Journal of Ecological Anthropology Volume 12 Issue 1 Volume 12, Issue 1 (2008) Article 1 2008 Natural Disturbances and Cultural Responses on a River Island in Andhra Pradesh Jesurathnam Devarapalli Pondicherry University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jea Recommended Citation Devarapalli, Jesurathnam. "Natural Disturbances and Cultural Responses on a River Island in Andhra Pradesh." Journal of Ecological Anthropology 12, no. 1 (2008): 5-21. Available at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jea/vol12/iss1/1 This Research Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Anthropology at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Ecological Anthropology by an authorized editor of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Vol. 12 2008 Devarapalli / Natural Disturbances and Cultural Responses 5 ARTICLES Natural Disturbances and Cultural Responses on a River Island in Andhra Pradesh Jesurathnam Devarapalli Abstract Ayodhya Lanka is a river island situated in Vasista Godavari in Andhra Pradesh, India. The island, due to its strategic location in the channel bed, is endowed with rich alluvial soil and provides a rich ground for fishing operations attracting both farming and fishing communities who made their permanent abode on it since times immemorial. Owing to certain special physiographical and ecological features the island possesses five ethno- ecozones (micro-environments) that are effectively managed and exploited by the islanders under the fluctuating environmental conditions. As such, the island is exposed to three important recurring natural disturbances such as perennial floods, erratic rainfall and frost of which the first one has very serious consequences.