Carbon-Nitrogen Ratios in Rangeland Soils in Various Agriculture Response Units in Three Watersheds in the Central Himalayas, India

CN ratios of rangeland soils in selected agriculture response units (ARUs) prevailing in three watersheds, Kosi, Alaknanda, and Pindar, in the Indian Central Himalayan mountains were analyzed. The ratios varied significantly (P\u3c0.05) with ARUs and seasons. Interaction between ARUs and season was also found significant (P\u3c0.05). In Alaknanda Watershed soil CN ratios ranged from 6.62 to 20.58. Soil CN ratio values differed significantly (P\u3c0.05) with seasons and ARUs. Soil CN ratios in the rangelands of Pindar Watershed were recorded between 6.54 and 11.29. The ratios varied significantly (P\u3c0.05) in seasons and ARUs. Interaction between ARUs and season was also found significant (P\u3c0.05). Rangeland soil CN ratio values of all ARUs were further statistically analyzed in all three watersheds. Minimum soil CN ratios were seen at Pindar and maximum at Alaknanda watershed. The ratios variation was seen in all the rangelands and it was found significant at a significance level of 5%. Interaction between Kosi and Alaknanda was found non-significant while between Kosi and Pindar and Alaknanda and Pindar it was significant (P\u3c0.05) throughout the study. Variation in soil CN ratios in both agricultural and rangeland soils was seen in each watershed. In the Kosi watershed, soil CN ratios ranged from 6.74 to 15.06; in Alaknanda from 6.36 to 20.58 and in Pindar from 5.75 to 14.38. CN ratios have an absolute relationship with temperature and are higher when higher rainfall occurs and moisture prevails. The ratios also impact soil acidity and other soil quality parameters

Integration of microalgal bioremediation and biofuel production: A ‘clean up’ strategy with potential for sustainable energy resources

Oleaginous microalgae are being used extensively worldwide for the development of integrated sustainable environment technologies. Microalgae can be used to remove environmental pollutants and simultaneous extraction of biofuels from the same culture. Microalgae have also evolved different intracellular and extracellular mechanisms to resist the toxic effects of different environmental pollutants that stimulate lipid accumulation. The advancements in microalgae omics with the use of recent tools like H1NMR spectroscopy, GC-MS, FTIR spectroscopy, ICP-MS, LC-MS can provide deep insights towards understanding the various underlying mechanisms to resist environmental stresses. They are a promising candidate towards Green Bioremediation and Biofuel production. © 2021 The Author

Precambrian rocks of the Himalaya

The Himadri (Great Himalaya) ranges are made up of Precambrian high-grade metamorphic rocks evolved at temperatures of 600-650°C and pressures of 5-7 Kb. The early Precambrian rocks which formed the basement of the Tethys basin to the north, have been uplifted from great depths (15-30 km) by the Main Central Thrust. The metamorphic rocks of Himadri are overlain in the discontinuous Tethys basin by a great succession of sediments of the later Proterozoic and Phanerozoic time span. The lower part is uniformly argillo-arenaceous flysch, characterized locally by intraformational lenses of diamictites. These are followed upwards by an argillo-calcareous succession with large lenticular horizons of stromatolitic dolomites. Significantly, the Cambrian strata are altogether missing in the central and eastern sectors. South of the Himadri, the larger part of the Lesser Himalaya comprises Riphean to Vendian sedimentary rocks, lithologically similar to and homotaxial with the Proterozoic succession of the Tethys province. The flysch formation possibly rests upon a basement of 1900 ± 100 Ma. old porphyritic granite of middle crustal origin, now found tectonically implanted in the sedimen-taries in some places. The lower part of the succession is of argillo-arenaceous facies, characterized locally by turbidites, diamictite lenses and very prominent penecontemporaneous basic volcanic rocks of Lower Riphean (1350 ± 50 Ma.) age. This assemblage grades upwards into a calc-argillaceous succession, characterized by stromatolite-bearing dolomites, lenticular deposits of coarsely crystalline magnesite associated with talc and base-metals and carbonaceous shale-marble rhythmites in the upper part. While the columnar-branching stromatolites indicate an age from Middle Riphean to Vendian for the dolomites of the inner sedimentary belt, the conodonts, primitive brachiopods and trilobites in a horizon of the youngest (terminal) formation of the outer sedimentary belt point to a Lower Cambrian age