Microplastics and climate change: A mutually reinforcing relationship Nazuk Bhasin, Sudhanshu Kumar, Anil Barla, Amit Kumar Tiwari, Gopal Shankar Singh Global Impacts of Micro and Nano Plastic Pollution, 2024 Plastics—macro, micro, or nano—have become persistent, pervasive, and potentially hazardous pollutants infiltrating the global environment. Microplastics (<5 mm) owing to their increased surface area as compared to their mass and small size are considered more harmful than larger plastics. The issue of their environmental presence has gained momentum due to their ability to act as sources and sinks for toxic substances, and also due to the intensification of climate change. Climate change stimulates their deterioration, dispersal, and the interaction with the environmental compartments. In turn the plastic debris contributes directly or indirectly to greenhouse gas emissions during its life cycle. Plastics account for 3.3% of the global GHG emissions. Thus, microplastics and climate change share a mutually reinforcing relationship. For effective management of both these issues, it is imperative to understand the nature and dynamics of this complex relationship. This chapter aims to discuss the long-term ecological impacts of microplastics and climate change on each other.
Avifaunal Diversity in Managed Urban Ecosystem: A Case Study of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi Rinku Singh, Amit Kumar Tiwari, Sudhanshu Kumar, Gopal Shankar Singh Ecological Questions, 2024 University campuses are becoming important places for conducting a large number of studies on plant and animal taxa including avian diversity. However, a systematic study on the avian diversity in the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus (Asia’s largest residential university campus) of Varanasi is still lacking. The present study deals with the species abundance, diversity and species richness of avian communities in the BHU campus. We conducted a bird survey in the BHU campus between 2019 and 2020. Employing line-transect method, a total of 141 bird species under 62 families were recorded from the study area. A rich diversity of species recorded indicates the importance of the university campuses in urbanized region to serve as a critical habitat for birds. To conserve this rich bird diversity of the campus, we suggest sustainable management of habitats through restoration of degraded habitats, reduction in habitat destruction, conservation awareness programmes and increased research on assessment of diversity.
Perceptions of impacts and management of invasive alien plants: a case study from Mirzapur, India Sudhanshu Kumar, Renu Meena, Amit Kumar Tiwari, Rinku Singh, Sanoj Kumar Patel, Gopal Shankar Singh Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 2023 Invasive alien plants (IAPs) have become a serious threat to biodiversity, agriculture and socio-economic development. Several aspects, including the ecological and economic impacts of IAPs have been explored in the recent past, however, perceptions of ecosystem services (ES) and ecosystem disservices (EDS) have not been well studied. IAPs affect the lives of local people both positively (providing ES) and negatively (providing EDS). IAPs in this region have not been studied through the aspects of ES and EDS that integrate the views and perceptions of local communities. Keeping in view this research gap, the present study was conducted in the Mirzapur district (Uttar Pradesh, India) where IAPs are widely distributed. In five sites covering a rural to urban gradient with increasing distance from forest, we randomly selected 100 respondents–20 from each of the five sites for the survey. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect respondents’ perceptions on ES and EDS supplied by IAPs in their local habitats. The questionnaire was designed to obtain data on awareness and knowledge, perceptions of ES and EDS, attitudes toward management, and socio-demographic information. Results indicated that 95% of respondents were familiar with at least one of the 12 IAPs identified as being important in the region. Ipomea carnea and Stylosanthes hamata were the most and least frequently cited plants, respectively. Medical use and reduction in soil fertility were most perceived as ES and EDS, respectively. The value of Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (Spearman’s ρ = 0.487, p > 0.05) indicates a non-significant correlation between ranks of ES and EDS cited by respondents. Older and less educated people were more aware of the impacts of IAPs. Uprooting was the most commonly used management practice to control the invasion of plant species. People’s attitudes toward the management of IAPs seem to indicate that they prefer to eradicate species that have direct harmful effects on human health and biodiversity. This study provides inputs for incorporating people’s perceptions into the control and management of IAPs in the forest region.
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Doomsday Clocks in the Anthropocene Era: Understanding Existential Risks To Humanity S Kumar, GS Singh Anthropocene Science, 1-8 , 2025 2025
Beyond the Concrete Jungle: Unveiling Urban Ecosystems Through Remote Sensing N Bhasin, S Kumar, AK Tiwari, GS Singh Revealing Ecosystem Services Through Geospatial Technologies: Beyond the … , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Participatory nature-driven urbanism: a pathway to achieving SDG-11 through community-led action N Bhasin, S Kumar, GS Singh Urban Ecosystems 28 (187) , 2025 2025 Citations: 8
Microplastics and Climate Change: A Mutually Reinforcing Relationship N Bhasin, S Kumar, A Barla, AK Tiwari, GS Singh Global Impacts of Micro-and Nano-Plastic Pollution, 51-76 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Socio-ecological challenges and adaptation strategies of farmers towards changing climate in Vindhyan highlands, India SK Patel, A Sharma, A Barla, AK Tiwari, R Singh, S Kumar, GS Singh Environmental Management 75 (1), 46-62 , 2025 2025 Citations: 13
Emerging research trends in river health assessment: A bibliometric analysis AK Tiwari, R Singh, SK Patel, S Kumar, N Bhasin, A Barla, GS Singh Anthropocene Science 3 (3), 157-178 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
Avifaunal Diversity in Managed Urban Ecosystem: A Case Study of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi R Singh, AK Tiwari, S Kumar, GS Singh Ecological Questions 35 (3), 1-25 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Perceptions of Impacts and Management of Invasive Alien Plants: A case study from Mirzapur, India S Kumar, R Meena, AK Tiwari, R Singh, SK Patel, GS Singh Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 6, 1194076 , 2023 2023 Citations: 17
Ecosystem services in the riverine landscapes AK Tiwari, R Singh, S Kumar, GS Singh Advances in Water Resource Planning and Sustainability, 273-303 , 2023 2023 Citations: 15
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Perceptions of Impacts and Management of Invasive Alien Plants: A case study from Mirzapur, India S Kumar, R Meena, AK Tiwari, R Singh, SK Patel, GS Singh Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 6, 1194076 , 2023 2023 Citations: 17
Ecosystem services in the riverine landscapes AK Tiwari, R Singh, S Kumar, GS Singh Advances in Water Resource Planning and Sustainability, 273-303 , 2023 2023 Citations: 15
Socio-ecological challenges and adaptation strategies of farmers towards changing climate in Vindhyan highlands, India SK Patel, A Sharma, A Barla, AK Tiwari, R Singh, S Kumar, GS Singh Environmental Management 75 (1), 46-62 , 2025 2025 Citations: 13
Participatory nature-driven urbanism: a pathway to achieving SDG-11 through community-led action N Bhasin, S Kumar, GS Singh Urban Ecosystems 28 (187) , 2025 2025 Citations: 8
Avifaunal Diversity in Managed Urban Ecosystem: A Case Study of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi R Singh, AK Tiwari, S Kumar, GS Singh Ecological Questions 35 (3), 1-25 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Emerging research trends in river health assessment: A bibliometric analysis AK Tiwari, R Singh, SK Patel, S Kumar, N Bhasin, A Barla, GS Singh Anthropocene Science 3 (3), 157-178 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
Beyond the Concrete Jungle: Unveiling Urban Ecosystems Through Remote Sensing N Bhasin, S Kumar, AK Tiwari, GS Singh Revealing Ecosystem Services Through Geospatial Technologies: Beyond the … , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Microplastics and Climate Change: A Mutually Reinforcing Relationship N Bhasin, S Kumar, A Barla, AK Tiwari, GS Singh Global Impacts of Micro-and Nano-Plastic Pollution, 51-76 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Doomsday Clocks in the Anthropocene Era: Understanding Existential Risks To Humanity S Kumar, GS Singh Anthropocene Science, 1-8 , 2025 2025
