Arid grasslands are open natural ecosystems covering 19% of Earth’s terrestrial surface. They are grazed by both wild animals and livestock. Grazing based livestock farming is the basis of rural Economy in India, especially in arid regions where agriculture is not economical. However, increasing livestock poses pressure on continuously declining grasslands decreasing native flora and fauna. Hence, my study is focused on the difference in plant community composition, plant diversity, plant traits, and soil nutrients in grazed and long-term ungrazed sites in Chitradurga, Karnataka. I hypothesize that plant diversity and soil C:N ratio will be lower in grazed sites. Plant community composition will differ between the two sites with different plant traits (taller, higher leaf area, higher leaf dry weight in ungrazed). Preliminary results show that plant richness is higher in grazed sites with no significant difference in diversity between the two conditions. Plant species composition in grazed sites were more similar than in the two ungrazed sites. I also found that some plant species differed morphologically between grazed and ungrazed sites. To unravel whether this difference was plasticity or due to evolution, and if it is adaptive, I will carry out common garden experiments followed by reciprocal transplantations. In unfavorable conditions some plants might exist only as seeds. To get a picture of the potential vegetation of the grazed and ungrazed sites, I will compare the plant composition in the soil seed banks, between the long term ungrazed and grazed sites. Because grazers are eating away plants before the reproductive period, I hypothesize that soil seed bank diversity will be lower in grazed than ungrazed sites. Finally, I will conduct a manipulative study, on the short-term effects of grazing on plant communities using grazing exclosures, or a controlled study of plant decomposition rate. Overall, this study will increase our understanding of grassland and grazing ecology in an arid system, while providing a primary database of herbaceous communities in these landscapes. It will provide knowledge about the recovery timing of degraded grazed lands under arid conditions, which is useful to policy makers and conservation biologists planning restoration and conservation programs.

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In this talk, I will give a broad-brush overview of three areas in the field of animal coloration in which I think we have much to learn and discover – and the current efforts of my group to tackle a small part of them. The first area is the function and perception of iridescent and shiny colours that change appearance as signallers or receivers move. The second area is the intersection between light and heat – optical properties beyond the limits of human and animal vision and their consequences for thermal control. The third area is new ways to produce colour through pigment-structure interactions. These areas hold great promise for both fundamental biological understanding and bioinspired applications.

The golden langur is one of the most range restricted colobine monkey, confined to the region between Sunkosh and Manas rivers in Bhutan and adjoining Assam (India). It is closely related to the widely distributed capped langur which is distributed from Eastern Bhutan, Northeast India, parts of Northern Bangladesh to Southern China, and Northwestern Myanmar. Golden langur has been divided into two subspecies whereas capped langurs into four. However, the subspecies status of golden langur is still being debated. Previous studies have hypothesized that an isolated population of capped langurs might have speciated into golden langurs due to geographical barriers like rivers and mountains. This would represent a classic case of budding speciation; wherein peripheral isolates of widely distributed species evolve into a distinct lineage. Furthermore, the presence of intermediate forms between golden langurs and capped langurs found in an overlap zone in central Bhutan hints at a possible hybridization between these two species. Alternately, these intermediate forms might represent clinal variation between golden and capped langurs (intergradation). Given this background, for my thesis research, I aim to investigate the origin and evolutionary history of golden langurs vis-a-vis capped langurs by using multiple nuclear and mitochondrial markers. Genetic data will be used to address three specific questions. 1) Does genetic data support splitting of golden langur into two subspecies? 2) Is there genetic evidence for budding speciation? 3) Are the intermediate forms a case of hybridization or does it represent intergradation?

India is considered the world's snakebite capital, where over 58,000 snakebite fatalities are registered annually. Most bites are primarily attributed to four snake species: the spectacled cobra (Naja naja), common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), Russell's viper (Daboia russelii), and saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) that are collectively termed as the 'big four'. Recent research has unravelled a significant variation in snake venom composition and toxicity at inter- and intraspecific levels, resulting in an alarming ineffectiveness of antivenoms - the only available treatment for snakebites. However, the extent of venom variability, which often results from differing ecologies, evolutionary histories, and/or environmental conditions, remains largely uninvestigated in the majority of clinically important snakes. For example, the influence of varying ecology and environment on the venom of the common krait (B. caeruleus), the snake species with a near-pan-India distribution responsible for the second-highest number of snakebite-related deaths in India, has not been investigated to date. To address this knowledge gap, my PhD research focused on assessing the biogeographic venom variation in this species across India. Furthermore, I have evaluated the repercussion of this geographic venom variation on the preclinical efficacy of commercially available Indian antivenoms.

Similarly, the extent of intrapopulation venom variation, especially at finer geographic scales, remains poorly understood. I had, therefore, employed an interdisciplinary approach involving venom proteomics, biochemistry, and pharmacology, to assess venom variation in monocled cobra (N. kaouthia) sampled across a small spatial scale (<50 km). Finally, I have evaluated in vitro and in vivo venom binding and neutralisation capabilities of conventional antivenoms in countering toxicities inflicted by various individuals in this population.

While conventional antivenoms have saved thousands of lives, they suffer from numerous flaws, such as ineffectiveness against necrotic effects, reduced dose-effectiveness that often leads to many secondary reactions, including fatal anaphylaxis, and unavailability in many primary health centres. Secondary metabolites of plants have been shown to effectively neutralise snakebite pathologies, especially the local effects such as haemorrhage and necrosis. Therefore, I have assessed the antivenomic potential of medicinal plants, such as avaram (Cassia auriculata), utilised in traditional medicine. The neutralising potency of Cassia auriculata flower extracts against medically important snake venoms has been evaluated using in vitro experiments. Finally, I identify the active components in these plant extracts and will explore their potential role in treating snakebites in India.

In terrestrial environments, forests are dominated by plants which structure the landscape, offering habitat to thousands of species. Forests exist also in the ocean, and they are dominated by sessile benthic organisms (such as sponges, corals, bryozoans) which form three-dimensional structures providing architectural complexity and sheltering, feeding, protection for diverse associated biota. These communities are similar to terrestrial forests, with the main difference that they are dominated by animals instead of plants. The term marine animal forest (MAF) has been proposed to define those animals dominated three dimensional communities which are present all over the world, from polar to tropical regions and from shallow to deep. In terrestrial ecosystems, forest are characterized by high associate biodiversity and stable climatic conditions (microclimate). The presence of a microclimate, the role played by forest three dimensionality in supporting biodiversity and have been hypothesized also for MAFs. Nonetheless, their capability to support those ecological functions and therefore to deliver the above cited ecosystem services is still undefined. Even more unknown, because never quantified and demonstrated yet, is the existence of a relationship between forest density and structure and such capability. The seminar will present the current knowledge on the functional ecology of these habitats and their resilience capacity.

To halt the loss of biodiversity in accordance with the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) and the Aichi objectives, France aims to classify 10% of its territory as a strong protection zone by 2030. These new conservation zones will have to fit into the puzzle of marine spatial planning and respond in space and time to ecological, economic, social and be resilient to climatic issues. Resilience in marine population is tightly linked to population connectivity. Population connectivity enables genetic mixing and accelerates the recovery of a population after a demographic accident. On land, this is achieved through the "green and blue network", by creating corridors of green spaces, removing dams on rivers, and building animal bridges over freeways to link natural areas together. At sea, we call it the "marine blue grid", but it's invisible to us humans. It cannot be developed, but follows the currents of the sea, a network of underwater routes that the vast majority of marine species must use. How can we imagine it? This seminar will present the current state of knowledge and research on the marine blue network in the Gulf of Lion (French Mediterranean coast) as a template methodology for the on-going work on Andaman islands.

Variability in phenotypic traits such as body size or shape is typically lower in animal groups than within their populations ̶̶ indicating that such groups are phenotypically assorted. Active group choice is one of the mechanisms by which such phenotypic assortment can be achieved. Several species of reef fish form mixed-species groups or “fish flocks” where two or more species associate for foraging or anti-predatory benefits. For attendant groups of reef fish which form primarily for foraging benefits – competition for resources between shoal members may result in phenotypically variable groups. Frequency dependent differential predation (predators preferring phenotypically odd individuals) and activity matching may drive phenotypically assorted grouping which is seen in shoaling groups of reef fish that form primarily for anti-predator benefits.

Variability in phenotypic traits such as body size or shape is typically lower in animal groups than within their populations ̶̶ indicating that such groups are phenotypically assorted. Active group choice is one of the mechanisms by which such phenotypic assortment can be achieved. Several species of reef fish form mixed-species groups or “fish flocks” where two or more species associate for foraging or anti-predatory benefits. For attendant groups of reef fish which form primarily for foraging benefits – competition for resources between shoal members may result in phenotypically variable groups. Frequency dependent differential predation (predators preferring phenotypically odd individuals) and activity matching may drive phenotypically assorted grouping which is seen in shoaling groups of reef fish that form primarily for anti-predator benefits.

Variability in phenotypic traits such as body size or shape is typically lower in animal groups than within their populations ̶̶ indicating that such groups are phenotypically assorted. Active group choice is one of the mechanisms by which such phenotypic assortment can be achieved. Several species of reef fish form mixed-species groups or “fish flocks” where two or more species associate for foraging or anti-predatory benefits. For attendant groups of reef fish which form primarily for foraging benefits – competition for resources between shoal members may result in phenotypically variable groups. Frequency dependent differential predation (predators preferring phenotypically odd individuals) and activity matching may drive phenotypically assorted grouping which is seen in shoaling groups of reef fish that form primarily for anti-predator benefits. We investigate the similarities in phenotypic traits (viz. body size, body shape, body markings and colours) in the association patterns for attendant and shoaling groups of reef fish in the Arabian and Andaman Seas. We find that shoaling groups in both the Lakshadweep archipelago and the Andaman Islands undergo phenotypic assortment (showing low phenotypic variability), possibly to overcome the oddity effect thus minimizing their predation risk. We also explore the environmental factors that drive the formation of shoaling groups of herbivorous reef fish by estimating resource abundance and relative predator abundance across a fishing gradient (within and outside Marine Protected Areas) in the Andaman Sea.

It is often proposed that most organisms on this planet are parasites. Their ubiquity, species richness and ecological and economic importance render them a fruitful model to study the processes underlying biodiversity, especially in aquatic environments with their high phylogenetic diversity of potential hosts. Therefore, our team studies the taxonomy, genomics, morphology and ecology of parasitic flatworms (and other parasites) of fishes and other aquatic animals. We focus on study systems with relevance to general evolutionary phenomena (e.g. adaptive radiation) or conservation (e.g. alien invasive species, fisheries, protected wetlands).

Thanks to strong ties with various capacity development initiatives funded by Belgian development cooperation, the team invests consistently in institutional partnerships in the Global South (e.g. co-tutelle PhDs), currently mainly in Africa. This has also led to a research line on biodiversity policy, covering aspects such as biodiversity indicators, stakeholder involvement in natural resource management, assessment of anthropogenic impacts on aquatic ecosystems, and perceptions of biodiversity. In an effort to couple the parasitological and policy-relevant research themes, we are active in the field of One Health, and in IUCN Red Listing.

This presentation will introduce the team, and showcase a selection of representative projects and outputs with emphasis on recent work. It is hoped this will only be the start of discussions on potential common interests and future collaborations