St. Joseph's College, Devagiri

About: St. Joseph's College, Devagiri is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Dung beetle & Scarabaeinae. The organization has 61 authors who have published 71 publications receiving 778 citations. The organization is also known as: St. Joseph's College.

The recent distribution of endemic, disjunct and globally uncommon birds in the forests of Kerala State, south-west India

Abstract: SummarySurveyed the avifaunas of 24 forest areas in Kerala State, south-western India, over the period 1973–1997, recording 309 species. We give details here of distributions and status for all species endemic to South Asia and all those having isolated populations, disjunct from conspecifics in northern India (disjunct species). Most bird species found in Kerala that are endemic to southern India, or form disjunct populations, occur in forest habitats. Those species endemic to the Western Ghats (passerines), or constituting disjunct populations (raptors) tend to have more restricted occurrence than other forest birds. For the passerines this is because they are mainly confined to high elevation forests and grasslands: rather restricted habitats in Kerala. The raptors may be more dependent than other species on large areas of forest and hence may have suffered from recent reductions in forest cover. Current trends in forest clearance for agriculture and plantations and encroachment by settlers, threaten especially the birds of low and middle altitude forests. The present status of such birds as Malabar Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus, Great Eared Nightjar Eurostopodus macrotis, Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis and White-bellied Blue Flycatcher Cyornis pallipes seems to be markedly worse than that described by Ali (1969) for the 1930s. These species, as well as Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis and Black-crested Baza Aviceda leuphotes, are patchily distributed at low densities and may be vulnerable to extirpation from local areas. Higher altitude habitats, where many endemics occur, cover smaller areas, but are less threatened. However, some species occurring at low densities (Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii, White-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx major, Black-and-orange Flycatcher Ficedula nigrorufa, Broad-tailed Grassbird Schoenicola platyura) may be vulnerable to extirpation or extinction in the long term. Kerala has a large network of protected areas (National Parks, Sanctuaries). Effective protection of those areas should be sufficient to maintain most species, although the coverage of low altitude forest is poor and remaining fragments should be carefully protected. There is continuous pressure on all habitats and bird populations will need to be carefully monitored in future if Kerala's endemic and disjunct populations are to be maintained.

Faunal survey, endemism and possible species loss of Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in the western slopes of the moist South Western Ghats, South India

Abstract: Species composition, distribution patterns and endemism are outlined for the dung beetles in the ecoregions of the western slopes of the moist South Western Ghats, South India. Among the 142 dung beetle species known, 35 are endemic to the Western Ghats; 29 are endemic to the moist South Western Ghats; 25 are regionally endemic to the South Western Ghats montane rain forests ecoregion; and one each to the Malabar Coast moist deciduous forest ecoregion and the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests ecoregion. Five species, including the 3 flightless species, are local endemics to the upper montane tropical montane cloud forests. The montane rain forests ecoregion has the highest number of endemics in the moist south Western Ghats and the moist deciduous forests ecoregion and Malabar Coast moist deciduous forest ecoregion have the lowest levels of endemism. Of the 137 dung beetle species known prior to the deforestation and habitat modification of the region, only 87 have been collected recently.

Markovian queueing system with random balking

Abstract: An M/M/1queueing system with the customer impatience in the form of random balking is considered in this paper. Effecting in the model a system size-based balking according to which a new customer will join the queue with probability q k if he finds k(≥0) customers in the system on his arrival, we obtained the stationary distribution of the system size, its mean and variance. Further the stationary characteristics of the system for various balking probability functions are investigated. The maximum likelihood estimate of the balking parameter is also discussed. The models we treated here find practical application in helping the management of any enterprises to provide adequate service for its customers with tolerable waiting, whenever, customer impatience becomes sufficiently strong and customers leave before being served.

Dormancy‐inducing factors of rubber litter beetle, Luprops tristis (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Abstract: The effect of photoperiod, temperature, humidity, rainfall and moisture were examined on the annual migration of Luprops tristis (Fabricius, 1801) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from rubber plantations to shelters, and the induction of 9 months dormancy thereafter. Results confirm the role of rainfall-mediated wetness from summer showers as the cue that induces dormancy in Luprops tristis and provide further proof to the function and significance of moisture in diapause induction in tropical insects. Other factors did not have any significant independent effect on migration and dormancy induction. Reserve food accumulation by teneral adults well ahead of the onset of adverse conditions and the non-return of beetles to the field in short-term favorable conditions strongly indicate that Luprops tristis has evolved the ability to “predict” and avoid adverse conditions and the inheritance of dormancy-regulating factors from the parent generation.