Unravelling the secrets of lesser florican: a study of their home range and habitat use in Gujarat, India.

The home range of a species is determined by a complex interplay of extrinsic and intrinsic factors, which can have profound impacts on the species' resource use. Understanding these dynamics is especially important for conserving critically endangered species. In this study, we used satellite telemetry to investigate the home range of the critically endangered lesser florican (Sypheotides indicus) in Gujarat, India. We analysed GPS locations from 10 lesser floricans deployed with GPS/GSM transmitters between 2020 and 2022. The average home range size (95% KDE) was 10.73 ± 10.70 km2 (mean ± SD), while the average core area (50% KDE) was 1.95 ± 1.56 km2 (mean ± SD). The monthly and daily distances covered were 286.29 ± 599.42 km and 10.11 ± 19.78 km, respectively. Our analysis indicated that suitable habitats and movement patterns were the most important factors explaining the variation in home range size. Specifically, our results suggest that lesser floricans prefer multi-use agro-grassland habitat systems with heterogeneous structures to accommodate different life history requirements. This preference may reflect the depletion and degradation of grasslands across the species' range. Therefore, managing grassland habitats amidst croplands should be one of the key conservation strategies for the lesser florican.

Antibiotic Resistome Biomarkers associated to the Pelagic Sediments of the Gulfs of Kathiawar Peninsula and Arabian Sea.

Antibiotic resistance has been one of the most persistent global issue. Specifically, marine microbiomes have served as complex reservoirs of antibiotic resistant genes. Molecular advancements have enabled exploration of the uncultured microbial portion from hitherto difficult to sample niches such as deeper oceans. The Gulfs of Kathiawar Peninsula have been known for their unique properties like extreme tidal variations, different sediment textures and physicochemical variations. Pelagic sediment cores across four coordinates each of the Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of Khambhat and an open Arabian Sea were collected, processed for metagenomic sequencing and assessed for antibiotic and metal resistome. The dominant genes were mostly resistant to macrolides, glycopeptides and tetracycline drugs. Studied samples divided into three clusters based on their resistome with carA, macB, bcrA, taeA, srmB, tetA, oleC and sav1866 among the abundant genes. Samples from creek of Gulf of Kutch and mouth of Gulf of Khambhat were most diverse in resistance gene profile. Biomarkers observed include gyrA mutation conferring resistance gene in the Arabian Sea; Proteobacteria species in Gulf of Kutch and Arabian sea; while Aquificae, Acidobacteria and Firmicutes species in the Gulf of Khambhat. Region-wise differentially abundant 23 genes and 3 taxonomic biomarkers were proposed for antibiotic resistance monitoring.

The occurrence of bleaching stripe disease in Gracilaria corticata and controlling of the disease using quorum quenching approach.

In the present study, the Gram-negative bacteria Vibrio and Pseudoalteromonas species associated with Gracilaria corticata found to be opportunistic pathogens that caused bleaching stripe disease on its host. Consortium of these pathogens induced maximum disease symptoms with 27.3 mm long bleaching stripe. Presence of Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus reduced the disease appearances in the co-culture of Gram-negative bacteria. Each Gram-negative bacteria had capability to produce two different types of AHLs. For the first time found that in the addition of (Z-) - 4- Bromo- 5- (bromomethylene) - 2(5H)- furanone with co-culture of pathogenic bacteria and host fronds significantly minimized the bleaching stripe symptoms. Incubating of pathogenic bacteria with 8 and 10 µm ml(-1) of furanone did not able to induce disease symptoms. The present study will help to understand the chemical interaction between Gram- positive and negative bacteria in marine environment. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.