology: a) Feeding potential: Feeding potential of insects, Feeding indices and relationships, Concepts on crop selection and switching (from phytochemicals to insect digestion). b) Reproductive potential: Reproductive potential of insect, Calculation and assay, Responsible factors, Role in pest management and crop-yield prediction. c) Diapause and quiescence: Dormancy mechanism in insects and ecological significances.

3. Insect Toxicology: a) Insect pesticides: Properties and functional group variation of chemical pesticides, bioinsecticides, neonicotinoids, fumigants, IGRs, attractants, repellents. b) Application of pesticides:Contact and systemic insecticides, Dose-response relationship, Dose standardization, Testing method/technique, Toxicity evaluation. c) Pesticide efficacy:Metabolism of insecticides, CNS-AChoE action pathway, Antidotes, Nanocides: formulation, delivery technology, residual effects.

4. Ecological Entomology: a) Insect as bio-indicator: Bio-indicator potential of insects for ecological surveillance and bio-monitoring. b) Soil entomology: Diversity of soil micro-arthropods, Role of soil micro-arthropods in soil heath analysis. c) Insect-plant interaction: Bipartite and tripartite interactions, Interaction frequency and networking: assessment, analyze and signification, Concept of plant volatiles for bio-pesticide formulation, Theories of co-evolution. Plant resistance to insects.

5. Behavioural Entomology: a) Chronobiology and Unusual behaviour:Biological rhythm in insects (foraging, reproduction and infestation), Periodicity in migration of locusts, Impacts of catastrophic earthquakes on insect communities. b) Sociobiology: Concept of social evolution in insects, Role of cuticular hydrocarbon profiling and biogenic amines for insect recognition/aggression, Application of insect societal rules and behavioral algorithm for human welfare. c) Insect cognition and engineering: Neural basis of insect foraging: role of mushroom bodies, Odometry and insect navigation, visual cognition for pollination success, Thermoregulation and ventilation in termite mound.

6. Functional Entomology: a) Applications of insect flight aerodynamics to micro air-vehicles b) Insect acoustics: a tool for taxonomy c) Bio sensing technology for pest detection. 

7. Economic Entomology: a) Entomophagism: present and future prospect. b) Entomotherapy: present and future prospect. c) Bioprospecting of insects 

8. Forensic and Medical Entomology:  a) Forensic Entomology: Insects for forensic importance, Role in forensic investigation (time and cause). b) Medical Entomology: Causative agents and mode of transmission for vector-borne diseases (Dengue, Chikungunya, Malaria), c) Public health importance: Control and management of Vector-borne diseases by Integrated Vector Management.

Coordinator: Dr. A.R.D. Mustafizur Rahaman

1. Evolution of gonads: phylogeny and ontogeny of testis and ovary.

2. Sex determination and sex differentiation: from genes to gender (Model systems – Fish and Human).

3. Female reproductive system: Hormonal regulation of ovulation, gestation, parturition and lactation.

4. Male reproductive system: Hormonal regulation of spermatogenesis

5. Molecular basis of male and female reproductive disorders, therapeutics, male and female infertility.

6. Steroid receptors: Defects, modulators, clinical significance.

7. Endocrine disruption of reproduction: (Model system – Fish).

8. Endocrinology of photosexual activity: Extra-retinal photoreceptors, photorefractoriness, role of melatonin in reproduction (Model system – Fish).

9. Prostaglandins: Source, chemical nature, structure, functions, physiological significance and clinical implications.