Breeding biology of the Spot-billed Pelican(Pelecanus philippensis)in Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary,Tamil Nadu,India

The breeding biology of the Spot-billed Pelican(Pelecanus philippensis)was investigated from September 2007 to September 2010 in Karaivetti Lake,Tamil Nadu,India.The Spot-billed Pelican breeds between November and April at the Karaivetti Lake.It also breeds roughly during the same period at other breeding sites in Tamil Nadu,except for the Vedanthangal and Karikili bird sanctuaries,where pelicans arrives much earlier and their breeding activities start and end to some extent ahead of the other sites,i.e.,from September to March.In essence,the breeding season starts after the onset of the northeast monsoon in Tamil Nadu.A few days after their arrival,pelicans perform courtship display,form pairs,start nest construction and lay eggs.Courtship display is not as attractive and impressive as in other waterbirds.The clutch size varies from two to three eggs and the incubation period from 25 to 36 days.The fledging period varies from a minimum of 90 to a maximum of 102 days.The nest success rate of the Spot-billed Pelican at Karaivetti was 90.28% during the study period.

Solar Thermal Energy Generation Potential in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu States, India

Government of India has come out with an ambitious target of 100 GW of using solar energy alone by the year 2022. To reach this target, innovative ideas are required to use the solar energy more effectively. For solar electricity generation, mainly two types of technologies are presently in use, namely, solar PV and solar thermal. Being a tropical country, India has large solar PV and solar thermal energy. More research is required on economic aspects to make the solar thermal competitive to solar PV. Towards this direction, in our present study we have simulated a solar thermal power plant using Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) technology and normalized with 1 MW solar thermal power plant at Gurgaon near New Delhi. Through simulation, we have extended our study and computed the electricity generation possible at different locations of India. For this purpose with 1? × 1?spacing, computations have been carried out at 296 locations. The work is further extended for more detailed study at two representative states, namely, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. In these two states, closer data points with 0.25? × 0.25? spacing have been considered at 273 locations for Gujarat and 197 locations for Tamil Nadu. Our results indicate a large potential of electricity generation using solar thermal energy in southern states of India, namely, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, southern and western part of Andhra Pradesh and eastern part of Maharashtra. Good potential has also been observed in eastern parts of Gujarat and parts of Madhya Pradesh and eastern part of Rajasthan. The annual potential ranges from 1800 MWh to as much as 2600 MWh. Major parts of northern states, for example Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir have medium range potential. Here, the annual potential ranges from 1000 to 1500 MWh. Poor range of potential is observed towards eastern parts of India and north eastern states. Here, the electricity generation potential ranges from 600 to 1200 MWh. Our results are useful to solar thermal developer and decision managers.

An ethogram of Spot-billed Pelican(Pelecanus philippensis)

The Spot-billed Pelican(Pelecanus philippensis),a near threatened bird and one of eight pelican species in the world,can be found only in South and Southeast Asia over an area between 129000 and 181000 km 2 with strongholds in India,Sri Lanka,southern Cambodia and coastal areas of Sumatra.In India,it is presently distributed in southern and northeastern India with concentrations in Andhra Pradesh,Tamil Nadu,Karnataka and Assam states.An ethogram of the Spot-billed Pelican was presented and as many as 25 individual behaviors grouped under nine different categories were described:resting,alert,comfort/maintenance,locomotion,foraging,antagonistic,sexual,chick care and foraging,and vocalizations.Descriptions of behaviors of the Spot-billed Pelican in this paper would be immensely useful while preparing conservation and management plan for the species present both in the captive and wild condition.

Lichens of the Sirumalai hills,Eastern Ghats with one genus and six species new to India

Lichens of Sirumalai hills are reported here for the first time.Lichen biota comprised of 95 species.The genus Japewiella is reported for the first time in India and is represented by J.tavaresiana(H.Magn.)Printzen.Furthermore,the following six taxa including one variety are new to India viz.Arthonia atra(Pers.)A.Schneid.,Graphis brevicarpa M.Nakan.,Kashiw.&K.H.Moon,Micarea erratica(Körb.)Hertel,Rambold&Pietschm.,Pertusaria cicatricosa var.deficiens A.W.Archer,Elix&Streimam,Porina subargillacea Müll Arg.,and Pyxine schmidtii Vain.Brief accounts for all the new records to India are provided to facilitate their identification.Arthonia redingeri Grube and Lepraria caesiella R.C.Harris are reported for the first time from south India.Besides all above,29 species are recorded for the first time from the state of Tamil Nadu.The lichen biota of the area is primarily corticolous in habitats and dominated by crustose form.

移民汇款、央地财政关系与印度地方政党的兴起——以旁遮普邦和泰米尔纳德邦为例

20世纪90年代以来,印度的移民汇款显著增多,使其成为世界移民汇款流入最多的国家。移民汇款改变了印度央地财政关系,并为居民提供了退出由政府提供的公共服务的选项,使居民能够基于自身宗教信仰、种姓或民族身份提出更为狭隘的利益诉求,而专注于狭隘身份认同的地方政党契合了当地居民的政治需要。于是,地方政党逐渐在邦一级取代全国性政党,并成为在人民院选举中影响国大党和印人党力量对比的关键性因素。

Gulf of Mannar Island coral reef associated gastropods assemblages:Distribution and diversity pattern

Objective:To study the spatial and temporal variations of the distribution and diversity pattern of coral reef associated gastropods assemblages in Gulf of Mannar Island and to clarify the relationship between gastropods and surrounding coral reef ecosystem.Methods:Gastropods were collected from three islands-Hare(Picnic spot),Vaan(Church Island)and Koswari(Karsuvar Island).The samples were taxonomically identified according to external structure of typical shells and classified according to their feeding habits.Statistical tool Primer(Ver.6.1.11)was employed to find the species diversity,richness and evenness.Results:A total of forty species of gastropods from 19 families were identified.The gastropods population density varied differently at stations,479 species from Vaan islands,390 species from Koswari islands and 254 species from Hare island were recorded.The gastropods species diversity,richness and evenness indices also varied differently at stations.The highest species diversity indice was recorded at Vaan Island(2.968),while both the highest richness and evenness indices were recorded at Hare Island with 0.937 and 0.942 respectively.Conclusions:The results of present study provides useful informtation for biodiversity conservation as well as the management of coral reef habitat in India.

“新印度教特性”的泛起、特点与发展困境——以印度人民党在泰米尔纳德邦的实践为例

自2014年印度人民党上台以来,"新印度教特性"成为印度政治最显著的特色。"新印度教特性"是印度教民族主义者顺应时代变化以及印度人民党为实现政治抱负所掀起的新一波"藏红花色浪潮"。"新印度教特性"是被本地化、现代化和日常化改造后的"印度教特性"的新形式,其从地理范围、组织运作、言论表述和国家观念构建四个方面对"印度教特性"进行了拓展和修订。同"印度教特性"一样,"新印度教特性"建立在历史虚无主义之上,过于强调同质性建设,而疏于公平性发展。印度人民党在达罗毗荼运动影响深远的泰米尔纳德邦的实践充分体现了"新印度教特性"的特点及发展困境。