1. Designing measures for conservation and restoration of urban fresh-water ecosystems for enhancing biodiversity, water security and heat stress mitigation

Cities are seen as places where nature including freshwater ecosystems are in retreat with inevitable loss of biodiversity, habitats and associated ecosystem services. This has led to an increasing recognition for sustainable solutions for urban water security and climate stress challenges. Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) offers an opportunity to link conservation and restoration of urban and peri-urban wetlands and adjacent green spaces to ameliorate these issues along with biodiversity conservation. In Bengaluru as in other cities, the viability and resilience of blue and green spaces often depends on their sustainable integration with grey infrastructure.

 This project aims to address these challenges through the following components: (1) Mapping the heat stress mitigation and water security potential of urban blue and green spaces in Bengaluru and raising their profile amongst city planners, citizens and citizen groups. (2) Carrying out pilot studies with constructed ponds and wetlands in the Long-Term Urban Ecological Observatory (LTUEO) for assessing the contribution of biodiversity-friendly management practices to water security (3) Long-term monitoring of peri-urban lakes in Bengaluru for a detailed baseline assessment of biodiversity, environmental characteristics, greenhouse gas (GHG) source/sink potential and ecosystem services to prepare a restoration plan. The long-term goal is to explore the novel Other Effective Area based Conservation Measures (OECMs) approach for fostering conservation and restoration of native biodiversity in the city, thus creating a scalable roadmap for conservation and ecological restoration of blue and green spaces in India.

FUNDED BY – Milkywire

PROJECT DURATION – January 2025 – Dec 2025

KEY FINDINGS – Hydrological monitoring using on-ground and GIS-based methods have identified recharge zones in the catchment for prioritizing their protection. 2) Long-term biodiversity surveys have highlighted the ecological value of the habitats in supporting a diverse community of vertebrates, invertebrates and plants. The study also identified the presence of two invasive fish species in the waterbodies. 3) Experimental methods for measuring GHG emissions, water treatment using biological methods and ecological management are being tested. 4) Dependence of local communities on the water bodies is being assessed. 

TEAM
Jagdish Krishnaswamy, Mihir Kulkarni, Dawn Emil Sebastian, Ryan Satish, Indira Singh, Kanika Bansal, Akshatha V.S, Harie V.S, Sarayu Sharma

PUBLICATIONS – None

2. Rapid Assessment of Current Scenario at Hennagara Lake: Phase I

Various solutions to the management of Bengaluru’s lakes have been prescribed, from involving corporates through CSR programmes in providing seed grants for the restoration of these waterbodies to the BBMP for controlling the distribution of water from these tanks to nearby villages, from communities in the decision-making on water use, active management and maintenance of the lakes, and economic decisions surrounding lake use. However, in the absence of clear restoration goals, most restoration projects fail to scale up. Also, in the absence of baseline data, the impact of restoration projects on the overall health of the lake is not known. This project aimed to carry out an extensive study to identify the issues faced by Hennagara lake and ways to manage and restore the lake that will serve as a roadmap for preparation of the detailed project report (DPR) for the restoration of Hennagara Lake.

FUNDED BY – HCL Foundation

PROJECT DURATION – November 2021 to October 2022

KEY FINDINGS – Water quality, Dissolved Oxygen levels, neighbourhood and lake biodiversity, heavy metals content in water and contaminants load in water were analysed for Hennagara Lake. In addition, community engagement with the lake was also assessed. Findings indicate that Hennagara Lake is highly polluted and needs immediate restoration to be brought to a viable quality to support the needs of stakeholders. The lake area is heavily modified and unchecked inflows of industrial effluents have degraded water quality, posing a threat to livelihoods and biodiversity around the lake. The work provided several recommendations to diverse stakeholders for the effective management and restoration of the lake.

TEAM
Dr Jagdish Krishnaswamy (IIHS) and Dr Priyanka Jamwal (ATREE)

PUBLICATIONS – None

3. Restoration of Social-Ecological Systems of Tamiraparani Riverscape

The project aimed to restore the Tamiraparani river by leveraging the social capital, using scientific principles for monitoring and assessment of the current state of:

• The river’s hydrology and water chemistry
• The riparian vegetation including native and invasive species
• The associated aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity
• The human wellbeing of stakeholders linked to ecosystem services

FUNDED BY – ICICI Bank

PROJECT DURATION – December 2021– December 2022

KEY FINDINGS –

• The study identified 5 Socio-Ecological Zones of the river: Zone 1: This zone is a part of the buffer of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), where the Tamiraparani enters the human-dominated landscape.
• Zone 2: Where there are large expanses of agriculture with conventional practices that contribute to runoff. 
• Zone 3: Within the smart city ‘Tirunelveli’
• Zone 4: The estuarine zone where the river ends into the sea.
• This study focused on Zones 1-3 in the Tirunelveli district. The major hotspots of river deterioration were identified within the three zones. A survey of vegetation, biodiversity indicators for river health, water quality, hydrology, and stakeholders mapping was done. The following management strategies were proposed to support the riverscape – (i) Dissemination of DEWATS and frequent inspection of sewerage and storm drains to be advocated to the community to help them inch one step closer to the proper management of wastewater. A bi-monthly DEWATS audit co-designed and conducted by a team from within the community, panchayat office and volunteer groups; (ii) Develop a wastewater education module along with local stakeholders to organize these awareness programs regularly; (iii) Conduct workshops for implementers; (iv) Improve riparian vegetation zones; (v) Engage and inform students through nature-trails; (vi) Facilitate a mobile interpretation center with state-of-the-art interactive kiosks with field equipment for recording and monitoring biodiversity, water quality for enabling community conservation model; (vii) Co-develop a detailed restoration plan with the community; (viii) Support the development of a Biodiversity Monitoring Committee; (ix) Prevent open-defecation; (x) Promote flood-control measures and warning.

TEAM
A joint initiative of the District Administration of Tirunelveli and Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) – Agasthyamalai Community Conservation Centre (ACCC) in partnership with the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), Consortium for DEWATS Dissemination Society (CDD), local civil society organizations and educational institutions for the Restoration of Tamiraparani Social-Ecological System (TamiraSES).

PUBLICATIONS – None

4. Replicating Community Managed Fish Conservation Zones in Free-Flowing Rivers

Fresh-water aquatic ecosystems, especially rivers, are the most threatened biome globally. Unsustainable fishing practices (electro-fishing, dynamiting, poisoning) have replaced traditional practices, and this poses severe threats to many species of economic and ecological value. Knowledge gaps about the conservation status of riverine biodiversity; taxonomic uncertainty; spawning sites and lack of stakeholder participation makes conserving freshwater biodiversity a difficult enterprise. Driven by the need to protect fish and their habitat from exploitative practices, in January 2021, the Khengjang and Yangoulen village councils in Manipur and the Lapalang village council in Meghalaya declared Fish Conservation Zones (FCZ) in stretches of the river adjoining their villages. This was done through a previously funded CEPF grant called Saving the Fish from Mekong to Meghalaya. As an extension to this project – the current work aimed to upscale the FCZ model involving scientifically informed and community-based fish conservation zones in Meghalaya and Manipur so that there is a paradigm shift in approaches to fish conservation in both government, local communities and civil society.

FUNDED BY – Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund

PROJECT DURATION – January 2023 to December 2023

KEY FINDINGS –

The project successfully concluded with the following achievements:

• Working with local communities two community-managed Fish Conservation Zones (FCZs) were established: one of 1.9 ha along the Tuivang River in Manipur; and one of 0.5 ha along the Rymben River in Meghalaya.
• The presence of fish species of global conservation concern at each of the sites was confirmed.
• A regional and a national dissemination workshop on the FCZ model was conducted, which encouraged policy makers and practitioners in Maharashtra to adopt the model for conserving the fish in Indrayani River in Dehu, near Pune.

TEAM
Dr Jagdish Krishnaswamy, IIHS (as lead) and FERAL, Sikkim University, Gangtok, and St. Anthony’s College, Shillong as partners.

PUBLICATIONS – None

1. Understanding the Distribution and Citizen perception of the Non native species of red eared slider in the city of Bengaluru

The project was focused on the idea of documenting distribution of Red eared slider turtles in lakes in Bengaluru and people’s perception about the pet turtles and the invasive species.

• The work was around the objectives :
• 1. Distribution of red eared sliders in urban lakes
• 2. Feeding habits of red eared slider
• 3. People’s perception of the invasive species

PROJECT DURATION – 2024 – 2025

KEY FINDINGS –

The local water bodies have the presence of Red eared slider and the occurrence is high. Due to the presence of built structures that help them for basking.

Their feeding habits are highly adaptable; red-eared sliders are omnivores that consume aquatic plants, small fish, insects, snails, and carrion, but in urban lakes, they rely heavily on plant matter, detritus, and readily available food scraps, sometimes shifting diets based on seasonal and habitat variations.

TEAM
Gayatri Bakhale

PUBLICATIONS – 

2. Exploring Freshwater Macroinvertebrate Acoustics in Bangalore

The implementation of bioacoustics work on Campus will help us understand the diversity present below the water bodies . Eventually this method of sampling can be applied to multiple freshwater systems across the city and in other project sites providing important information on the health of water bodies. The idea is to create a library of calls from freshwater invertebrates for India.

PROJECT DURATION – 2024 – 2025

KEY FINDINGS –Recorded calls from 3 families of freshwater invertebrates (Notonectids, Trichopterans & Coleopterans)

• Call frequencies and types vary across size of individuals
• Calls vary depending on number of individuals 
• Produce sounds by stridulations

TEAM 
Ryan Satish

PUBLICATIONS –
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391665958_The_Freshwater_Sounds_Archive

3. Understanding urban impacts on freshwater biodiversity in Bengaluru

Natural landscapes and habitats including freshwater ecosystems are being transformed by the rapid growth and expansion of urban centers. Freshwater ecosystems are vital to civilization and perform several fundamental ecological functions like hydrological and nutrient cycling, carbon transport and storage etc. in addition to other supporting, provisioning and cultural ecosystem services. They are disproportionately biodiverse, supporting nearly 10% of the known global biodiversity despite covering < 1% of the earth’s surface. Urbanization and multiple anthropogenic stressors have contributed to significant declines (>80%) in freshwater biodiversity over the last 5 decades. 

Freshwater habitats like ponds, lakes are underrepresented in urban ecology studies around the world, and more so in India. This project aims at developing an understanding how urbanization shapes the distribution of freshwater biodiversity in India using taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic metrics and examining different aquatic taxa. This is important for improving our understanding of the impacts on the ecological functioning of waterbodies, and aiding the design and implementation of ecological restoration measures.

PROJECT DURATION – 2024 – 2025

KEY FINDINGS – Waterbird assemblages in unrestored lakes had slightly higher species richness, functional and phylogenetic diversity. Community assembly patterns were shaped by different ecological processes in restored and unrestored lakes. In restored lakes, species interactions This potentially reflects the response of waterbird communities to restoration practices which overlook/reduce natural habitat heterogeneity (e.g., littoral vegetation). This inference is partly supported by the higher functional overdispersion (co-occurrence of functionally different species) and phylogenetic clustering (co-occurrence of phylogenetically related species) of waterbird communities in restored lakes.

TEAM 
Mihir Kulkarni

PUBLICATIONS –

4. Analysis of bacterial community in water treated from DEWATS unit at IIHS campus Kengeri

Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS) are increasingly being adopted to manage and treat wastewater in sustainable ways. However, understanding the microbial dynamics throughout the treatment process, including chlorination and exposure to sunlight, is crucial for assessing water quality, potential health implications, and reuse feasibility. 

This study aims to analyse the bacterial community obtained after different stages of wastewater treatment, using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing via next-generation sequencing-based metagenomics. The findings will contribute to optimizing wastewater treatment methods, ensuring microbial safety, and evaluating the potential for reusing treated water in various applications such as hydroponics and aquaponics.

PROJECT DURATION – 2025 – 2026

KEY FINDINGS – Ongoing

TEAM 
Simi John and Indira Singh

PUBLICATIONS –