ECOSYSTEM

For extensive and intensive faunal exploration of various regions, a number of Regional and Field Stations have been established and it would be worthwhile to give here the exploration activities of the Department in different ecosystems.

(i) Estuarine and Marine Surveys:

India has a long coast line of about 7000 km and the marine ecosystem offers a rich biological resource, much of which remains to be explored. Estuarine and marine animals are collected to study the faunal status and composition and their interaction with the marine ecosystems. Survey of faunal resources of estuarine areas, brackish-water lakes and back-waters of the eastern coast of India have been recently taken up by the newly established Estuarine Biological Research Station at Gopalpur on Sea, Ganjam, Orissa.

(ii) Mangrove Faunal Surveys:

Mangroves are considered the nursery of nature, specially for the living forms of marine environ­ment. For the collection and study of mangrove organisms, faunistic surveys are being undertaken in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sunderbans (West Bengal) and Pitchavaram Islands (Tamil Nadu). The fauna is being thoroughly studied to assess the quantitative and qualitative distribution in these areas.

(iii)Island Surveys:

The scope of studying the insular characteristics of fauna has been much enhanced with the estab­lishment of a Regional Station at Port Blair in the South Andamans. The scientists of this Station, in collaboration with others, especially from Head­quarters at Calcutta and from the Marine Biologi­cal Station, Chennai.

(iv)Western Ghats Surveys:

Western Ghats offer one of the richest biological resources, yet to be fully explored for formulation of a management plan. The scientists of the Western Regional Station, Pune and the Western Ghats Field Station, Calicut, are entrusted with the study and collection of the rich and diverse fauna of the Ghat areas.

(v)Tropical Rain Forests Surveys:

The exploration of rich and diverse fauna, occurr­ing in the tropical rain forests in the Ghat areas of Western India as well as in the rugged topo­graphy of north-east India, is one of the priority activities of Z.S.I. Two Regional Stations, one at Pune and another at Kozhilkode, are conducting active field explorations in the Ghat areas as al­ready mentioned, while the Eastern Regional Sta­tion at Shillong, Field Station at New Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh and parties of the Head­quarters regularly survey north-eastern India.

(vi)High Altitude Surveys:

The scientists of the High Altitude Zoology Field Station, Solan, Northern Regional Station, Dehra Dun and the Headquarters are studying the Hima­layan mountain fauna in respect of their vertical distribution and survival potentiality in the ex­treme temperate climatic condition.

(vii)Desert Surveys:

Desertification of some areas all over the world poses a major problem to United Nations Environ­mental Programme and the desert region in India offers one of the major study areas. Z.S.I. has not overlooked the importance of studying the desert animals with particular reference to their adaptations, survival potentiality and their pos­sible role in desertification. Desert Regional Station at Jodhpur conducts faunistic survey on different groups of animals of Rajasthan and Gujarat.

(viii)Freshwater Resources Surveys:

The Scientists of the Survey are taking keen in­terest to explore the aquatic fauna specially sponges, molluscs, crustaceans (prawns, shrimps, crabs, etc.) and fishes from the major freshwater resources in the country. Freshwater Biological Station at Hyderabad is involved in the limnological investigations in some major lentic water bodies, wetlands of national and international importance.