Shri Kant Tripathi

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Verified

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• PhD
• Professor at Mizoram University

Plants and their associated microbiota form a plant holobiont, and interactions among these organisms determine the functioning of the holobiont and the performance of the plant. Furthermore, the degree of interaction between these organisms and various species strongly influences ecosystem functioning. Therefore, any switch in these interactions m...

Soil microbes constitute an array of microscopic life forms (e.g. bacteria, fungi, archaea) present in the soil, which constitute the dynamic and essential components of terrestrial ecosystems. These microbes perform various essential functions (cycling of carbon and nutrients, fixation of nitrogen, transformation, and maintenance of soil structure...

Heavy metals are among the important environmental pollutants, yet their impact in remote areas remains underexplored because of limited studies on their monitoring. This study presents the first dendrochemical analysis from Mizoram, using Magnolia champaca tree rings to assess heavy metal concentration trends at a natural forest site (Site-I) and...

The present study was conducted in tropical and subtropical forests of Mizoram, Northeast India. A total of 49 species belonging to 40 genera and 26 families were recorded in the tropical forest (TF). Whereas, in the subtropical forest (STF), 47 species belonging to 42 genera and 28 families were recorded. As per Importance Value Index (IVI), the m...

Environmental pollution caused by urbanization, agricultural intensification, and industrialization has led to an increase in the disposal of toxic effluents in aquatic environments. Most ecosystems in the world receive a variety of toxic metals (TMs) that exceed the capacity of water bodies to absorb or recycle them, thereby threatening aquatic an...

In the last century, human activities were the primary cause of air, water, and soil contamination. However, in the twenty-first century, while pollutants like sulfur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) remain significant, microplastics (MPs) have emerged as a new global environmental concern. Microplastics are plastic fragments that are less th...

Pinus kesiya and Toona ciliata are widely distributed commercially important tree species in Northeast India. However, precise tree volume estimation is absent; therefore, the estimation of biomass and carbon stock of these tree species is difficult. The present study attempted to bridge this gap by developing non-destructive allometric models for...

Forests affect regional climates, livelihoods and global cycles of water, carbon and nitrogen. Anthropogenic activities and climatic change affect forest health and national growth. Therefore, developing effective forest management plans requires understanding of the drivers of forest growth. The primary objective of this study was to understand th...

Shifting cultivation (also known as swidden or slash-and-burn agriculture) has been conducted by numerous rural societies across the moist tropics supporting the livelihoods and food security options of millions of people globally. As part of a landscape mosaic with sufficiently long fallow periods, the practice remains sustainable and can contribu...

Among the microorganisms, actinomycetes can produce various natural pigments that have antimicrobial compounds and antioxidant properties. In this regard, pigment-producing actinomycete strains could be an essential source for producing antimicrobial agents to develop bioinoculants in agricultural programs. This study aimed to isolate actinomycetes...

We have a good understanding of the recovery of vegetation during secondary succession of the fallow phase of shifting cultivation, but much less knowledge on how this process influences important soil micro-organisms. This study examined changes in the bacterial community (Illumina sequencing) and gene function (qPCR) in fallows of 1–15 years of a...

This study examines the impact of land-use change on soil properties in a hilly sub-tropical region in North-east India. We collected soil samples from three depths from five dominant land-uses, namely, natural forests (NAF), current jhum (shifting cultivation) (CJ), jhum fallows (JF), homegardens (HG) and Acacia pennata plantations (AP) that were...

In this chapter, we describe the shifting cultivation practices as practiced by the tribal communities in Mizoram, North-east India, a state characterised by steeply sloping land. As the sustainability of this practice is now being called into question, we outline new and innovative farming techniques used by Mizo farmers to diversify their produce...

The present study deals with tree community attributes such as species diversity, composition, population structure and biomass carbon stock (above-and below ground) of subtropical forest of Lalsavunga Park, Mizoram, Northeast India. A total of 41 tree species (37 genera and 29 families) were recorded from the study area. Moraceae was the most domi...

This study delves into the multifaceted impact of climate change on soils subjected to shifting cultivation practices. Our findings reveal a complex interplay of both beneficial and adverse effects on the physical, chemical, and biological attributes of soils. Moreover, climate change exacerbates these detrimental impacts by inducing significant al...

Tree ring width index (TRWI) of Khasi pine (Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon) was developed from Motinagar area of Shillong, Meghalaya, Northeast India, encompassing 124 years of data spanning from 1896 to 2019. The descriptive statistics (e.g., series-intercorrelation, 0.338, mean sensitivity, 0.177, standard deviation, 0.170, signal-to-noise ratio, 6...

The annual tree rings are used to reconstruct the history of the past climate and the impact of climatic and environmental changes on tree growth. Several conifer and broad leaf tree species (e,g. Abies densa, Larix griffithiana, Pinus merkusii, P. kesiya, P. wallichiana, Quercus serrata, Toona ciliata, and Tectona grandis) have been used for diver...

In this study, tree ring analysis of Mexican weeping pine (P. patula) from Kohima Botanical Garden of Nagaland, Northeast India was carried out. Tree ring-width chronology for 39 years extending from 1983 to 2021 was developed. The developed chronology exhibited high potential of the species for dendroclimatological studies and to understand the tr...

Land use change is among the most serious concern in northeast India because of widespread practiced shifting cultivation locally called “Jhum”. This practice involves slashing and burning of plant biomass in a piece of forest land and cropping for few years (ca. 1-2 years) followed by land abandonment for 5-30 years to resume soil fertility. This...

Many tropical trees show distinct annual ring formation as in temperate conifers, and the growth of these annual rings is used as bio-indicators of environmental changes. Dendroclimatology is the science dealing with the reconstruction of a history of past climate through dendrochronological (tree ring) analysis and assessing the effect of climatic...

In this study, a best fit allometric equation was established for aboveground biomass estimation of Magnolia champaca (L.) Baill. ex Pierre using non-destruction method. Regression analysis was performed by assessing the statistical relationships of aboveground biomass (AGB) and dendrometric variables (e.g. DBH and tree height). The formulated equa...

Uncertainties continue to prevail in the potential of natural forests and plantations in carbon stock assessment. The present study was carried out to assess the carbon stock in natural and plantation forests of Manipur using geo-informatics in Imphal East and West districts. The integrated approach of geospatial technology, along with field invent...

The current study examined the soil physico-chemical properties of five different land uses (e.g. Mixed pine forest, MPF; Pine plantation, PP; forest, LF; forest, QF; and forest, DF) in Manipur, India. Replicated soil Lithocarpus, Quercus Dipterocarpus samples from three soil depths (i.e., 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-30 cm) were collected from each l...

Analysing phenological diversity of tropical trees provides a potential tool to detect climate change effects and devise forest management options. In this study, the leaf phenological activity of 28 dominant tree species in a moist sub-tropical hill forest of north-eastern India was examined for a period of 2 years and related to functional traits...

Forests substantially impact regional climate and livelihoods by controlling the regional hydrological cycle, sequestering carbon, cycling nutrients, and influencing regional climate and livelihoods. As a result, excellent forest resources are critical for national development and understanding forest growth drivers for appropriate forest managemen...

Phenology, an important ecological attribute, deals with the development of vegetative and reproductive parts of trees called "phenophases", which are important determinants of primary productivity and sensitive to climate change. The present study recorded various phenophases of major tree species (i.e., Quercus leucotrichophora, Rhododendron arbo...

The government of India has been undertaking various programs for the socioeconomic upliftment of tribals for the improvements in various indicators related to food, health, literacy, livelihood. However, there is a large gap in the human development indices between the general and tribal populations. NTFPs are getting global recognition by providi...

Toona ciliata is a commercially and ecologically important timber species, which grows at faster rate and partake in socioeconomic upliftment of forest dwelling communities. Understanding growth patterns is critical for developing effective silviculture and forest management strategies for any species. To accomplish this, a dendrochronological stud...

Anthropogenic activities are altering the structure and functioning of forests and their services to society. However, we know little about the degree to which such activities are changing the health of forests through edge effects in fragmented forests in different regions of the world. The present study was carried out in Minkong Community Reserv...

Stand density critically affects the growth and productivity of trees in various forest ecosystems, and thus their ability to provide goods and services. However, a better understanding of tree growth and forest stand structure interrelationships are critically lacking, which hinders our ability to develop sustainable management plans for climate r...

The significance of indigenous knowledge under the current scenario of biodiversity imperilment is well-known since such knowledge is gained through continuous intergenerational observations of natural systems. In this study, we present a description of indigenous community fishing practices in Nagaland and investigate their relationship with the c...

The present study was designed to assess the effect of soil fertility levels on leaf quality of Morus alba L. plantations (denoted by S1, S2, and S3) growing on different soil nutrient status in Mizoram. Soil samples (0–15 cm depth) were collected from 5 random locations from each site and analyzed for physico-chemical parameters. Further, mature M...

Melocanna baccifera (Roxb.) Kurz is one of the most abundant bamboo species of Mizoram, Northeast India contributing about 95% of the total bamboo resources. This study was aimed to assess the rate of leaf litter decomposition of M. baccifera leaves in natural forest (FS) and laboratory microcosm (MC). A total of 36 litter bags measuring (15 x 15 c...

The application of quantitative wood anatomy (QWA) in dendroclimatic analysis offers deep insight into the climatic effect on tree-ring formation, which is crucial in understanding the forests’ response to climate change. However, interrelations between tree-ring traits should be accounted to separate climatic signals recorded during subsequent sta...

A report on the gregarious flowering of highland bamboo - Sinarundinaria griffithiana (Munro) Chao & Renvoize in Mizoram, India

Dendroclimatic research offers insight into tree growth–climate response as a solution to the forward problem and provides reconstructions of climatic variables as products of the reverse problem. Methodological developments in dendroclimatology have led to the inclusion of a variety of tree growth parameters in this field. Tree-ring traits develop...

Among all proxy archives, tree rings are highly promising indicator of ecological and environmental processes due to their high climatic sensitivity, better annual resolution, and large spatial coverage. Seasonal importance of soil moisture dynamics and impact of drought events on tree growth development and carbon sequestration potential in tropic...

The decomposing ability of two fungal groups was studied on two dominant tree leaf litters from tropical and subtropical forests of Mizoram in relation to total fungi under laboratory condition. Litters were sterilized and inoculated with 5 major fungi isolated from forest litter in relation to a control on 4 litter types from two forests. Out of t...

The present study aims to understand microbial succession and dynamics of dry matter, carbon and nitrogen during the decomposition of leaf litters of Tephrosia candida (Roxb.) DC. and Oryza sativa L. in two fallow lands (FL) of 3 years (FL-3) and 8 years (FL-8) following shifting cultivation in Mizoram. A total of 64 microorganisms were isolated fr...

Land use change resulting from anthropogenic pressure on land has led to degraded soil quality, especially in the hilly tropical regions where ecosystems are generally fragile and susceptible to soil degradation from cultivation. Hence, sustainable land uses and management practices are crucial for agricultural production and ecological balance, pa...

The rapid increase in global urbanization and industrialization, driven by population growth, has led to a corresponding rise in urban pollution, posing significant challenges for urban green management and pollutant control. Poor industrial management and urbanization contribute to the release of effluents, elevating the threat of heavy metal accu...

The study was conducted to understand the soil properties, tree diversity and carbon stock of a forest community of Nagaland University campus, a site located in the topical moist region of Northeast India. The allometric equations were employed to calculate the tree biomass. Soil analysis showed a significant positive association (p ≥ 0.05) among...

The undesirable impact of shifting cultivation on soil fertility is a major global issue that is mainly attributable to decreased length of fallow periods due to the exponential growth of human population particularly in the tropics. This study is focused on evaluating the carbon recovery pattern across a chronosequence of Jhum fallows in compariso...

This study examined soil physico-chemical and microbial properties of four different land use types (i.e. Jhumland, JL; Secondary forest, SF; Natural Bamboo forest, BF and Natural Woody Forest, WF) of Mizoram, Northeast India. In each land use types about 1 hectare area was selected and soil samples were collected from three randomly located plots...

This study evaluated the impact of three multipurpose tree plantations (Rubber, Parkia and Alder) on soil quality in Wokha districts of Nagaland. Soil samples were collected and analysed for important soil fertility indicators including total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), available P (Pavail), Mg, Ca etc...

The present study examined soil physico-chemical properties in two mulberry plantation (Durtlang, DTS and Rangvamual, RVS) sites of Mizoram. Soil samples were collected randomly from three permanent plots (about 15-20 m far from each plot) in three different depths (i.e., 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm). Majority of soil parameters shows decrease i...

Soil carbon is one of the most affected variables to land-use change in tropics. The soil carbon flux plays a major role in regulating microbial activities and nutrient distribution in soil. This study aimed to evaluate the soil carbon stock in various land uses at different depths in the hilly terrain of Mizoram, Northeast India. Soil samples at 0...

Bamboo plays an important role in the socio-economic life of rural as well as urban people. Due to its varied uses including construction of houses, huts along the roadsides for selling agricultural produce, household articles, fencing, agricultural implements, cultural implements etc. The present study was done to evaluate the pools and fluxes of...

Tree species composition and diversity were assessed in six forest communities at an altitudinal gradient (i.e. from 247 to 1478 m) by laying four plots of 0.1 ha in each site within sub-tropical forest belt in Mokokchung, Nagaland. A total of 777 individuals belonging to 118 species, 84 genera and 43 families were recorded. The most dominant famil...

Sporadic flowering of D. longispathus Kurz clumps located in Mamit District, Mizoram, India was observed to study flowering morphology, phenology and impact of flowering on soil physico-chemical properties during December 2014 to February 2020 from bamboo flowering site and non-flowering site. The species is one of the most common and widely used b...

This paper aims to study the rhizosphere soils of major traditional crop plants under shifting cultivation of Mizoram for diversity and morphological characterization of actinomycetes, and screening of their salt-tolerance and PGPR activities. The rhizosphere soils from six major crops with adequate replications were collected from two locations (i...

A report on the gregarious flowering of Bambusa tulda Roxb. in Mizoram

An exponential increase in the human population has drastically reduced the length of fallow period (<5 years) in widely spread shifting cultivation (Jhum). This has increased the invasion of weeds and decreased soil fertility and crop productivity, and consequently raised concern of food security for the local farming communities. The present stud...

Increasing human population and decreasing eco-system services due to global change phenomena, particularly altering land use patterns and increasing carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has led to identify cost effective options to mitigate climate change issues faced by humanity. Bamboo ecosystems have recorded fast growth and rapidly r...

Forests are the main repository of biodiversity and play an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of nature. The status of species diversity reflects the health of the ecosystem. Therefore, the information on variation in the flora, for example, species composition, diversity and the basal area within any ecosystem like the forest of...

Human activities had been negatively affecting the climatic conditions which in turn impacted the ecosystem and biosphere. Climate changes are a global issue that must be urgently addressed. The climate change impacts have witnessed drinking water scarcity, lower crop productivity, forest fire and so on. Mizoram, a remotely situated at the hilly st...

Soil and leaf quality affect the production of cocoon in mulberry silk worm Bombyx mori L., and therefore, two popular varieties of silk worms were fed with leaves collected from two sites viz., Rangvamual (RVL) and Durtlang (DTL). Soil quality (i.e. C, N, C/N ratio, available P, pH, moisture and microbial biomass carbon) and leaf quality (i.e. cru...

The study investigates the effect of various existing hill land-use practices on soil quality. The land-use types were selected for the analysis was based on common land-use types practices in the area. Soil samples were collected from different land-use types and analysed for bulk density (BD), clay, sand, silt content, soil organic carbon, total...

For the effective management of economically and ecologically valuable tree species, it is crucial to understand pollination and resource allocation particularly in biotic pollinated species. Gmelina arborea Roxb. growing in moist tropical forest of Indo-Burma region has high economic value for the pulp and paper, quality timber, medicines and a va...

Nitrogen (N) dynamics during changes in land use patterns in tropical forests may profoundly affect fine root dynamics and nutrient cycling processes. Variations in fine root biomass and soil N dynamics were assessed in developing stands of increasing ages following shifting agriculture in Mizoram, Northeast India, and comparisons were made with a...

In Mizoram, northeast India, Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) has been a prominent form of agriculture after shifting cultivation, with Tephrosia candida (Roxb.) DC hedge row commonly used. The study was designed to assess the soil physicochemical properties and fine root biomass in bulk root zone (BRZ) and sparse root zone (SRZ), along...

Abstract In Mizoram, northeast India, Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) has been a prominent form of agriculture after shifting cultivation, with Tephrosia candida (Roxb.) DC hedge row commonly used. The study was designed to assess the soil physicochemical properties and fine root biomass in bulk root zone (BRZ) and sparse root zone (SRZ...

Ao A, Changkija S, Tripathi SK. 2020. Species diversity, population structure, and regeneration status of trees in Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagaland, Northeast India. Biodiversitas 21: 2777-2785. The plant species composition and diversity represent the overall health of the forest ecosystems and provide useful insight on forest conservation, and...

Microbes are ubiquitous in the soil and abundantly available even in a small amount of soil and are represented by group of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes. Studies are more abundant on bacterial and fungal population while actinomycetes are less studied. We studied seasonal changes in all three groups of soil microbes in tropical (~100 m altitud...

Parkia timoriana, a leguminous tree, is an important multipurpose species growing over the northeastern part of India. The species has been closely associated with the livelihood of the society for its beneficial attributes, and therefore, besides its occurrences in the wild, the species also been commonly raised in the home gardens. However, the e...

Soil microbes (populations of fungi, actinomycetes and bacteria) and C/N ratio are among important factors influencing the process of litter decomposition in variety of ecosystems. The present study aimed to assess changes in soil microbial populations and C/N ratio in decomposition of mixed litters of tropical (~100 m) and subtropical (~1450 m ams...

The study was conducted to determine the physico-chemical and biological properties of the soil in response to low cost indigenous soil amendments in three jhum fallows (FL-3, FL-5 and FL-10) in Muallungthu village, Mizoram for two consecutive years (2013 and 2014). Different applications like microbial inoculation (T micro+) of beneficial rhizosph...

The dendrochronological study of teak (Tectona grandis), Khasi pine (Pinus kesiya) and oak (Quercus serrata) was carried out in two forest divisions of Mizoram, Northeast India. Three tree-ring chronologies were developed of which, T. grandis is 31 year (1987-2017 C.E.), P. kesiya is 40 year (1978-2017 C.E.) and Q. serrata is 47 year (1971-2017) lo...

Ever increasing pressures on tropical forests worldwide due to anthropogenic disturbances have greatly affected both above- and belowground functioning of these forests. While fine roots play major ecological roles in forests through assisting in nutrient and water uptake and returning elements to the soil environment, coarse roots play an importan...

Sacred groves are among one of the best practices of biodiversity conservation used by the ethnic societies which are deeply associated with the religion and culture that significantly nurture nature. As these practices play a vital role in conserving socio-ecologically important species and protect threatened flora and fauna from extinction in dif...

The present study deals with the Folk medicinal plants used by Meitei communities of Assam in treating various ailments. Meitei"s are very rich in traditional utilization of plant resources since time immemorial.They practice folk medicines to take care of their health-related problems mostly from the plant resources available in their surroundings...

Human induced persistent climate change has greatly affected the structure and functioning of natural as well as man made ecosystems. Forest ecosystem functioning, vegetation patterns and distribution of species is largely affected by the climate. Further, climate change can critically affect frequency and patterns of forest disturbance events e.g....

This paper reports an Ethnobotanical study that focused on the traditional medicinal plants used by the Khiamniungan tribe living in the Tuensang district of Nagaland. The study was conducted during the period 2017 – 2018 and is reported for the first time. The study design include oral interview, group discussions with village elders, medicine pra...

We assessed the rhizosphere effect of early colonizing annual plants (Ageratum conyzoides, Crassocephalum crepidioides and Bidens pilosa) on microbial biomass C (MBC) and N (MBN), acid phosphatase (APA) and dehydrogenase (DHA) activity as well as bacterial and fungal populations under fallow lands with duration of 1, 5 and 10 years under shifting c...

Mizoram, one of the states in northeast India, is known for its rich bamboo resources. Mizoram has been unceasingly experiencing flowering of bamboo. Recently, a new species of bamboo, Bambusa mizorameana, was described from Mizoram. It is a less common species, and its distributions within the state are also very limited. Specimens were also colle...

Abstract This study aims to understand rhizosphere effects on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) differences of three annual plants (Crassocephalum crepidioides, Ageratum conyzoides and Bidens pilosa) in different fallow ages: 2 years (FP-2), 5 years (FP-5) and 10 years (FP-10) in Mizoram, northeast India. In 2 and 10 years fallows, dominant annual p...

Changes in land use and improper soil management have led to severe land degradation around the globe through the modification in soil physicochemical and biological processes. This study aimed to assess the soil properties of different land use system types. Soil samples (0-15 cm depth) were collected from five land uses; Rubber Plantation (RP), O...

Mizoram Farmers are witnessing rapid ecological alteration due to human activities that makes them highly dynamic. In the presentmstudy, plant species diversity and aboveground biomass (AGB) and belowground biomass (ABG) were investigated at three age chronosequence of Jhum fallows in Muallungthu village, Aizawl. The species occurrence at each site...

Land use change are considerably affecting organic carbon and biochemical properties of soil, however, information on how such conversions affect soil carbon and microbial properties in Nagaland University Campus of Zunheboto District is scanty. Soil carbon, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nutrients were studied in four selected types of land us...

Aim: The present study aims to understand the periodical changes in fine root biomass, production, turnover and carbon and nitrogen return in forest fallows following shifting agriculture in Mizoram, Northeast India. Methodology: Root biomass was determined using sequential coring method in different fallow lands (FL-3, FL-5 and FL-10) following s...

Shifting cultivation commonly known as Jhum is a primitive and traditional practice carried out by Jhumias for centuries. Soil microbes play a vital role in regulating soil fertility and nutrient cycling in different terrestrial ecosystems. The main objective of the present study is to examine the effects of soil properties (soil organic carbon, SO...

Shifting agriculture is primitive agriculture system which is being recently replaced by agroforestry systems or sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) through plantations of Tephrosia candida hedgerows to reduce soil erosion, adds organic matter and nutrients in the soil. Besides, fixing atmospheric N, the species has been considered as the m...

In this study, a field trial was carried out on organic matter, carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics of different litter components (i.e. leaf, branch, roots <2 mm and 2-5 mm) in forest fallows (3 years: FL-3, 5 years: FL-5 and 10 years: FL-10) at Muallungthu, Mizoram using litter bag techniques. The rate of organic matter loss and release of C and...

This presents ethnomedicinal knowledge of the wild plants used by local communities of Tuensang district of Nagaland. The study is based on the detailed survey of the Khiamniungan tribe of Tuensang district of Nagaland during the period 2017-2018. This is base line information generated by structured questionnaire, personal observation oral intervi...