Pteridophytic Distribution and Diversity of Tirumala Hills, Eastern Ghats Essay Example

Pteridophytic Distribution and Diversity of Tirumala Hills, Eastern Ghats Essay PTERIDOPHYTIC DISTRIBUTION AND DIVERSITY OF TIRUMALA HILLS (EASTERN GHATS) S. K. M. BASHA*, E. RAJYALAKSHMI, P. UMA MAHESHWARI [emailprotected] com, [emailprotected] co. in, [emailprotected] com Assocate Professor and Research scholars, NBKR Medicinal Plant Research Centre, Vidyanagar – 524413, SPSR Nellore Dist, Andhra Pradesh, India. Key Words: Pteridophytes – Distribution – Diversity – Tirumala Hills Tiruumala is located near the holy city of Tirupati in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh State, South India. The geographical coordinates at which it is situated is between latitude 13Â ° and 14Â ° North and longitude 17Â ° East. The Tirumala Hill is 3200 feet above sea level, and is about 10. 33 sq miles in area. It comprises seven hills which are said to represent the seven hoods of Adisesha, thus earning the name, Seshachalam. INTRODUCTUION Pteridophytes are well known for their beauty, elegance and infinite variety. These are non-seed vascular plants which reproduce through spores. Their life cycle includes two chlorophyllous, autotrophic, independent phases namely dominant sporophyte and short lived gametophyte called prothallus. They show transition from simple microphylls to complex macrophylls called fronds. They show wide range of diversity in habitat, morphology, anatomical reproductive structures etc.. The present study reveals the distribution and diversity of pteridophytes in different parts of Tirumala Hills. Materials and Methods Various field visits were organized during 2009-2010 to different parts of Tirumala Hills along with expert Pteridologists. The various species were photographed, collected and preserved in the form of herbarium-specimens. We will write a custom essay sample on Pteridophytic Distribution and Diversity of Tirumala Hills, Eastern Ghats specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Pteridophytic Distribution and Diversity of Tirumala Hills, Eastern Ghats specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Pteridophytic Distribution and Diversity of Tirumala Hills, Eastern Ghats specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The herbarium specimens are deposited with the Department of Botany, N. B. K. R Medicinal Plant Research centre, Vidyanagar, Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh. TABLE 1 SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF PTERIDOPHYTES IN DIFFERENT LOCALITIES OF TIRUMALA HILLS S. NoFamilyName of the PteriodophyteDistribution 1LycopodiaceaeLycopodium cernuumKailasanathavari Kona (Near Puttur), Chittor Dt. 2SelaginellaceaeSelaginella plumosaValleys of Papavinasam, Tumbura theertham, Vishnu Theertham Selaginella rupestrisChandragiri Hills Selaginella bisculata Griffith (K)All valleys of Tirumala Hills Selaginella chrysocaulosAll valleys of Tirumala Hills 3IsoetaceaeIsoetes indicaChakratheertham, Papavinasana Theertham 4PsilotaceaePsilotum nudumChakratheertham, Papavinasana Theertham 5OphioglossaceaeOphioglossum reticulatumTirumala Hills, Vishnu Theertham Ophioglossum costatumChandragiri Hills , near Uppu Chatti and Pappu Chatti Ophioglossum nudicaulis, Linn. F. Tirumala Hills, on the way to Microwave Station 6AngiopteridiaceaeAngiopteris evecta, Hoff (man. Kailasanathavari Kona (Near Puttur), Chittor Dt. 7GleicheniaceaeDicranopetris linearis L. Tirumala Hills, Papavinasana Theertham, Vishnutheertham, Chakradhara Theertham 8PolypodiaceaeDrynaria quercifolia (L. ) J. SmithPapavinasana Theertham Microsorium scoloperndrium(burn. F) CopelTirumala Hills, Papavinasana valley 9LygodiaceaeLygodium flexuosum (Linn)SWTirumala Hills, Thumbura Theertham Lygodium microphylla (Linn)SWTirumala Hills, Papavinasana Theertham, Japal The ertham 10ActinoperidaceaeActinopteris australis (L. FiL) LinkTirumala Hills and chandragiri hills 11PteridiaceaePallaea concolar Rang FischTirumala Hills, Papavinasana Valley Gogarbham and Thrubura Theertham Pteris quadriaurita L. Tirumala Hills, Papavinasana Valley, Vishnu theertham Pteris tripartita sud. Tirumala Hills, Kailasakona Pteris pellucens AgardhTirumala Hills, Papavinasana Theertham Schizoloma ensifolilum SWTirumala Hills, Papavinasana Theertham 12ParkiriaceaeCeratopteris thalictriodes BrougnChandragiri Hills , near Uppu Chatti and Pappu Chatti 13DryopteridaceaeDryopteris cochleata (Don) C. CharTirumala Hills, Japal Theertham, Srivari Theertham Dryopteris valllichiana (Spreng). Hyl. Tirumala Hills, Japal Theertham, Avvacharikona, Papavinasanam 14AdiantaceaeAdiantum Caudatum L. Tirumala Hills Aleuropteris farinosa (Forsk)FeeTirumala Hills, Srivarimettu, Vishnu Theertham Cheilanthes mysurensis WallTirumala Hills, Japa Theertham, Gogarbham, Chandragiri Hills Hemionites arifollia (Burm. ) MooreTirumala Hills, in all most all Theerthams 15MarsileaceaeMarselia quadrifolia LinnIn the marshy areas of Tirupati and Tirumala Marselia minuta LinnTirumala Hills 6CyatheaceaeCyathea glabra (wall, ex Hook)Tirumala Hills, Avvacharikona, Papavinasana theertham 17NephrolepidaceaeNephrolepis cordifolia (HBK) PreslTirumala Hills, In all most all Theerthams, Kailasanatha vari kona 18BlechinaceaeBlechnum orientale (Linn)Tirumala Hills, Papavinasana valley ! 9AzollaceaeAzolla filiculoides. LChandragiri , Rice fields and also in the pond situated near Mahal Results And Discussions The diverse h abitats and cool, humid climatic conditions of Tirumala hills allow a rich fern flora . We now report 35 species of 25 genera belonging to 19 famillies and are listed in Table-I along with localities of occurrence. Pteridophytic flora of Tirumala hills exhibit wide range of ecological groups like epiphytic, climbing , arboreal , xerophytic, hydrophytic, lithophytic nature. Majority of the genera of ferns i. e. 12 genera out of 25 genera are distributed near Papavenasana Theertham (Water body) and remaining genera also located near other Theerthams. It denotes Pteridophyte’s dependence on water for fertilization even though they are true land plants. Extensive straggling leaves entangled with other leaves and form almost impenetrable thickets in Dicranopteris linearis. Two species of Lygodium are the only climbing ferns in which fronds helps in twining. Angiopteris evects Hoff is a large sized tree fern. Cythea glabra has arborescent caudex with large herbaceous fronds. Actinopteris and Cheilanthes are xerophytic ferns grow well on exposed dry places along forest marzins and Road sides. Nephrolepis cordifolia grows on dripping rocks and almost all species of Selaginella grow on moist rocks in shaded situations. Members of Isoetaceae and Ophioglossaceae grow mixed with grasses and over shadowed by them. Marsellia, Azolla and Ceratopteris are aquatic ferns in which Azolla species are used as biofertillizer in Paddy fields due to its nitrogen fixing capability. CONCLUSION Pteridophytes are found to provide food, fiber, crafts, building material, abrasives and widely used in floral decoration. Few of them like Lycopodium, Cheilanthes and Actinopteris are used in Homeopathic medicine. There is great need for advanced research that may helps in identifying some more species of ferns . This is useful for resource management, conservation of fern diversity at genetic, species and ecosystem levels and socioeconomic development of the region.

Space Hazards as a Challenge to Astronauts

Space Hazards as a Challenge to Astronauts Introduction Space hazards refer to the events that take place beyond the surface of the earth and that may affect the health of an individual. The study of space is best understood under the subject of astronomy which explains what space is composed of as well as what can be done and what cannot be done in space. Astronauts are best positioned to operate in space since they have studied the universe and understand the risks and the benefits of the operations in space.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Space Hazards as a Challenge to Astronauts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are various hazards that are associated with space which are mainly as a result of the events that are carried out in space. Aircrafts are the most common manmade objects in space as well as other objects that astronauts use in the space operations. Space hazards are mainly as a result of the effects of weather, radiation. Astronom y Astronomy refers to the â€Å"science that investigates the distribution, composition, physical state, movement and evolution of material in the universe beyond the earth’s surface† (Becker 1). The distribution of matter or energy includes its position, arrangement and frequency over a certain area in the universe or in the whole space. The composition of matter includes its chemical composition qualitatively and quantitatively. For instance, the qualitative composition of the sun includes hydrogen and helium while its quantitative composition includes the numerical or actual percentages of the substances that make it up i.e. the volume of the sun is made up of 95% hydrogen and 5% helium while its mass is made up of 78% hydrogen, 20% helium and 2% heavy metals (Becker 1). The physical state of the matter in the universe can either be in the form of â€Å"solid, liquid, gas or plasma† (Becker 1). On the other hand, the movement of material in space involves the ir positional change which mainly involves rotation and revolution. Finally, the evolution of matter in space refers to the theories that have been put across by scholars to explain the origin and the future of matter in the universe. Some of these theories include the steady state, the big bang and the oscillating universe (Becker 1). Space hazards Many space hazards occur in the universe every day and not only affect the objects operating directly in space but also technological processes on the surface of the earth such as communication, power grids and others (NASA 1). The effects of space hazards are so extreme since space is one of the most extreme environments imaginable with experiences of extreme temperature, extremely hot and extremely cold as well as threatening levels of radiation. These are the conditions that aircrafts are subjected to when they are operating above the insulating layer of the earth (Cain 1).Advertising Looking for research paper on astronomy? L et's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Launching is one of the extreme situations. The space craft is maintained in the space from the pull of gravity by the rocket which enables it to have enough mass and speed thus avoiding the pull of gravity from the much heavier objects near them (Jessa 3). While launching, this very â€Å"rocket shakes the air craft violently and batters it with extremely loud sound waves† (Cain 3). These phenomena are capable of shattering the delicate parts of the space craft thus causing space hazards (Cain 3). The extreme temperatures in space are again prone to causing space hazards on the objects operating in space like the aircrafts. Weather conditions vary extremely â€Å"temperatures in space go hundreds of degrees below the freezing point and hundreds of degrees up especially when the spacecrafts are near the sun† (Cain 6). Though there is no air in space, energy from the sun is transfe rred through radiation which when absorbed by the spacecrafts, it causes a lot of heating in objects that have such machines as computers that ought to operate under moderate temperatures. Though engineers have put effort to make spacecrafts models in such a manner that they have features that can withhold these conditions, this is not always the case as explained below (Cain 6). As we have seen earlier, energy in space is transferred through radiation either through â€Å"trapped and the transient types† (Cain 8). The trapped radiation is composed of sub atomic particles mainly the protons and the neutrons which are usually trapped by the earth magnetic field thus creating Van Allen radiation fields around the planet (Angelo 124). It has been noted that, â€Å"the transient radiation is mainly composed of protons and cosmic rays which constantly streams in space especially during magnetic storms on the sun† (Cain 8). The transient radiation can be so harmful in that w hen they collide with electronic circuit, they are capable of interfering with the content of memory, they can cause spurious flow of currents around the object or even burn out computer chips (Cain 8). Space hazards can also be caused by meteor showers. These refer to the little dust particles that make shooting stars visible to us while traveling through space. They are capable of sand blasting some useful large rays of the solar panels thus affecting their importance (Cain 15). A NASA-funded study carried out in January 2009 describes the consequences of solar eruptions on communication, power grids and other technology on the surface of the earth, the risks of extreme conditions in space as a result of magnetic activity on the sun and effects of extreme space weather (NASA 1).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Space Hazards as a Challenge to Astronauts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to the stu dy, the sun is the most vital star on the surface of the earth but its contribution towards space hazards is adverse. Apart from â€Å"emitting a consistent stream of plasma, it often releases quite a large volume of tons of matter known as the coronal mass ejections† (NASA 5). The study further confirmed that space weather produces solar storm electromagnetic field which induces extreme currents on wire resulting to various adverse effects. Some of the most common effects of this induction on wires include power line disruptions which results to widespread blackouts and also disrupts communication cables that supports the internet. Extreme space weather produces solar energetic particles and causes dislocation of earth’s radiation belts. (NASA 5) These phenomena are capable of damaging satellites used for â€Å"commercial communications, global positioning and weather forecasting† (NASA 5). The modern advancement in technology did not mark the beginning of its problems with space weather since these problems were recorded since the nineteenth century when the telegraph was invented (NASA 5). The professor and director of the laboratory for atmospheric and space physics at the University of Colorado really appreciated NASA efforts for beginning the extremely challenging task of investigating on space hazards in a quantitative way. This is because their impacts are equally as much as those of natural hazards on the earth’s surface and need not be ignored. Space travel health and safety issues For a long time, space travel has been associated with a lot of accidents and hazards thus leaving the activity to just a small number of highly trained and highly motivated individuals. The Apollo, an American space program, recorded three major hazards of space travel â€Å"1 Mission Fire of January 27, 1986, the Challenger accident of January 28, 1986 and the Colombia accident of February 1, 2003† (Angelo 123). These hazards have made space travel to be approached with a lot of consciousness such that it will remain a highly hazardous undertaking in now and in the near future, unless, something is done about it (Angelo 123). There are various health and safety issues concerning space travel some of which include:Advertising Looking for research paper on astronomy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Launch abort, spaceflight and space based assembly and construction accidents, life support system failure, collisions of space vehicles and habitats with space debris and meteoroids, ionized radiation hazards, psychological stress due to strenuous living conditions and many others. (Angelo 124) The three major challenges that people living in space face are â€Å"the substantial acceleration and deceleration forces when leaving and returning to earth, living and working in weightless conditions for long periods of time and chronic exposure to space radiations† (Angelo 124). Astronauts and cosmonauts usually experience up to a maximum of six times acceleration as compared to that of the earth’s surface. These conditions result to some physical difficulties such as space adaptation syndrome, feelings of isolation and stress as well as post flight recovery problems. Microgravity or weightlessness results to bone calcium loss and though most of its other effects recover a few weeks after return to earth, this may take longer especially after a long duration space mission. Space travelers throughout circular and interplanetary are bombarded by galactic cosmic rays, which are very energetic atomic particles that contain protons, helium nuclei and heavy nuclei. These rays expose individuals to excess ionizing radiation doses as compared to the standards set for various space missions and occupations (Angelo 124). Mars expedition personnel and lunar surface base workers’ are prone to experiencing various psychological disorders, some of which include solipsism syndrome and shimanaghasi syndrome. Solipsism syndrome is a state of mind where a person feels like every occurrence is not real but a dream and is usually as a result of small space base or confined expedition vehicle. The shimanaghasi syndrome is a feeling of isolation where an individual feels left out even when life is comfortable; a situation which requires proper communication with th e earth and careful design of living quarters (Angelo 125). Conclusion Livings, traveling through space, working and other space missions have been quite challenging and are yet to be since the ever present dangers and hazards have not yet found a solution. However, there is a group of highly motivated and trained individuals who may continue enjoying the extraterrestrial lifestyle which outweighs any personal risks. Though space hazards have been a challenge to most astronauts, a few things can be put together to curb the challenge. First, most of the psychological and health issues related to the space hazards can be attended to medically. Angelo, Joseph. Encyclopedia of space and astronomy. New York. InfoBase Publishing, 2006. Print. Becker, Gary. Astronomy Survival Website. Astronomy, 1990. Web. Cain, Fraser. â€Å"Some of the Hazards in Space†,  2004. Web. Jessa, Tega. Orbit Universe Today, 2009. Web. NASA. New study reveals hazards of severe space weather. Astronomy, 2009. Web.