VIPNET NEWS—VIGYAN PRASAR NETWORK of SCIENCE CLUBS JUNE 2021 VOL 2 NO 4 5 EDITOR in CHIEF: Nakul Parashar
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
VIPNET NEWS—VIGYAN PRASAR NETWORK OF SCIENCE CLUBS JUNE 2021 VOL 2 NO 4 5 EDITOR IN CHIEF: Nakul Parashar EDITOR: Arvind C. Ranade EDITORIAL PRODUCTION: Arvind C. Ranade Bipro Kumar Sen EDITORIAL: Sumita Mukherjee ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Amrut Mahotsav: Vigyan Prasar, A-50, Institutional Area, Sector-62, 75 years of Independenc Noida-201 309, U.P, India Tel: +91-0120 2404430 n 15 August 2021, India will of India, now have joined hands to gener- be celebrating its 75th year of ate various resources in the form of books, Fax No: +91-0120-2404437 Independence. This is the most booklets, posters, exhibits, short films, ra- E-MAIL: opportune moment to take a dio program etc. to let the new generation [email protected] stock of our achievement in the last 75 know about the untold facets of India’s years; especially in terms of economy, Independence struggle. It will be a part WEBSITE: agriculture, industry, trading, import and of the celebration for 75 years of India’s http://www.vigyanprasar.gov.in exports, health, etc. You may be wonder- Independence as Amrut Mahotsav. It will ing why I have not mentioned science and start from 15 August 2021 and continue technology! However, we must not forget till 15 August 2022. During this period all that no sector has ever progressed and will the material generated will be taken to the progress without the use of Science and nuke and corner of the country. The associ- Technology. Science is at the forefront of ation begun with the Saturday Lecture Vigyan Prasar is not the nation building, and in last few decades Series on the theme of ‘India’s Independ- responsible for the we have extensively used new develop- ence and Science’ on 29 May 2021 and the statements/opinions expressed ments like automated machines, computers Series will continue till 14 August 2021. and photographs used by and information technology. The upcoming The takeaway of these lectures will be the authors in their tools like machine learning, artificial intelli- circulated in the form of booklets. articles/write-ups gence, Internet of Things, cloud computing For dissemination and reach of the con- published in “Curiosity” etc. are going to dominate the world. tent thus generated, we would like to invite In such a progressive India, let us every member of our VIPNET network! Articles, excerpts from articles explore how we achieved our independence We want you all to put your best efforts to published in “Curiosity” may and the most relevant aspects of the 75 reach the young minds around you. The be freely reproduced with years of our journey. The colonial leaders club coordinators will have to make strate- due acknowledgement/ purposefully ignored and ruined India’s gic planning to take the message of science credit, provided periodicals traditional knowledge and practices. It is to everyone and kindle the sense of glory essential to ponder and acknowledge and and pride in the young minds on India’s in which they are reproduced respect the knowledge and wisdom we had traditional repository of wisdom and make are distributed free. and restore them. Have we ever acknowl- the Mahotsav a great success. edged the contributions of our scientists, Since the pandemic is still not over, Published and Printed by science reformers, philanthropists and please take care of yourself before reaching Dr Nakul Parashar on behalf educationists who worked in pre-independ- out to people around you. We wish you a ent India relentlessly to generate the spark safe and secure time ahead. of Vigyan Prasar, in young minds? They taught us to stand up A-50, Institutional Area, against the demeaning views, beliefs, and Sector-62, attitude of the rulers towards India’s age- Dr. Arvind C Ranade is Scientist ‘F’ and Noida-201 309, U.P, India old scientific knowledge and wisdom. National Co-ordinator of Vigyan Prasar Vigyan Prasar and Vijnana Bharati, a Network of Science Clubs. science movement led by eminent scientists Email: [email protected] Cover Design & Illustrations By: Bipro Kumar Sen 2 June 2021 Why Ecosystem Restoration is Important for Ganga River Basin Peeyush Gupta World Environment Day through actively planting trees or by Restoring Species Biodiversity In 1972, the UN General removing pressures so that nature can Broadly, an ecosystem is a community Assembly designated 5 June recover on its own. It is not always of living organisms (plants, animals as World Environment possible – or desirable – to return an and microbes) in conjunction and Day. The first celebration, ecosystem to its original state. We still interacting with non-living components under the slogan “Only One Earth” took need farmland and infrastructure on of their environment. The biotic and place in 1974. In the following years, land that was once forest, for instance, abiotic components are linked togeth- WED has developed as a platform to and ecosystems, like societies, need to er through nutrient cycles and energy raise awareness on the problems facing adapt to a changing climate. Between flows: energy and carbon enter the eco- our environment such as water pollu- now and 2030, the restoration of 350 systems through photosynthesis, while tion, air pollution, plastic pollution, million hectares of degraded terrestrial mineral nutrients are mostly recycled illegal wildlife trade, unsustainable con- and aquatic ecosystems could generate within the ecosystems. Ecosystems are sumption, sea-level increase, and food US$9 trillion in ecosystem services. controlled both by external factors or security, among others. Furthermore, state factors, such as climate under- WED helps drive change in consumption lying geological material, topography patterns and in national and interna- and time and internal factors, such as tional environmental policy. The theme decomposition, periodic disturbanc- for World Environment Day 2021 es, species competition and human is “Ecosystem Restoration”. activities. Since ecosystem processes are driven by the types and number of Ecosystem Restoration species in an ecosystem and the relative Ecosystem restoration means assisting Restoration could also remove 13 to 26 abundance of organisms within these in the recovery of ecosystems that have gigatons of greenhouse gases from the species, species biodiversity plays an been degraded or destroyed as well as atmosphere. The economic benefits of important role in ecosystem function- conserving the ecosystems that are still such interventions exceed nine times ing. In general, ecosystems can be intact. Healthier ecosystems, with rich- the cost of investment, whereas inac- assessed either in terms of the services er biodiversity, yield greater benefits tion is at least three times more costly (or goods and services) they provide such as more fertile soils, bigger yields than ecosystem restoration. All kinds of to humans or in terms of “ecosystem of timber and fish, and larger stores ecosystems can be restored, including structure” (i.e., measureable attributes of greenhouse gases. Restoration can river ecosystem, forests, farmlands, of a least impacted or reference state of happen in many ways – for example cities, wetlands and oceans. the ecosystem). June 2021 3 The Ganga river is an example of a Role and Impact of Riparian Veg- has many functional characteristics. diverse landscape-scale ecosystem. The etation in Ecosystem restoration They are highly productive because of river traverses three distinct climat- Riparian ecosystem is a connecting convergence of energy and material and ic-geographical zones from the snow- link between stream environment and unique hydrological conditions. clad and alpine Himalayan reaches terrestrial catchment. Riparian forest is to the tropical alluvial plains until it an area of trees accompanied by shrubs Threats to Biodiversity of Ganga enters the estuarine zone and meets and herbs that is adjacent to the water The riverine ecosystem has been ex- the sea. Ecologically, the diversity of body. It influences the structure of both ploited for meeting human needs. Major the basin within each climatic zone aquatic and upland terrestrial commu- threats to the Ganga basin as well as plays an overarching role on the river. nities. The components influenced by ri- other river basins in the country affect- There are varying degrees of (but often parian ecosystem are modifying storage ing/disturbing ecological integrity are close) biotic and abiotic interactions of capacity and aquifer recharge, in-chan- 1. Habitat Fragmentation and the river with its riparian zones, flood nel primary and secondary productivity, Changes in the Flow Regime: The plains and drainage basin. The satu- organic matter quality and quantity, flow patterns in the river Ganga have rated sub-surface zone under the river biodiversity and migratory patterns, been altered due to number of run-of- bed also forms a unique habitat (termed and biogeochemical pathways and rates. the-river (ROR) hydro-electric projects “hyporheic biotope”) for a diverse group Riparian flora also helps in trapping in the head streams. These projects have of fauna, which also provides temporary pollution, filtering and converting fragmented the river and obliterated refuge for aquatic organisms in times of sediments, nutrients and other chemi- the migration routes of some important adversity and plays an important role cals. They absorb periodic flood fluxes fishes. It is necessary to ensure longitu- in the processing of river nutrients and and supply food cover and thermal dinal connectivity – along with adequate interacting with groundwater. protection to biota. Riparian ecosystem water and sediment flows – throughout Standards for Ecosystem Restoration 4 June 2021 the Ganga river network. 2. Habitat Alteration: In addition to changes in the flow regime, the river morphology and habitat are also altered steadily. Large-scale gravel and sand mining and dumping of construction wastes and other solid wastes have led to changes in flow direction causing ero- sion, channelization and river realign- ment. The alteration in habitat, changes benthic flora and fauna, fish breeding sites and egg laying sites, for soft and and disruption of the river’s ecological dolphin so significantly that they have hard shell turtles.