Completed Research
Socio-economic upgradation of coastal wetlands of Namkhana Block, Sundarban through awareness strategy to establish optimum environmental condition for survival and growth of economically important species
a) Principal Investigator:
Dr. Joyita Mukherjee
b) Implementing Institute:
Krishna Chandra College, Birbhum, West Bengal
c) Summary of the Project:
- Project aimed at improving socio-economic conditions in Namkhana, Sundarbans through sustainable aquaculture and awareness programs.
- Focused on culturing Penaeus monodon, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, and Scylla serrata using traditional and scientific extensive methods.
- Conducted 3-year study across freshwater and brackish ponds, monitoring growth, survival, and water quality monthly.
- P. monodon showed fastest growth (up to 190g), M. rosenbergii had highest survival (~92%), and S. serrata had high market value but lower survival (~57%).
- Optimal conditions for growth included temperatures between 26–30°C and species-specific salinity ranges.
- Cage culture adoption increased from 24% to 55%, improving income by 30–50% and reducing costs by ~28.5%.
- Wild hatchling collection reduced by 38.5%, aiding biodiversity and reducing environmental damage.
- Awareness workshops trained 25 local farmers on pond management, disease control, feeding, and sustainable practices.
- Recommendations included promoting cage culture, aligning harvest with dry season, and using selective breeding and eco-friendly feed.
- Project resulted in 20–25% higher production, improved environmental sustainability, and enhanced community capacity.
Development of Biological Database of Microbes Diversity of East Kolkata Wetland Area
a) Principal Investigator:
Dr. Swati Chakraborty
b) Implementing Institute:
Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science & Technology, Kolkata, West Bengal
c) Objectives:
- To study the microorganisms present in East Kolkata Wetland areas.
- To make a detailed genetic database of those microbes of the wetland.
- To isolate and culture microbial strains.
- To provide the collection details of each of the collected microbes.
- To share the list of documented microbes with Accession Number of each of the deposited specimens in the designated National Repository.
Documentation of Fish faunal diversity of different rivers with a view to aquatic biodiversity conservation in Purulia district of West Bengal
a) Principal Investigator:
Dr. Ashim Kumar Nath
b) Implementing Institute:
Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, West Bengal
c) Objectives:
- To document fish species diversity and distribution in Purulia district of West Bengal.
- To assess those fish species mainly through interaction with fishing communities.
- To identify unique and important habitats for the conservation of wild populations of fish fauna.
- To highlight the major threats to the water bodies/habitats.
- To suggest conservation strategies for the fish habitats and fish species for the district.
Status and diversity of the natural predators of vegetable crop pests in an intensively cropped area in West Bengal
a) Principal Investigator:
Prof. Parthiba Basu
b) Implementing Institute:
Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta
c) Objectives:
- To make an inventory of natural predators of the major vegetable crop pests (insects).
- To study the impact of intensive agriculture on the natural predators of major vegetable crop pests (insects).
- To determine the factors controlling population status of the natural predators of major vegetable crop pests (insects) in intensive farming areas and also the preferable host plants for the natural predators.
Diversity and bionomics of Muscid Flies (Family: Muscidae, Order: Diptera) in West Bengal, India
a) Principal Investigator:
Dr. Suvra Kanti Sinha
b) Implementing Institute:
Department of Zoology, Sonamukhi College, Bankura
c) Objectives:
- To document muscid flies along with their habitat in West Bengal.
- To produce a web-based taxonomic revision of Muscid flies in West Bengal.
- To investigate bionomics of the flies.
- To make photographic documentation of each and every species found in West Bengal.
Diagnosis and description of swamp eel (s) (Synbranchidae: Synbranchiformes) in West Bengal, India: A study of fish taxonomy
a) Principal Investigator:
Mr. Ram Krishna Das
b) Implementing Institute:
Department of Industrial Fish & Fisheries, Asutosh College, Kolkata
c) Objectives:
- To investigate the diagnosis and description of swamp eel(s) of fifteen districts of West Bengal, India.
- To find out the habitat of the swamp eel(s) in fifteen districts of West Bengal, India.
- To study the catch statistics and conservation status of swamp eel(s) in West Bengal, India.
- To investigate the traditional fishing gears used to harvest the swamp eels in the fifteen districts of West Bengal, India.