@ggu.ac.in
Professor Botany
Guru Ghasidas, Vishwavidyalaya Bilaspur, 495009, (C.G.)
Monitoring of environmental pollutants; Metals/metalloids genotoxicity assessments; leaf chlorophyll fluorescence measurements; Fly ash reclamation; artificial light pollution
Scopus Publications
Scholar Citations
Scholar h-index
Scholar i10-index
Prasant Kumar Singh, Santosh Kumar Prajapati, Kumari Sunita, and Ravi Kant Chaturvedi
Frontiers Media SA
Due to overexploitation for forest resources, many important medicinal plants are disappearing from the tropical dry forest (TDF) regions. The present study is aimed to investigate the diversity of medicinal plants exposed to different levels of anthropogenic disturbance in TDFs. For this study, we selected six forest regions, covering a radius of 25 km, and exposed to variable intensity of disturbances, in the form of illegal logging, cattle grazing and fire. Based on the intensity of three disturbances, we categorized the study sites as low (LDS) and high (HDS) disturbed sites, and analyzed differences in soil properties and vegetation parameters in the two disturbance categories. We recorded tree density, tree species richness and herbaceous species richness in 100 m2 quadrats at the selected regions. Results exhibited significantly greater soil organic C (LDS, 4.6%; HDS, 0.9%; P < 0.001), water holding capacity (LDS, 47.4%; HDS, 33.6%; P < 0.001), and sand content (LDS, 53.7%; HDS, 48.3%; P < 0.001) across LDS, whereas significantly higher bulk density (LDS, 1.30 gcm–3; HDS, 1.34 gcm–3; P < 0.05) and gravel content (LDS, 14.6%; HDS, 20.0%; P < 0.001) across HDS. We found considerable shift in relationships between vegetation parameters under the two disturbance regimes. The results indicated that many of the important medicinal plants (e.g., Adina cordifolia, Bauhinia vahlii, Holarrhena antidysenterica, Asparagus racemosus, Curculigo orchioides, Hemidesmus indicus, etc.) which are potential constituents of several ayurvedic preparations as well as of traditional medical systems are lacking from the HDS, either due to direct impact of disturbances or indirectly due to disturbance induced changes in soil properties. For instance, the high grazing pressure increased soil compaction, leading to increase in bulk density and decline in water holding capacity of soil. We suggest that forest managers take into consideration the presence of anthropogenic disturbances in their management and conservation efforts of medicinal plants in TDFs.
Arundhati Mehta, Yashwant Kumar Ratre, Krishna Sharma, Vivek Kumar Soni, Atul Kumar Tiwari, Rajat Pratap Singh, Mrigendra Kumar Dwivedi, Vikas Chandra, Santosh Kumar Prajapati, Dhananjay Shukla,et al.
Frontiers Media SA
The consequences of COVID-19 are not limited to physical health deterioration; the impact on neuropsychological well-being is also substantially reported. The inter-regulation of physical health and psychological well-being through the psychoneuroendocrineimmune (PNEI) axis has enduring consequences in susceptibility, treatment outcome as well as recuperation. The pandemic effects are upsetting the lifestyle, social interaction, and financial security; and also pose a threat through perceived fear. These consequences of COVID-19 also influence the PNEI system and wreck the prognosis. The nutritional status of individuals is also reported to have a determinative role in COVID-19 severity and convalescence. In addition to energetic demand, diet also provides precursor substances [amino acids (AAs), vitamins, etc.] for regulators of the PNEI axis such as neurotransmitters (NTs) and immunomodulators. Moreover, exaggerated immune response and recovery phase of COVID-19 demand additional nutrient intake; widening the gap of pre-existing undernourishment. Mushrooms, fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, and legumes are few of such readily available food ingredients which are rich in protein and also have medicinal benefits. BRICS nations have their influences on global development and are highly impacted by a large number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths. The adequacy and access to healthcare are also low in BRICS nations as compared to the rest of the world. Attempt to combat the COVID-19 pandemic are praiseworthy in BRICS nations. However, large population sizes, high prevalence of undernourishment (PoU), and high incidence of mental health ailments in BRICS nations provide a suitable landscape for jeopardy of COVID-19. Therefore, appraising the interplay of nutrition and PNEI modulation especially in BRICS countries will provide better understanding; and will aid in combat COVID-19. It can be suggested that the monitoring will assist in designing adjunctive interventions through medical nutrition therapy and psychopsychiatric management.
Neelima Meravi, Prasant Kumar Singh, and Santosh Kumar Prajapati
Elsevier BV
Yashwant Kumar Ratre, Henu Kumar Verma, Arundhati Mehta, Vivek Kumar Soni, Subash Chandra Sonkar, Dhananjay Shukla, Alka Ekka, Santosh Kumar Prajapati, Shakuntala Mahilkar, and Naveen Kumar Vishvakarma
Springer International Publishing
A. Chandra, H. B. Naithani, P. K. Verma, J. Saxena, and S. Prajapati
ANSF Publications
Regular inventorization and monitoring of biodiversity is paramount for its conservation and sustainable utilization. Gaya district of the Bihar is endowed with rich biodiversity. For proper understanding of plant diversity, quantitative status of the vegetation is essentially required. The aim of the study was to assess different forest sites of the Gaya district of Bihar in India for their plant diversity. Study was carried out in these randomly selected eleven forest sites (Site I to Site XI). A total of 174 species belonging to 150 genera and58 families(48 Dicotyledons, 7 monocotyledons and 3 pteridophytes) were reported from all eleven study sites. Five largest families in the area were Poaceae (22 spp.), Fabaceae (14 spp.), Asteraceae (11 spp.), Rubiaceae (9 spp.) and Acanthaceae (7 spp). Different diversity attributes such as Important Value Index (IVI ), Species richness, Shannon Wiener index, Concentration of dominance and Evenness for tree, shrub and herb layers were estimated. For different sites highest IVI values for tree, shrubby and herbaceous layers were reported.Shannon wiener Index values for tree, shrubby and herbaceous layer of Nagobar site were estimated3.376, 1.986 and 2.350 respectively. Tree diversity was highest at Nagobar site whereas shrub and herb diversity was also reasonably better than most of the sites. Hence, it was revealed from the study that Nagobar site was most diverse site in the Gaya district. Study will be immense use for officials of forest department, researcher, students etc. for carrying out conservation and management work. Similar kind of study should be carried out in different forest sites of the country to get capture the status of the plant diversity for conservation and sustainable utilization.
Neelima Meravi and Santosh Kumar Prajapati
Informa UK Limited
ABSTRACT This study was conducted to observe the seasonal variation trend in leaf chlorophyll a fluorescence of Butea monosperma tree belonging to Fabaceae family. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters taken for the present study were NPQ = (FM/FM −1) (non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence), Fv/Fm = Fm–Fo/Fm (maximum photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II) and qL = qp.F0ʹ/F’ (coefficient of photochemical fluorescence quenching). Chlorophyll a fluorescence of Butea monosperma was measured with the help of JUNIOR‐PAM, Chlorophyll Fluorometer, Heinz Walz GmbH, Germany in December (winter), May (summer) and August (rainy) seasons and also on day 1, day 10 and day 20 of December, May and August. The measurement revealed that the above three fluorescence parameters showed a seasonal variation trend, wherein NPQ and qL followed a similar variation trend while Fv/Fm showed a different trend. NPQ and qL values were maximum in the summer season followed by winter and rainy seasons, while Fv/Fm value was maximum in the rainy season followed by winter and summer seasons. The variations in chlorophyll a fluorescence in different seasons are due to different environmental conditions causing a different degree of stress to Butea monosperma plant in different seasons.
Neelima Meravi and Santosh Kumar Prajapati
Informa UK Limited
ABSTRACT In the present work, an attempt has been made to observe the temporal variation in leaf chlorophyll fluorescence of different tree species (Madhuca longifolia, Ricinus communis and Terminalia arjuna). Leaf chlorophyll fluorescence parameters viz. Fv/Fm = Fm−Fo/Fm (maximum photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II), Y (II) = F’m−F’/F’m (photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II) and qL = qp.F0ʹ/F’ (coefficient of photochemical fluorescence quenching) of above trees were recorded at different daytimes with the help of JUNIOR‐PAM, Chlorophyll Fluorometer, Heinz Walz GmbH, Germany. It was found that above parameters showed clear-cut temporal variations of leaf chlorophyll fluorescence in all the species. Y (II) and qL showed similar temporal variation patter, while Fv/Fm showed opposite variation as compared to Y (II) and qL.
Neelima Meravi and Santosh Kumar Prajapati
Informa UK Limited
ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to study the effect of light pollution on the photosynthetic efficiency of plants growing near to street light. The photosynthetic parameters Fv/Fm (Fm - Fo/Fm); maximum photochemical quantum yield of PS II (photosystem II), Y II (photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II), Y (NPQ), Y (NO) were recorded with the help of JUNIOR‐PAM, Chlorophyll Fluorometer, Heinz Walz GmbH, Germany. It was observed that various parameters were adversely affected and the observed values show that plants is under some sort of stress which may be disturbing their normal physiological processes.
Neelima Meravi and Santosh Kumar Prajapati
Springer International Publishing
Santosh K. Prajapati, B. D. Tripathi, and Vinita Pathak
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Santosh K. Prajapati and B.D. Tripathi
Elsevier BV
Santosh Kumar Prajapati and B. D. Tripathi
Wiley
To assess the dust interception efficiency of some selected tree species and impact of dust deposition on chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content of leaves the present study was undertaken. The plant species selected for the study were Ficus religiosa, Ficus benghalensis, Mangifera indica, Dalbergia sissoo, Psidium guajava, and Dendrocalamus strictus. It was found that all species have maximum dust deposition in the winter season followed by summer and rainy seasons. Chlorophyll content decreased and ascorbic acid content increased with the increase of dust deposition. There was significant negative and positive correlation between dust deposition and chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content, respectively. Maximum dust interception was done by Dalbergia sisso and least by Dendrocalamus strictus. Thus plants can be used to intercept dust particles which are of potential health hazards to humans.
Santosh Kumar Prajapati and B. D. Tripathi
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Santosh Kumar Prajapati and B.D. Tripathi
Elsevier BV
Santosh Kumar Prajapati and B.D. Tripathi
Elsevier BV
Santosh K. Prajapati and B. D. Tripathi
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Santosh Kumar Prajapati, Sudhir Kumar Pandey, and B. D. Tripathi
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sudhir Kumar Pandey, B. D. Tripathi, Santosh Kumar Prajapati, A. R. Upadhyaya, V. K. Mishra, P. K. Rai, and A. P. Sharma
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Magnetic minerals derived from vehicular combustion are mainly maghemite and metallic iron grains having a size range of 0.1–0.7 lm (1). This grain size is particularly dangerous to humans because of its ability to be inhaled into the lungs. Moreover, in aerosols, magnetite is associated with other heavy metals such as zinc, cadmium, and chromium (2) and with mutagenic organic compounds (3) dangerous to human health. In the atmosphere, magnetic minerals are derived from combustion processes, such as industrial, domestic, or vehicle emissions (4, 5) or from abrasion products from asphalt and from vehicles’ brake systems (6). The magnetic fine particles mostly consist of spherules and grains of irregular shapes that contain variable amounts and grain sizes of magnetite and hematite, depending on the fuel type and temperature of combustion (7). Magnetic properties of soils (6, 8, 9, 10), filters (11, 12), and leaves (2, 7) have been used to identify the spread of pollution derived from vehicular or industrial emissions. Iron often occurs as an impurity in fossil fuels during industrial, domestic, or vehicle combustion; carbon and organic material are lost by oxidation and the iron forms a nonvolatile residue, often comprising glassy spherules (due to melting). These spherules are magnetic, with easily measurable magnetization levels. It has been shown that combustion processes simultaneously release hazardous substances and magnetic particles into the atmosphere. In addition to these combustion-related particles, vehicles, via exhaust emissions and abrasion/ corrosion of engine and/or vehicle body material (13), can generate nonspherical magnetite particles. Leaves with large surface areas per unit of weight, favorable surface properties (a waxy coating), and a long lifespan, such as conifer needles or evergreen tree leaves, are considered to be good accumulators of particulate matter from the atmosphere (14–16). Rainwater containing particles collected from the atmosphere could either contribute to dust accumulation on leaf surfaces or, by detaching previously collected particles, cause its reduction. Magnetic biomonitoring of pollutants by measurements taken from roadside tree leaves is potentially efficient, as samples are abundant and hundred of samples can be collected and analyzed in days. The study region (Singrauli industrial area lies in between latitudes 23852N to 24832 N and longitudes 82830 E to 83825 E) is one of the India’s most important energy centers. Eleven opencast coal mines, occupying nearly 200 km, fuel six thermal power stations that generate 6800 MW of power (10% of India’s installed generation capacity). Sampling locations lie in between latitudes 2480812 N to 248 0952 N and longitudes 828 4425 E to 828 4541 E.