Research Projects
Conservation • Biodiversity • Wildlife Management
Bridging research with practical conservation outcomes
Project Portfolio Overview
My research portfolio spans conservation biology, biodiversity assessment, ecological modelling, and applied wildlife management, emphasizing outcomes, methods, and collaborative partnerships for environmental impact.
Major Conservation Projects
Funding Partners
A comprehensive, multi-year umbrella project integrating field ecology, population modelling, and stakeholder engagement to secure viable wolf populations and reduce human-wildlife conflict across priority landscapes in India.
Key Objectives
- Population estimation using robust, repeatable protocols and integrated monitoring systems
- Prey-base assessment through detailed analysis of prey availability and predator-prey dynamics
- Corridor mapping to identify, prioritize, and protect functional movement pathways
- Conflict mitigation via tested interventions and community co-existence frameworks
📝 Academic involvement only, NO FINANCIAL INVOLVEMENT.
Academic Research Projects
Guanotrophication by aquatic avifauna on freshwater ecosystem dynamics
Supervisor: Prof. Santanu Ray
Laboratory: Systems Ecology and Ecological Modelling Laboratory
Process-based modelling of phosphorus cycling influenced by waterbirds with scenario analysis and ecosystem diagnostics for shallow tropical freshwater systems.
Key Outcomes
- First process based model for guanotrophication and pioneering work on guanotrophy in Asia
- In absence of other source of nutrient, waterbirds can be major source of nutrient as found in the studied lake
- The impact of guanotrophy in the studied lake is gradual not instant, which mostly affect the abiotic state variables
- The dynamics of the studied lake is mainly regulated by temperature mediated internal cycling
Ecoinformatic techniques for freshwater ecosystem analysis
Supervisor: Prof. Young-Seuk Park
Advanced metaweb frameworks, interaction prediction with unsupervised algorithms, and functional trait databases for benthic macroinvertebrates in Korean streams.
Key Deliverables
- Comprehensive review and synthesis on metawebs and network-based ecosystem analysis
- Novel unsupervised method for predicting species interactions from limited data
- Open trait datasets and trophic metaweb for Korean freshwater ecosystems
Machine learning applications in fish community analysis
Supervisor: Prof. Anuradha Bhat
Self-Organizing Map workflows to classify fish communities from functional traits and feeding strategies, linking environmental gradients to assemblage patterns.
Key Contributions
- Applied SOM algorithms for community characterization based on morphometric features and trophic level
- Integrated feeding habits and functional traits into machine learning frameworks
- Conducted statistical analyses to examine environmental preferences of functional groups
- Developed novel approaches for understanding fish community structures in Himalayan streams
Applied Wildlife Management Projects
Wildlife Management Plan – Raniganj Coalfield
Forest Land Diversion Assessment
Oil & Gas Exploration Impact Assessment
Community Biodiversity Initiatives
Citizen-science driven biodiversity knowledgebase for West Bengal, focusing on species documentation, verified checklists, and accessible data products for research and conservation planning.
Key Features
- Partner: Wildlife Information and Nature Guide Society (WINGS)
- Database: Verified checklists, images, traits, distribution summaries
- Platform: Web-accessible interface for researchers and practitioners
- Impact: Supporting conservation prioritization and biodiversity monitoring
📝 Academic involvement only, NO FINANCIAL INVOLVEMENT.
Comprehensive urban biodiversity documentation covering both animal and plant diversity to support municipal planning and conservation mainstreaming in urban environments.
Deliverables
- People's Biodiversity Register – Animal Diversity
- People's Biodiversity Register – Plant Diversity
- Species inventory with conservation recommendations
- Urban biodiversity management guidelines