Rsc Jayaraj

• Doctor of Philosophy (Forest Ecology and Environment)
• Andaman and Nicobar Administration

Land tenure is the possession or holding of the many rights and responsibilities associated with a parcel of land, such as the right of access to the land, the right to control products from the land, the right of succession, the right of transfer, and the right to determine changes in land use. Importantly, land tenure also encompasses obligations...

Alder-based jhum cultivation practiced by the Angami tribe in Khonoma, Nagaland is a traditional farming system that conserves soil nutrients and maintains agrobiodiversity. A study was conducted to assess agrobiodiversity, major soil nutrients and crop productivity of this farming system. On-farm observations found a total of 14 crops grown by the...

Andaman Wild Pig (Sus scrofa andamensis) is a critically endangered endemic swine species found in Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands. The species is accorded the highest level of protection under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 of India and included under Schedule I, Part I of the Act. It is an important food resource for aboriginal tribes a...

It discusses policy issues on sustainable land management

It reports adventitious plantlet formation in Bambusa tulda for the first time

There are thirteen species of Aquilaria producing agarwood, a product of plant and microbe interaction. The process of natural formation of agarwood is slow and only 10 percent of the trees in wild get infected forming agarwood. Since commercial cultivation of agarwood has begun, there is a need for a supporting programme of artificial induction to...

Aquilaria malaccensis is one of the economically important tree species distributed in North-east India which produces oleoresinous heartwood known as Agarwood - the most expensive wood in the world. There are limited genomic resources in this species. Therefore, the publicly available whole-genome sequence of Aquilaria agallocha, which is a synony...

This book is compiled and published as outcome of a study commissioned by the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, to identify the drivers of deforestation in the State of Meghalaya.

Northeast India, which falls under the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, is the gateway for numerous flora and fauna. The varying physiography of the region provides unique and diverse ecological niches for the evolution of microorganisms as well as serves as the home for endemic species. Studies have shown that the microbes isolated from diverse ec...

It reviews the research on agarwood carried out at Rain Forest Research Institute

India is one of the 17 mega biodiversity countries in the world. However, taxonomic inventory of India biota is far from complete. The goal of this publication is to identify and describe the mangrove plant species of India. Towards this objectives, the taxonomical identity and distribution of mangrove species found in the country is revised and de...

Zingiberales, the pan-tropical angiospermic plant order distributed in majority of the continents contains plant species important in the context of pharmaceutical industry and traditional medicinal systems. Ayurveda, the traditional and endemic medicine system practiced in India since antiquity, has several formulations for strengthening the human...

The present study estimated plant biomass in mangrove forests of the Andaman Islands, India. The mean above-ground biomass was 469.20 ± 41.25 Mega-gram/ha (Mg ha-1), while the mean below-ground biomass was 166.78 ± 12.79 Mg ha-1. The total mean biomass of Andaman mangrove forest was 635.98 ± 12.79 Mg ha-1 and its corresponding vegetation carbon sto...

Biogeography refers to reconstruction in the patterns of distribution of biological diversity and to identify the processes that are responsible for those distributions over the time. Despite the better understanding of global patterns of mangrove distribution using improved exploration techniques, satellite cartography, or the use of geographic in...

India is endowed with a variety of coastal wetlands viz., mangroves, seagrasses, saltmarshes, coral reefs, lagoons and tidal flats, and the country is also a signatory to the Ramsar Convention on Wet- lands and the Convention of Biological Diversity, besides having a robust framework of laws and policies, governing the wetland conservation. How-...

Aquilaria malaccensis Lam. (Agar), a Critically Endangered tree species native to the tropical rain forests of South and South East Asia, is known for eaglewood and its oil of medicinal and aromatic value. In order to develop stem volume prediction models for agar tree, an exercise was carried out with 441 trees selected in North East India, by non...

India is one of the 17 mega biodiversity countries in the world. However, the taxonomic inventory of Indian biota is far from complete. The goal of this publication is to identify and describe the mangrove plant species of India. Towards this objective, the taxonomical identity and distribution of mangrove species found in the country is revised an...

Bamboo is an integral part of life in the Northeast India, occupying 33% of bamboo growing area and holding 39% of the bamboo growing stock of the country. The region is the centre of origin of woody bamboos, and has a rich diversity with more than 90 species. Rain Forest Research Institute, Jorhat (RFRI) has undertaken various research activities...

In this chapter the current understanding on various components of Indian mangrove habitats is reviewed and conservation measures required to ensure the sustainability of Indian mangroves are discussed. In India, mangroves are found on the east and west coasts of the mainland and on the Islands of Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep. Indian mangrov...

Increasing soil carbon stocks and protecting carbon-rich soils are crucial for achieving the Paris climate targets. Mangrove forests are the potential carbon sinks for mitigating the growing greenhouse gas emissions due to their highest carbon storage capacity per unit area compared to terrestrial forests. Furthermore, restricted global distributio...

The identity and distribution of Sonneratia griffithii Kurz, a critically endangered mangrove species, in India is validated and corrected. Field surveys revealed the occurrence of S. griffithii only in Andaman Islands. Further investigation has shown that specimens of S. alba from Indian Sundarbans and Odisha coast were misidentified as S. griffit...

Twenty-five commercial clones of Eucalyptus, planted by farmers in different parts of the country were screened for their physiological parameters and gall infestation under field conditions. Twenty clones showed high water use efficiency while clones ITC 122, 228 and 248 were free from the attack of gall. Clone ITC 227 was found suitable for impro...

Twenty five commercial clones of Eucalyptus, planted by farmers in different parts of the country were screened for their physiological parameters and gall infestation under field conditions. Twenty clones showed high water use efficiency while clones ITC 122, 228 and 248 were free from attack of gall. Clone ITC 227 was found suitable for improved...

This paper discusses the response of Casuarina equisetifolia and C. junghuhniana to elevated CO concentrations in AOTC. In this study, three months old seedlings of Casuarina were exposed to elevated CO levels in open top chambers at 600 ppm and 900 ppm for a period of three months. Simultaneously, seedlings were also kept as control in open top ch...

agarbatti industry in india

The present study revealed the identity and distribution of Cynometra iripa and C. ramiflora in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Of these, C. iripa is often classified as true mangrove species, whereas C. ramiflora is a mangrove associate. Apex of leaflets, length of inflorescences, length of pedicels, apex of anthers and position of fruit b...

30 clones identified as productive clones, through a systematic tree improvement programme at the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding were screened for their response to elevated carbon dioxide and temperature in Open Top Chambers. Based on Relative Growth Rate and total biomass, clones were shortlisted. 17 clones exhibited variation to...

The mangroves of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) are recognized as the best in the country in terms of density and growth. However, considerable disparities still exist in the species composition and classification of mangrove species in the ANI. Further, taxonomical identity and occurrence of certain mangrove species in the ANI remain imprec...

The species composition in the mangrove habitats of India is reviewed and discussed. The review shows that Indian mangroves consist of 46 true mangrove species belonging to 14 families and 22 genera, which includes 42 species and 4 natural hybrids. In other words, about 57% of the world’s mangrove species are represented in India. The East coast ha...

Response of two important tropical tree species of Meliaceae (Azadirachta indica – neem and Melia dubia - melia) to elevated levels of CO2 (600 and 900 ppm) under simulated temperature and moisture regimes in Automated Open Top Chambers was studied. Growth, biochemical changes, antioxidant property and gas exchange parameters were estimated. The re...

Brownlowia tersa, described by C.E. Parkinson from the Andaman Islands during the 1920s, was never recollected. The present report concerns its recent collection from North Andaman and Middle Andaman Islands with updated nomenclature, detailed description and distribution notes. It is considered a near threatened species due to habitat loss.

Brownlowia tersa, described by C.E. Parkin-son from the Andaman Islands during the 1920s, was never recollected. The present report concerns its recent collection from North Andaman and Middle Andaman Islands with updated nomenclature, detailed description and distribution notes. It is considered a near threatened species due to habitat loss.

Casuarina equisetifolia Forst., a member of the Casuarinaceae family, is widely planted in coastal areas due to its ability to function as potential barrier against wind and waves. Significant variation has been reported in the ability of C. equisetifolia to grow under salinity stress. In the present study, 82 clones of C. equisetifolia were assess...

The diversity and distribution of seagrass species of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have never been evaluated rigorously, unlike their counterpart mangroves and coral reef. The present study was designed to review the existing literature and to provide an updated checklist of the seagrass species of the Islands. Preliminary surveys were carried o...

Response of selected clones of Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh.) was measured to elevated CO2 concentrations over a period of six months. Plants were exposed to double the atmospheric CO2 concentrations in open top chambers. Responses measured included changes in concentrations of carbohydrate, chlorophyll, total protein in addition to n...

Chlorophyll contents reflects the plants ability to adapt to stress, and has been used as a diagnostic tool to study genotypic variation. Fifteen clones of Casuarina equisetifolia L. selected from varied climatic conditions were compared for their growth performance and biochemical profile in order to identify markers for early screening of perenni...

In India, Rhizophora hybrids have been recorded in Pichavaram (Tamil Nadu) and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI). Rhizophora hybrids in Pichavaram mangrove forest were identified as Rhizophora × annamalayana, a cross between R. apiculata and R. mucronata, whereas Rhizophora hybrids in the ANI were identified as Rhizophora x lamarckii, a cros...

Ragavan P, Saxena A, Mohan PM, Jayaraj RSC, Ravichandran K. 2015. Taxonomy and distribution of species of the genus Acanthus (Acanthaceae) in mangroves of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Biodiversitas 16: 225-237. A recent floristic survey revealed the occurrence of three species of Acanthus in mangroves of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands,...

A recent floristic survey revealed the occurrence of three species of Xylocarpus in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Of these, Xylocarpus granatum and X. moluccensis are true mangrove species, whereas X. rumphii is a non-mangrove species. All three Xylocarpus species were recorded from the Andaman Islands, but none of them have been recorded...

The present study was carried out to determine the diversity, distribution and vegetative structure of mangroves of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI). The results suggest that mangroves of the ANI consist of 38 mangrove species belonging to 12 families and 19 genera, which includes 4 hybrids and 34 species. In other words, about 50% of the glob...

Rhizophora mucronata var. alokii (Rhizophoraceae), a new variety of Rhizophora from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, is described and illustrated. The new variety is remarkable in having four stamens, laterally folded leaves, a short peduncle, thick leathery petals, and a four-sided ovary with a sessile style. A key for the species of Rhizop...

Rhizophora x mohanensis (Rhizophoraceae), a new mangrove hybrid from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, is described and illustrated. Determined to be F1 hybrid between R. mucronata and R. stylosa based on the intermediate characters, the hybrid has thick ovate leaves, inflorescences with 2−8 flowers, long peduncle, an elongated style (0.4−0.5...

a data deficient species. Biodiversitas 16: 22-26. Excoecaria indica (Wild.) Muell.-Arg was recorded from Middle Andaman and Great Nicobar Island representing a new addition to the mangrove flora of the, Andaman and Nicobar islands. This species is characterised by its thorny trunk, crenulate-lanceolate leaves and cherry-sized green fruits containi...

New distributional records of Sonneratia spp. from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Biodiversitas 15: 251-260. Sonneratia lanceolata, Sonneratia x urama and Sonneratia x gulngai was collected from Great Nicobar Island, which representing a new addition to the mangrove flora of India. S. lanceolata is distinguished from S. caseolaris by its droop...

Distribution of mangrove species reported as rare in Andaman and Nicobar islands with their taxonomical notes. Biodiversitas 15: 12-23. During the recent field survey it was found that among 15 rare mangroves in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, ten rare species i.e. Acanthus ebracteatus, Acrostichum speciosum, Bruguiera cylindrica, Cynometra iripa, Cyn...

ABstRAct Eucalyptus is planted on a large scale in India, over about 50 lakh hectares. Clonal forestry has been adopted for the species in the country and there are over 1000 clones available in the market. Clonal farming is highly remunerative yielding 70-100 MT/ ha on a 5-year rotation. Since 2007 the species is afflicted by an invasive gall inse...

The response of forest trees, the largest carbon sinks on the earth, to continuing rise in atmospheric carbon levels is unknown. Reports state that increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 will stimulate photosynthesis and productivity in most ecosystems. However, the duration and magnitude of this stimulation, particularly in the tropics, remains a qu...

Requirements of forest management need support of a research base, which is current and innovative. The traditional focus of forestry research which was Silviculture, Utilization and Economics catered to the commercial interests of forestry. Now with increasing demands for the social needs and the environmental services, there is a need for reorien...

The atmospheric mixing ratio of CO, has increased by about 100 ppm (36 per cent) over the last 250 years, from a range of 275-285 ppm in the pre-industrial era (1000- 1750A.D.) to 379 ppm in 2005 (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007) and 390 ppm in 2010 (Tans, 2010). Increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 will stimulate photosynthesis and...

the key feature of Kayoto protocol adopted

Casuarina junghuhniana Miq., introduced into India in 1996, is gaining importance as an agroforestry species, with potential use in pulp and paper industry. Tree improvement of the species and attempts at clonal forestry are in progress. A hybrid of Casuarina equisetifolia L. and C. junghuhniana, introduced in 1951 from Thailand, is also planted in...

Studies on phenology, floral biology and seed production were conducted in two provenance trials and a clonal hedge orchard of C. equisetifolia. Observations in seventeen populations indicate that predominant dioecy with low proportion of monoecy as the commonest sexual strategy. Flowering occurs twice in a year coinciding with the South West and N...

This paper records the indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants in Katchal island (Nicobar islands); information obtained by the local people and settlers. Details are given on medicinal uses of 20 plant species popularly used for treating urinary troubles, fever, skin diseases, epilepsy, jaundice and others. The medicinal therapeutics, dosage and...

Acacia mangium and A. auriculiformis are two species of Australian Acacias widely planted as exotics in humid tropical climates. Early introductions of A. auriculiformis to India resulted a land race of poor form. New seedlots of both the species were obtained from native collections of Australia and Papua New Guinea as well as from established See...

Forest nurseries play a key role in afforestation programme in producing good quality seedlings. Proper potting mixtures and desirable size containers further enhance the survival. Various modern methods and use of available symbiotic fungus (Bio-fertilizers) in the soil are discussed.