May 19, 2008
Outline for my project
There are two parts for my research stay here in Patna:
1) Zooplankton Sampling: the analysis of food web assessment via herniation rates
Objective:
Collect zooplankton samples in the vicinity of Patna (above the confluence with the Gandak) and at the Dolphin’s Preserve (Bhagalpur) to determine herniation rates and compare with existing data.
Methods:
- filter flowing river water with zooplankton net for a certain period of time for different sites
- assess the resulting samples through microscope and determine the hernia rates1)
- compare and perform statistical analysis of the assessment of the zooplankton hernia rates
1) Hernia: lesions on zooplankton first referred to as exophytic tumors and later determined to be herniations. Such abnormalities of various zooplankton taxa were confirmed to be lethal in many cases around the world. Consequently, herniation is disadvantageous in the zooplankton’s survival and has an implication for the bottom food chain composition. Unequivocally, fisheries and macrovetebrates depend on such trophic levels. Thus, a herniation rate is an indirect measurement of the living conditions of the bottom food chain that can support and sustain a typical aquatic ecosystem. (Jude et al, 2002)
2) Assessment of Microbiological Activity
Objective:
Collect microbe samples in the vicinity of Patna (above the confluence with the Gandak) and at the Dolphin’s Preserve (Bhagalpur) to have a multi-dimensional assessment of the water quality.
Methods:
- Collect water samples for different sites
- Isolate, and inoculate the microbes of interest for further analysis in the microbiology lab
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3) Hydraulic Mapping: the use of GPS and portable depth sounder
Objective:
Obtain a limited physical cross-section data on the Ganga River as part of the pre-survey for the data collecting by University of Michigan SNRE department next year with Doppler Sonar.
Methods:
- mount the depth finder on a boat
- take series of bank-to-bank transects (x,y,z coordinates, z being the depth)of sites
- take paired reading of latitude, longitude (both through GPS), and depth (through depth sounder); 20 or less equally spaced (if we were to cross-section the river at a comparably equal speed, times can be measured in between the equally spaced stations) at 5~6 transects
- The cross section transects should be at least 1kilometers apart
- The numbers of samples and transects can be determined accordingly to the schedule and conditions
Overview:
The two measurements of depth and zooplankton sampling can be done on the field on a boat as we are measuring the depth via making transects. Consequently, it would be an issue of hiring boats and determining which sites are suitable for such measurements. I would greatly appreciate if we would discuss such issues and would very much like to hear your inputs based on your expertise of this matter. Thank you very much.
References:
-D.J. Jude, M. Omair, R. Rediske, B. Naylor, T. Beals, S. Bellon, 2002, An Investigation in Great Lakes Zooplankton, Michigan Great Lakes Protection Fund Report
Posted by coyojon at 12:18 PM | Comments (0)
Ma Ganga
This is just part of my preliminary research of documents of the Ganges River....
The Ganges River, or the Ma Ganga (mother Ganga) as the locals call it, is arguably the most important historical, religious, cultural, and biological cradle that supported the vast civilizations and the biology along its basins. It is the inexhaustible source of life and synonymous to biodiversity as it meanders its way down into the Indian Sea. Surpassing the countries of India, Nepal and Bangladesh, the Ganges River is the hallmark of biological diversity and the development of human lives in the Indian subcontinent. Consequently, the currently reported deterioration of the health of the Ganges must be assessed from the point of actually understanding the characteristics and its functions as it ties with the various different ecosystems it interacts.
The beautiful and serpentine Ganges can be summarized by the very distinctive dynamic equilibrium; it possesses the great diversity of physical, chemical and biological characteristics. These characters show from glacial and semi-tundra perspectives high up in the Himalayas to the vast Ganges delta ecosystem, where amazingly humid and tropical ecosystem supports the second most diverse Asian river next to the Mekong. Truly, the Ganges is the one of the most beautiful and highly celebrated river throughout the world. However, it also holds the infamous reputation of being the most polluted big rivers throughout the world (Dudgeon, 2000). It is in our responsibilities to be able to preserve such pristine beauty and a necessary origin of life to our progeny and let proliferate the amazing life abundance around the Ganges basins; that is how we preserve and serve “ma Ganga”.
References
-D. Dudgeon, 2000, The Ecology of Tropical Asian Rivers and Streams in Relation to Biodiversity Conservation, Annual Reviews, Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, Vol. 31, (2000), pp. 239-263
Posted by coyojon at 12:15 PM | Comments (0)
May 08, 2008
Introduction - Hyunmin Han
Hello. My name is Hyunmin Han, a junior majoring EEB (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology).
I will be participating with a conservation project of gangetic river dolphins during my stay in India.
The Gangetic freshwater dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is a highly endangered freshwater dolphin of Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers. Because they are the top predators, Gangetic dolphins and their health are a representation of the vivid wildlife in India and eventually the local community that depends heavily on the rivers. Consequently, the survival of such beautiful freshwater mammals is not only in the interest for their survival per se, but also for the aquatic ecosystem of India. Likewise, I would be participating in the conservation of the Gangetic dolphin in India.
For the conservation of the Ganga River, I would start with the hydraulic mapping and modeling of dolphin habitat and lower food web assessment, in support of the work already underway at Ramviksheila and Patna. Such projects were well established in University of Michigan for the Great Lakes area (river habitat modeling and conservation) as a part of a large team effort to support fisheries. Consequently with the lab work here, I would be using data through physical cross-section data on the river as well as zooplankton sampling to have an overview of the upper Ganga river channel, specifically Patna to Bhagalpur. I would be working with Dr. Ashok Ghosh of A.N. College to use portable GPS units and portable depth meters to do the physical mapping and carry a zooplankton net to ensure the samples.
The internship starts with the help of Dr. Ram Boojh, in the Delhi UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) headquarters. To learn the details of the ongoing conservation projects, I would be in Delhi for a few days to know the specifics. Later, I would be on the site fields to do field works.
Posted by coyojon at 11:36 AM | Comments (0)