Informatics Publishing Limited

N. Senthilkumar , Nizara D. Barthakur , M. Lokeshwara Rao

Abstract

Entomophagy (i.e. use of insects as food) is practiced in many parts of the world including India but the use of insects, as medicine is done in very few parts of the world and we are fortunate that North-East people of India are rich in this traditional medicinal knowledge. Tribes of North-East India have been using several insect based traditional drugs to cure several diseases. Over 500 species of insects are used as medicine to cure common ailments to complicated ailments in the North-East from time immemorial. Some valuable information regarding traditional medicinal uses of common insects by folk doctors has been summarised.

Keywords

Entomophagy, Medicinal Insects, Tribes, North-East India

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N. Senthil Kumar , Saurabh Sarma , Nizara D. Barthakur

Abstract

The population dynamics of Calopepla leayana Late, a serious (monophagous) defoliator of the commercially important timber species, Gmelina arborea (Roxb.), in Assam, India, was studied in terms of the fluctuation in their abundance in relation to temporal changes in the abiotic factors. Adults as well as larvae were recorded from March to November after which they undergo a brief period of diapause during winter. The population was observed maximum in the month of August when the interacting factors such as temperature and precipitation were high. Statistical analysis of the population data using forward stepwise regression and principal component analysis revealed temperature to be the principal component influencing the population.

Keywords

Calopepla Leayana, Abiotic Factors, Gmelina arborea, Assam

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N. Senthilkumar , Nizara D. Barthakur

Abstract

Impact of natural and anthropogenic disturbance on orthopteran assemblage under grasslands and forestlands in Kaziranga National Park, Assam was studied using BACI (Before-After-control-Impact) method. The study showed that there is a change in the assemblage of orthopterans in the disturbed sites due to natural (flood) and anthropogenic (corridor-road) disturbances in grasslands and forestlands, respectively. Though there is a reduction in the population of orthopteran species after a heavy rainfall, changes in the assemblage of orthopteran community in the disturbed site were in significant. However, in case of forestland frequently disturbed (corridor-road) due to movement of automobiles, the population remain fragmented.

Keywords

Orthoptera, Anthropogenic Disturbance, Kaziranga National Park, Grassland and Forestland

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