Image credit: Deepak Veerappan

Deepak. V (a postdoc) and Praveen Karanth show that fan-throated lizards consist of at least 15 species, with much of the diversification dating back to 8–5 million years and possibly caused by climatic shifts in India in that period. This is one of the few studies that establishes a link between climate change and adaptation in the Indian subcontinent. The study also highlights the importance of the dry zone as centers of biodiversity.

By Senji Laxme R R

The Evolutionary Venomics Lab (www.venomicslab.com) led by Kartik Sunagar at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc, in association with Kalinga Institute conducted a one-day workshop on snake identification, rescue and bite management for the representative divisions of the Karnataka Forest Department.

A new study published in the journal eLife shows that tree crickets manufacture surprisingly accurate optimal aids for sound amplification. This work was led by Natasha Mhatre (a former PhD student of CES), Rittik Deb (a recent PhD student of CES), Rohini Balakrishnan and collaborators from UK (Robert Malkin and Daniel Robert).

Worker castes of fungus-growing termite depositing “agar boluses” on the fungal plug of weedy
Pseudoxylaria (from the October issue of Journal of Chemical Ecology). Photo Credit: Nikhil More

Lakshya Katariya and colleagues (Renee M Borges’ lab) discover that fungus-farming termites
selectively bury the weedy fungi that smell different from crop fungi

Plant community in a tropical dry forest in southern India. Photo Credit: Sandeep Pulla

Sandeep Pulla and colleagues argue that tropical forest plant communities do not fit into dominant theoretical paradigms

If you are interested in a Ph.D. program at CES, don’t wait till next year, apply now! The Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science is now accepting applications for mid-term admissions.

Online applications will be open from 1 Oct 2017 to 31 Oct 2017.

Short-listed candidates will be called for an interview on 20-21 November 2017, and the semester will begin for accepted students on 1 Jan 2018.

Dear Prospective Students to CES,

Are you interested in a PhD in Ecology and Evolution?

Take the GATE EY exam. GATE EY covers topics in Ecology, Evolution, Behaviour, and Basic Mathematics and Statistics.

GATE scores are recognized at the best institutions in India, including IISc, all IISERs, JNCASR, NCBS and many MHRD approved universities.

Online Application Deadline is 05 October 2017. Don’t miss it!

Visit http://www.gate.iisc.ac.in for more details for the procedure to apply for GATE Exam.

Recent research findings by a CES Ph.D. student Sanjeeta Sharma Pokharel, Prof. Polani B Seshagiri (MRDG, IISc) and Prof. Raman Sukumar (CES, IISc) show that the stress levels and body condition of elephants varied between seasons. Wild Asian elephants were showed ‘poor’ body condition and were found to be ‘more’ stressed during resource-deficient periods. This pattern was more conspicuous in female Asian elephants.

The egg laying organ of insects, their ovipositor, is usually believed to only taste via chemical receptors. A recent study by CES PhD student Pratibha Yadav and Prof. Renee Borges shows that insect ovipositor can also sense smell.

The Centre for Ecological Sciences is delighted to welcome Dr Kartik Sunagar.