Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Sub-tropics Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy Shakunthala Sridhara Editors

Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the

Tropics and Sub-tropics Editors Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy Shakunthala Sridhara (retired) Division of Entomology and Nematology Department of Entomology Indian Institute of Horticultural Research University of Agricultural Sciences (IIHR) Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK) Bengaluru , Karnataka , India Bengaluru , Karnataka , India

ISBN 978-981-10-1517-5 ISBN 978-981-10-1518-2 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-1518-2

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016955290

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The earth system is currently stressed severely due to human interventions. The eco- logical footprint of humanity has exceeded 1.6 times the biocapacity of biosphere. So much so that by 2050, twice as much food as today will be required to feed the world population. The future of mankind will be profoundly infl uenced by the way biologi- cal and natural resources are sustained, regulated and managed. This is because bio- diversity is the foundation for sustainability and signifi cantly contributes to quality of life of people and makes positive impact on the structure and functioning of the ecosystems. constitute over 90 % of the kingdom. Bioecology of arthropods is intimately linked with global functioning and survival. However, docu- mented literature and understanding on far exceed other classes of arthropods necessitating inputs on other classes of arthropods. This book titled Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Subtropics brings together contribu- tions of workers on arthropods. This compilation is an initiative at capturing the essentials of arthropod inventories, biology and conservation. This edited compilation includes 26 chapters contributed by over 70 biologists on a wide range of topics embracing diversity, distribution, utility and conservation of arthropods and select groups of taxa. More importantly, the mechanism of sustaining the ecosystems of arthropods, their services and populations is also given in suffi cient details. The use of modern biological tools such as molecular and genetic techniques regulating gene expression, as well as conventional, indigenous practices in arthropod conservation, are included. The contributors reiterate the importance of documenting and understanding the biology of arthropods with a holistic view before conservation issues at large are addressed. This is an important book for zoologists, entomologists, ecologists, conservation biologists, policy mak- ers, teachers and students interested in the conservation and management of biologi- cal resources.

Goa University Madhav Gadgil Taleigão India Centre for Ecological Sciences Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, India (previously) December 2015

v Pref ace

The trend in biological studies these days is towards biological diversity and conser- vation. Generally, many focus on vertebrates and fl owering plants, although arthro- pods constitute more than 80 % of the total biota on planet Earth. Arthropods provide a multitude of ecosystem services and these are crucial for human suste- nance and welfare. The concern of entomologists and other arthropod workers is to ensure sustenance of undisturbed populations, free from human interferences, by providing and maintaining safer and quality habitats for arthropods. In view of the importance and lack of published information on arthropod diversity and conserva- tion, the current book, Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Subtropics , was planned. This book highlights concerns of not only entomologists but also other biologists studying arthropods to emphasize the importance of biological conservation of dif- ferent communities of arthropods across the globe. Life forms dealt in this book cover arthropods as a community because despite such an important and vital group of , documented information on them with the exception of insects is scanty. These include scorpions, shrimps, prawns, crabs, ticks, , spiders, centipedes and millipedes that are unique in forms and distribution playing diversifi ed roles in multiple biotopes. The crux of the problem for the conservation of arthropods is that the common public do not distinguish them as separate entities, recognize them as an independent group and appreciate their roles. So a comprehensive understanding on the roles of all the arthropod entities should be developed than insects alone. Arthropods play an important role in maintaining the health of ecosystems, pro- vide livelihoods and nutrition to human communities and are indicators of environ- mental change. Yet the population trend of several arthropod species is showing a decline. Arthropods evolved about 350 million years ago and constitute a dominant group with 1.2 million species infl uencing earth’s biodiversity of animals, with insects predominant having about one million species. They are intimately associ- ated with living and nonliving entities, and hence, ecosystem services offered by them are crucial. Arthropod conservation requires integrating conservation science and policy, with long-term planning and action plans. An attempt has been made here to indicate the mechanisms by which arthropod populations can be sustained in ecosystems and certain problematic species be managed without creating environ- mental side effects and economic burden. The plan for the conservation of arthro- pods and ecosystems should include a mixture of strategies like protecting key

vii viii Preface habitats and genomic studies to formulate relevant policies for in situ and ex situ conservation. This book is a step forward in monitoring and encouraging people for their con- tinued support in saving planet’s earth-limited biological resources and their poten- tial habitats and increasing awareness in generating appropriate technologies for their management. Implementing nature-friendly technologies to mitigate adverse impacts on arthropod populations is the major concern aimed to be reinforced in the minds of the public and its reinforcement amongst researchers in biological sci- ences. We hope that this book will serve as an additional step in this direction.

Bengaluru, India Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy 2015 Shakunthala Sridhara Prel ude

Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Subtropics

Knowledge available on arthropods in the tropics and subtropics does not do justice to their diversity and abundance. Detailed knowledge on arthropod diversity is required to develop integrated management and conservation strategies. Studies on arthropods from undisturbed and wild habitat patches are equally important in these tasks. However, it is not possible to collate information on all arthropod taxa, but it is possible to extrapolate from documented information to arrive at decisions on management/conservation issues, be it cropping systems or wild, urban or peri- urban habitats. The book, Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Subtropics , deals with select taxa of arthropods, their diversity, distribution, inventory and con- servation issues. Currently, arthropod community is impacted by global warming which forms one of the most important factors infl uencing arthropods across land- scapes as it does the biodiversity across the globe. Secondly, arthropods can serve as indicators of climate change. Two chapters in the book document data on this aspect. Prasannakumar and Kumar deal with salient features of arthropods affected by climate change. Arthropod-based molecules may hold promise for the new emerging disease and maladies. With this hope, Anudita, Varunrajan and Deepa have gained insights into the peculiar and interesting biomolecules from arthropods that have practical implications in biological control of pests and health care. The workers have emphasized the need to conserve arthropods. It will be interesting to know how ecologically important are the parasites on the arthropods. Jayashankar and his team have highlighted the role of arthropod parasites in regulating arthropod populations. Scorpions are venomous creatures, and their looks are frightening. Shakunthala Sridhara and co-workers have elucidated the evolutionary signifi cance of venom in the life history of scorpion. Researchers have also highlighted ecologi- cal and biological aspects of other arthropod taxa namely crabs, Cladocera, milli- pedes, spiders and mites. Similarly, two species of wasps, both parasitoid and select phytophagous are dealt with. Ankita Gupta explores in an elegant way the distribu- tion and diversity of braconid wasps which are parasitoids of pest species. Preethi and Lakshmi Devi chose chalcid wasps that include parasitoid species and few

ix x Prelude phytophagous species to study their distribution and diversity in Kerala, South India. Baaby Job and Olakkengill discuss at length diversity and distribution of sphecoid wasps which serve well as bioindicators of habitat change in South India. Ants are other important bioelements in tri-trophic interactions. Presty John and Karmaly together have contributed a chapter on distribution and diversity of Camponotus ants. Sirisena and three co-workers from Sri Lanka have described in detail soft scales from the island country and unravel their peculiar characters. Fruit fl ies are key pests of tropical fruits. Laskar and co-workers document fruit fl ies from sub-Himalayan region to provide baseline data for their management. Mrinmoy Das and others recorded faunal composition of scarab beetles in Assam, East India. The scarab beetles are notorious pests of roots of many culti- vated plants, and they also serve as prey for a number of predators. Abrol and Uma Shankar have been studying honeybees over two decades and have pinpointed fac- tors responsible for honeybee population decline particularly in tropics and subtrop- ics. Khanjani from Iran determined factors for fl uctuations in brown population in cherry orchards, Iran. Although some of these studies are not as exhaustive as insects and mites, they are expected to enlarge the scope of the book and underlie the importance of looking arthropods in a holistic manner. Often biologists focus on one specifi c taxon, ignoring others. However, it is desirable, while developing base- line data of a locality, to consider as many taxa as possible for the conservation and management of arthropods. Mary and others have drawn attention of readers to giant that are special- ists requiring unique combination of niche and food plants. Rapid population decline of bees in the wild is of concern to biologists today. Ritesh Inamke et al. discuss at length synthesis of management approaches for conserving insects. The approaches may also apply to conservation of other arthropod taxa. Prabhulinga and his team have worked on biological characteristics of a group of minute wasps called Trichogramma which are essentially important parasites of pests of cultivated crops because they kill the pests at egg stage and hence vital for the management of these pests that destroy reproductive parts of crops. Subba Reddy Palli proposes that by utilizing RNA interference technology, agricultural pests can be managed which would obviate the need for pesticides and substantially contribute to conservation of not only arthropods but natural resources. This is a revolutionary approach for pest control and a huge step in reducing/preventing pesticide contamination of environment. Petersen and Reddy have drawn attention to methods that sustain Apis dorsata in tropical environments, and they also have made concerted efforts in preserving bee trees as a heritage site. Chandrika Mohan and co-workers worked out the possibili- ties of using coconut water as a culture media for mass rearing mite which is a predator on coconut mites. Rahul Ameen and his team provide evidence for using a native Bacillus thuringiensis isolate against polyphagous, defoliator pest, Spodoptera litura effectively.

Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy Shakunthala Sridhara Acknowledgements

First and foremost the editors thank the contributors for their patience as the manu- scripts had to be revised several times before fi nalization for publication. Secondly, a number of youngsters doing PhD, senior research fellows, research associates, research assistants and young professionals helped in the fi nal preparation of the manuscripts. It is diffi cult to name them all here, but Mr. Vasudev Kammar, Kumar K P, Chandrashekaraiah, Nitin K S, Rajendra Prasad, Nethravathi C J, Jayashankar M, Vijeth Arya, Madhu T N, Yatish K R, Savitha T, Sindhu, Vinesh L S, Rani A T, Onkara Naik, Prabhulinga T, Vijaya Kumar L, Subhash B Kandakoor, Basana Gowda G and Prasannakumar N R helped at various stages of the book preparation. For a book of this nature, it was often needed that we get highly specifi c informa- tion, which is not easily found in one or few publications as the information is highly scattered in the literature. We profoundly thank the authorities of the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, and the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru, for their support and encouragement. The staff and fac- ulty of the Department of Entomology, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru, and Division of Entomology and Nematology, IIHR, Bengaluru, lend support to the book-writing work, and some of the faculties have contributed chapters for the book. Dr. Abraham Verghese, Dr. C T Ashok Kumar and Dr. N E Thyagaraj, authorities of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR, New Delhi), in particular, Dr. N K Krishna Kumar, DDG (Horticultural Sciences), Dr. S Balwinder Singh, Ramesh Arora, P K Mehta and others, were instrumental in organizing the International Conference on Insect Sciences (ICIS) 2013 successfully. The editors profusely thank them for their help and contributions. We are thankful to Dr. S Sithanatham, Sun Agro Biotech, Chennai and Dr. H C Sharma, ICRISAT, Hyderabad, for their support and participation in ICIS 2013. The editors thank immensely the International Springer Group, New Delhi, for their deep interest and great support for this publication.

Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy Shakunthala Sridhara

xi Contents

1 Impact of Climate Change on Arthropod Diversity ...... 1 N. R. Prasannakumar and K. P. Kumar 2 Prospecting Arthropod Biomolecules for Medicinal and Therapeutic Use: Recent Breakthroughs ...... 19 Anudita , V. Varunrajan , and B. M. Deepa 3 Conservation of Arthropod Parasites: Restoring Crucial Ecological Linkages...... 33 M. Jayashankar , S. R. Amulya Prasad , and Subhash B. Kandakoor 4 Diversity and Ecology of Scorpions: Evolutionary Success Through Venom ...... 57 Shakunthala Sridhara , Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy , V. Kalarani , and D. Chandrasekhar Reddy 5 An Overview of Crustacean Diversity in Mangrove Ecosystem ...... 81 S. Murugan and D. Usha Anandhi 6 Phylogenetic Status, Diversity, Economic and Medicinal Importance of Crabs ...... 101 Kalarani Varada , Sumathi Vempalli , Sridevi V , and Chandra Sekhara Reddy Dandala 7 Millipedes: Diversity, Distribution and Ecology ...... 119 Periasamy Alagesan 8 Spiders: Diversity, Distribution, and Conservation ...... 139 Ganesh Vankhede , Priyanka Hadole , and Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy 9 Fluctuation of Brown Mite, Bryobia rubrioculus (Scheuten) (: Tetranychidae) Population in the Cherry Orchards of Hamedan, Western Iran ...... 165 Mohammad Khanjani 10 Coconut Water as a Promising Culture Media for Hirsutella thompsonii Fisher, a Pathogen of Coconut Mite ...... 173 Chandrika Mohan , M. K. Radhika , A. Josephrajkumar , and P. Rajan

xiii xiv Contents

11 Cladoceran Diversity, Distribution and Ecological Significance ...... 183 M. Karuthapandi and D. V. Rao 12 Diversity and Distribution of Sphecoid Wasps in Kerala, India: Bioindicators of Habitat Quality ...... 197 Baaby Job and J. L. Olakkengill 13 Diversity and Distribution of Chalcid Wasps in Kerala: Key Biological Control Agents in Cultivated Ecosystems ...... 213 N. Preethi and P. Lakshmi Devi Menon 14 Diversity of Economically Important Indian Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with New Records from India ...... 227 Ankita Gupta 15 A Study on the Diversity and Distribution of Camponotus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Kerala: Ecologically Significant Agents in Ecosystem Functioning ...... 255 Presty John and K. A. Karmaly 16 Diversity of Tephritid Flies in Sub- Himalayan Region of West Bengal: Baseline Data for Developing Rational Management Practices ...... 271 Nripendra Laskar , Dipak Kumar Sinha , Tapan Kumar Hath , and Hirak Chatterjee 17 Diversity of Soft Scale Insects (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha, Coccoidea) in Sri Lanka ...... 285 U. G. A. I. Sirisena , G. W. Watson , K. S. Hemachandra , and H. N. P. Wijayagunasekara 18 Insect Conservation: A Synthesis of Management Approaches ...... 297 Ritesh Suresh Inamke , Deepak Panpatte , Noushad Parvez , Leena Pathak , Ankit Patel , Kuldeep Khatri , and Janardan Jani 19 Giant Moths and Their Conservation ...... 315 P. P. Mary , Vasudev Kammar , A. T. Rani , and K. R. Yathish 20 Biological characteristics of Arrhenotokous and Thelytokous Trichogramma pretiosum Riley...... 327 T. Prabhulinga , S. K. Jalali , K. P. Kumar , and B. Doddabasappa 21 Faunal Composition of Scarab Beetles and Their Hosts in Assam...... 335 Mrinmoy Das , Badal Bhattacharyya , D. Pujari , and Gautam Handique 22 Honeybees and Beekeeping: The Global Scenario ...... 345 D. P. Abrol , Uma Shankar , K. S. Nitin , and G. Basana Gowda Contents xv

23 Nominating the Bee Trees of Nandagudi/Ramagovindapura as a World Heritage Site ...... 373 Stephen Petersen and Muniswamyreddy Shankar Reddy 24 Requirements for Sustainable Management of Apis dorsata Fab. with Rafter Method ...... 383 Stephen Petersen and Muniswamyreddy Shankar Reddy 25 RNA Interference: History, Mechanisms, and Applications in Pest Management ...... 397 Subba Reddy Palli 26 Optimization of Fermentation Parameters and In Vitro Efficacy of Native Bacillus thuringiensis Isolates Against Spodoptera litura ...... 415 Rahul Amin , Kuldeep Khatri , Deepak Panpatte , Leena Pathak , Ankit Patel , Noushad Parvez , Harsha Shelat , Janardan Jani , and Rajababu Vyas Contributors

D . P . A b r o l Division of Entomology , Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology FOA , Jammu , Jammu and Kashmir , India Periasamy Alagesan Post Graduate and Research Department of Zoology , Yadava College , Madurai , Tamil Nadu , India Rahul Amin Department of Microbiology , Anand Agricultural University , Anand , Gujarat , India D. Usha Anandhi Department of Zoology , Bangalore University , Bangalore , Karnataka , India Anudita Department of Zoology , Bangalore University , Bengaluru , Karnataka , India Badal Bhattacharya All India Network Project on White grubs and Other Soil Arthropods, Department of Entomology , Assam Agricultural University , Jorhat , Assam , India Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy Division of Entomology and Nematology, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) , Bengaluru , Karnataka , India Hirak Chatterjee Palli Siksha Bhavana (Institute of Agriculture) Visva-Bharati, Birbhum , West Bengal , India Mrinmoy Das All India Network Project on Soil Arthropod Pests, Department of Entomology , Assam Agricultural University , Jorhat , Assam , India B. M. Deepa Department of Genetics , Indian Academy Degree College , Bengaluru , Karnataka , India B. Doddabasappa Department of Entomology , College of Horticulture , Kolar , Karnataka , India G. Basana Gowda ICAR-National Rice Research Institute , Cuttack , Odisha , India Ankita Gupta Insect Systematics Division, National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources , Bangalore , Karnataka , India

xvii xviii Contributors

Priyanka Hadole Department of Zoology , Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University , Amravati , Maharashtra , India Gautam Handique All India Network Project on Soil Arthropod Pests, Department of Entomology , Assam Agricultural University , Jorhat , Assam , India Tapan Kumar Hath Palli Siksha Bhavana (Institute of Agriculture) Visva-Bharati , Birbhum , West Bengal , India K. S. Hemachandra Department of Agriculture Biology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya , Peradeniya , Sri Lanka Ritesh Suresh Inamke Biological Control Research Laboratory , Anand Agricultural University , Anand , Gujarat , India S. K. Jalali Division of Entomology , National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (NBAIR) , Bengaluru , Karnataka , India Janardan Jani Biological Control Research Laboratory , Anand Agricultural University , Anand , Gujarat, India M. Jayashankar Division of Entomology , Indian Institute of Horticultural Research , Bengaluru , India Baaby Job Department of Zoology , St. Thomas College , Thrissur , Kerala , India Presty John Department of Zoology , S.H. College , Cochin , Kerala , India Current address: Kerala Forest Research Institute , Peechi , Kerala , India A. Josephrajkumar Entomology Section , ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute , Alappuzha , Kerala , India V. Kalarani Department of Biotechnology , Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (Women’s University) , Tirupati , Andhra Pradesh , India Vasudev Kammar Department of Entomology , University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK), Bengaluru , Karnataka , India Subhash B. Kandakoor AICRP on , University of Agricultural Sciences , Dharwad , Karnataka , India K. A. Karmaly St. Xaviers College for Women , Aluva , Kerala , India M. Karuthapandi Freshwater Biology Regional Centre , Zoological Survey of India , Hyderabad , Andhra Pradesh , India Mohammad Khanjani Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University , Hamedan , Iran Kuldeep Khatri Biological Control Research Laboratory , Anand Agricultural University , Anand , Gujarat, India Contributors xix

K. P. Kumar Department of Entomology , University of Agricultural Sciences , Bengaluru , Karnataka , India Nripendra Laskar Department of Agricultural Entomology , Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya , Cooch Behar , West Bengal , India P. P. Mary Department of Forestry, North Eastern Regional Institute of Sciences and Technology (NERIST) Deemed University , Nirjuli , Arunachal Pradesh , India P. Lakshmi Devi Menon Department of Zoology , S.H. College , Cochin , Kerala , India Chandrika Mohan Entomology Section , ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute , Alappuzha , Kerala , India S. Murugan Department of Zoology , Bangalore University , Bangalore , Karnataka , India K. S. Nitin Division of Entomology and Nematology , Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) , Bengaluru , Karnataka , India J. L. Olakkengill Department of Zoology , St. Thomas College , Thrissur , Kerala , India Subba Reddy Palli Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture , University of Kentucky , Lexington , KY , USA Deepak Panpatte Biological Control Research Laboratory , Anand Agricultural University , Anand , Gujarat , India Noushad Parvez Biological Control Research Laboratory , Anand Agricultural University , Anand , Gujarat , India Ankit Patel Biological Control Research Laboratory , Anand Agricultural University , Anand , Gujarat, India Leena Pathak Biological Control Research Laboratory , Anand Agricultural University , Anand , Gujarat, India Stephen Petersen Toklat Apiaries , Fairbanks , AK , USA T. Prabhulinga Division of Entomology , Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) , Nagpur , India S. R. Amulya Prasad Department of Zoology , Bangalore University , Bengaluru , Karnataka , India N. R. Prasannakumar Division of Entomology and Nematology , Indian Institute of Horticultural Research , Bengaluru , Karnataka , India N. Preethi Department of Zoology , NSS College , Malappuram , Kerala , India D. Pujari All India Network Project on Soil Arthropod Pests, Department of Entomology , Assam Agricultural University , Jorhat , Assam , India xx Contributors

M. K. Radhika Entomology Section , ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute , Alappuzha , Kerala , India P. Rajan Entomology Section , ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute , Alappuzha , Kerala , India A. T. Rani Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK) , Bengaluru , Karnataka , India D. V. Rao Freshwater Biology Regional Centre , Zoological Survey of India , Hyderabad , Andhra Pradesh , India D. Chandrasekhar Reddy Department of Zoology , SV University , Tirupati , Andhra Pradesh , India Muniswamyreddy Shankar Reddy Department of Zoology , Bangalore University , Bengaluru , India Uma Shankar Division of Entomology , Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology FOA , Jammu , Jammu & Kashmir , India Harsha Shelat Department of Microbiology , Anand Agricultural University , Anand , Gujarat , India Dipak Kumar Sinha Palli Siksha Bhavana (Institute of Agriculture) Visva-Bharati, Birbhum , West Bengal , India U. G. A. I. Sirisena Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture , University of Peradeniya , Peradeniya , Sri Lanka Shakunthala Sridhara Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK) , Bengaluru , Karnataka , India Sridevi V Department of Biotechnology , Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (Women’s University) , Tirupati , Andhra Pradesh , India Ganesh Vankhede Department of Zoology , Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University , Amravati , Maharashtra , India V. Varunrajan Division of Entomology and Nematology , Indian Institute of Horticultural Research , Bengaluru , Karnataka , India Sumathi Vempalli Department of Biotechnology , Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (Women’s University) , Tirupati , Andhra Pradesh , India Rajababu Vyas Department of Microbiology , Anand Agricultural University , Anand , Gujarat , India G. W. Watson California Department of Food & Agriculture, Plant Pest Diagnostic Center , Sacramento , CA , USA Contributors xxi

H. N. P. Wijayagunasekara Department of Agriculture Biology, Faculty of Agriculture , University of Peradeniya , Peradeniya , Sri Lanka K. R. Yathish Division of Entomology and Nematology, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research , Bengaluru , India About the Editors

Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy is the Head and Principal Scientist at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru, India. With over three decades of experience in teaching, research and extension, Dr. Chakravarthy has been the investiga- tor for over 30 research projects and has guided more than 25 postgraduate students. He received PhD from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and Post Doctoral Fellowship from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. He is a fellow of the American Chemical Society, USA, member of several national and international scientifi c academia, advisor, panellist, referee, reviewer and editor associated with publication of over 30 national and international journals worldwide. He has 400 publications in the form of books, chapters, monographs, bulletins, papers, short notes, commen- taries, letters and meeting and project reports. A fi eld-oriented, widely travelled biologist, he is actively working on novel approaches in integrated pest manage- ment, host-plant interaction, vertebrate pest management, biodiversity and environ- mental conservation. Currently, he has initiatives on nanotechnology too.

Shakunthala Sridhara after obtaining her PhD in Animal Physiology from Bangalore University, joined a Ford Foundation project on vertebrate pest management in the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangaluru, India, in 1973. Over the past 33 years, she has been researching on vertebrate pest management, specially the control of rodents in the agricultural context. She has researched extensively on the ecology, population dynamics, food selection and feeding behaviour of rodents, toxicology of rodenticides and adoption of rodent pest management at village level. Her studies on behaviour relevant to management of avian and mam- malian pests are pioneering in the Indian context and

xxiii xxiv About the Editors well acknowledged culminating in adaptable technologies for their management. She has visited and interacted with specialists in the fi eld across America and Europe several times. Keenly interested in animal behaviour studies and its applica- tion in pest and wildlife management, biodiversity conservation and animal pro- duce, she is a member of several national and international scientifi c bodies including the presidentship of Ethological Society of India, Indian representative in the International Council of Ethologists, IUCN species specialist group on rodents, etc. She has retired as Professor and Head of Vertebrate Biology (Rodent Control) in the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore followed by a stint as Emeritus Scientist of Indian Council of Agricultural Research for two years (2007–2009).