Vision:
To understand the complex interactions between organisms in the marine ecosystem in order to help conserve and protect biodiversity
Objectives:
- To address the biodiversity of the coastal waters of Goa, west coast of India and the Lakshadweep islands
- To understand the role of organisms at various levels (genes to species to larger groups) in the functioning of the two ecosystems
- To evaluate the potential causes that will change the diversity
- To develop models to predict changes in the diversity
- Ex situ conservation of diversity and establishment of a taxonomy reference centre
- Seasonal collection and monitoring of marine plants, animals and microorganisms from the coast of Goa, identification, standing crop estimations; preparation of databases and electronic atlases of the diversity along the west coast of India
- Completion of protocols to study the quantitative and qualitative importance of different groups of organisms in ecosystem functioning (workshop on mesocosm experiments envisaged)
- Characterization of genetic variations within 4 fish species
- Resource management of coastal, estuarine ecosystem (scoping workshop withh CSIRO, Australia is envisaged
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Team Members:
Achuthankutty CT
Anil, A.C.
Ansari, Z.A.
Dalal, S.G.
Harkantra, S.N.
Ingole, B.S.
Jagtap, T.G.
Krishnakumari, L.
Achuthankutty, S.
Wafar, M.V.M.
Ramaiah, N.
Gauns, M.U.
Sreepada, R.A.
Shirodkar, P.V.
Gonsalves, M.J.BD.
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The importance of marine biodiversity:
- The marine ecosystem provides mankind with food, medicines, industrial products and pleasure.
- This ecosystem has to be maintained in a healthy state, if it is to provide us benefits in a sustained manner.
- Natural, healthy ecosystems have evolved over periods of millions of years, resulting in complex interactions of the environment and all the species living in them.
- Such interactions allow the optimal utilization of the ecosystem resources by a maximum number of species, that includes the human beings.
- The waters along the west coast of India are biologically very productive and possess several unique environmental features. Numerous industries are also developing along this coast.
- It is essential to scientifically understand the interactions between biodiversity and the environment in these waters, in order to conserve and protect the ecosystems.
Database
on Deep Sea Megafauna
Some Phytoplankton from the Bay of Bengal:
Collected and identified by: Jane Paul, N. Ramaiah, Veronica Fernandes and Mangesh Gauns under Bay of Bengal Process Studies (BOBPS - GAP1222)
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