Trophodynamics, Biodiversity and Conservation of Rivers of Gujarat

Prof. Dr. Nirmal Kumar, J.I. · Dr. Hiren B. Soni · Dr. Rita N. Kumar

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Aquatic ecosystems are diverse habitats, endowed with physical, chemical, and geographical variations in the world, where the gradation from highly productive organisms to highly specialized organisms exists. The Mother Planet (Earth) is the only one in our solar system, characterized and shaped by abundant liquid; water - a necessity for life. Although water characterizes this planet, majority of it is saline in nature (97.2%) and contained in the world's ocean. Only 2.8% is fresh water, including 2.05% frozen in glaciers, 0.68% as groundwater, and only a tiny fraction (0.011%) of our water resources is contained in freshwater i.e. ponds, rivers and lakes. This water is available first in the form of surface water through rivers and lakes. The river is a prime example of lotic ecosystem. It is a wide, natural stream of fresh water that flows into an ocean, and is usually fed by smaller streams, called tributaries that enter it along its course. A river and its tributaries form a drainage basin or watershed that collects the run-off throughout the region and channels along with erosional sediments toward the river. Rivers are described by unidirectional flow, continuous state of physical change, high degree of spatial and temporal heterogeneity including biotic (aquatic plant, organisms and plankton) as well as abiotic (physical and chemical) interactions. There are 14 major rivers, 44 medium rivers and 53 small rivers in India. Major rivers have been proved to be the seat for the setup of big cities and their educational, political and regional developments. The state of Gujarat has been profusely endowed with number of perennial rivers such as Narmada, Tapi, Mahi and Sabarmati. The book Trophodynamics, Biodiversity and Conservation of Rivers of Gujarat focuses on environmental, ecological, and biological studies of two major rivers viz. Banas and Meshwo, Western Gujarat, India, covering abiotic and biotic components, eutrophication, hydrochemistry, geochemistry, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and streamers (macroinvertebrates). The book highlights an in-depth study of surface water and bottom sediment quality, diversity, density, abundance, commonness, rarity of plankton including qualitative and quantitative characters, diversity indices, population dynamics of streamers, and correlation between abiotic and biotic components. The book would unquestionably be the need of an hour for wetland managers, riverine conservationists, and policy makers or decision authorities to prevent the unrestrained exploitation of stream biodiversity, destruction of potential riverine habitats, and uncontrolled interactions of man and technology with lotic ecosystems of the world.

About the author

Prof. Dr. Nirmal Kumar, J.I. is currently working as a Professor and Head, P.G. Department of Environmental Science and Technology (EST) at Institute of Science & Technology for Advanced Studies & Research (ISTAR), Vallabh Vidyanagar (Dist. Anand), Gujarat (India), where he teaches various post-graduate and PhD-level courses, and guiding research projects at the PhD (guided 19 PhDs, 2 more pursuing) and Masters levels. His research interests include bioremediation, biodegradation, nanoscience and technology, biodiversity and conservation, wetland pollution monitoring, forest nutrient dynamics, ecology, environmental biology, etc. He has received 15 major research projects from various national funding agencies, including Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) (India), Ministry of Earth Sciences (India), University Grants Commission, New Delhi, Gujarat State Forest Department, among others. He has 34 years of research and 30 years of teaching experience and has published more than 215 research papers in peer reviewed international and national journals and proceedings (www.nirmalkumarji.in, https://vidwan.inflibnet.ac.in/profile/270934). Prof. Dr. Kumar has attended, chaired, and presented various papers at international and national conferences. In addition, he is a fellow of several professional bodies e.g. National Environmentalists Association (NEA), Science Academy (GSA), member in National Environmental Science Academy (NESA), Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), and Indian Association for Air Pollution Control (IAAPC), and National Institute of Ecology (NIE). Prof. Dr. Nirmal Kumar has received several best paper and academia awards (above 15) at national and state level and has developed international collaborations with the University of Cincinnati, Ohio; the Missouri University of Science and Technology (MST); and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan, GUIDE, Green Group Companies, NIA, for academic, research, training, project work, placement, and student exchange programs.

Dr. Hiren B. Soni has 24 years of research and 16 years of academic experience in diverse fields such as Systematic Zoology (Invertebrates & Vertebrates), Ornithology & Wildlife Biology, Field Biology (Biodiversity & Conservation), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Wetland Biology (Biodiversity, Ecology, Restoration, Management), Bioremediation (Phytoremediation), and Ecotoxicology. He is well-versed in He is credited with more than 150 publications including research papers, scientific articles, popular publications, book chapters and books at national and international levels. Moreover, Dr. Hiren B. Soni is voluntarily serving as Associate Editor, Certified Reviewer of Publons Academy (UK), Deputy Editor, Editorial Advisory Board Member, Editorial Book Reviewer, Editor-in-Charge, Managing Editor, Manuscript Editor, Panel Reviewer and Senior Editor in international publishing houses e.g. Springer, Elsevier, Taylor & Francis etc. He is also affiliated with Nature Publishing Group as a Potential Reviewer in Nature Journal (Environment & Ecology), Scientific Data Journal (Ecology, Environment, Biodiversity, Conservation) and Nature Communications (Earth & Environment). Dr. Hiren B. Soni is also acting as Environmental Consultant (Advisory Member) in Hanell International, Zimbabwe (South Africa).

Dr. Rita N. Kumar is currently working as a Head, Department of Biological & Environmental Science at N.V. Patel College of Pure & Applied Sciences (NVPAS), Vallabh Vidyanagar (Dist. Anand), Gujarat (India). She is involved in teaching various under-graduate and PhD-level courses, and guiding many state level and national level research projects and doctoral students at the PhD level. Her research areas include ecology, environmental biology, biodiversity and conservation, aquatic pollution, floristic study, forest nutrient dynamics, bioremediation, phytoremediation, and air pollution and climate change. She has completed 10 major research projects from various national funding agencies, including Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) (India), Ministry of Earth Sciences (India), University Grants Commission, New Delhi, Gujarat State Forest Department, and many others. She has 34 years of research and 30 years of teaching experience. She has more than 175 research papers to her credit in peer-reviewed international and national journals. Dr. Rita Kumar has attended, chaired, and presented various papers at international and national conferences. In addition, she is a member of several professional bodies at state and national levels. Dr. R.N. Kumar has received several best paper and academia awards and has developed national collaborations for executing research and student exchange programs.

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