CURRENT
Aniruddha Marathe
I am interested in geographic gradients in biodiversity and mechanisms that generate these gradients. I am happiest when studying biodiversity patterns of ants, but frogs, trees and birds are also exciting. I followed my first interest during PhD at ATREE and Manipal University, where I worked on ant communities across elevation gradients in the Eastern Himalaya. The present post-doc at the Center for Ecological Sciences gives me opportunity to pursue my interests with other taxa. Here I am trying to understand processes limiting species distributions and diversity in the Western Ghats. Work by colleagues, and alumni of the lab using frogs, trees and birds as models, suggests that evolutionary history of the Western Ghats along with environmental gradients across the north-south extent together shape patterns in species distributions. I am trying to understand how common or unique are these processes across taxa and how climate change might affect these patterns in the near future. My other interests are in cycling, cooking and rock climbing.
Rohitashva Shukla
I belong to a place situated along the banks of River Narmada which led to my fascination with nature and specifically freshwater ecosystems. After completing my Masters in Biotechnology, I started my PhD at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata to pursue my passion in fish community ecology. I worked on fish diversity and distribution patterns, and their cause and consequences on freshwater stream ecosystems of Central India. After my PhD, I worked at Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, in a National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) funded project and explored the distribution of multiple freshwater taxa in the Ganga River. During my tenure in WII, I also carried out extensive field work in the beautiful Himalayan cold water streams to explore the ecology and diversity of fishes. Currently at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore as a Dr. D.S. Kothari postdoctoral fellow, I am trying to understand the macroecological patterns of fish species distribution among the river basins of Western Ghats and the underlying mechanisms and processes that drive these patterns in this biodiversity hotspot. Besides research, I am also actively engaged in Indian classical music and Hindi literature. I have learnt a percussion instrument, the tabla, and played it on different notable occasions.
PAST
KP Dinesh 2011 - 2015
I am from coffee growing communities of the Western Ghats, and started my early research life roaming around the hill ranges of Kudremukh and Mullayanagiri in search of birds and butterflies. After completing doctoral research in coffee genetics, government service provided me an opportunity to kick start my new interest in amphibian taxonomy. In the process of addressing taxonomic issues, I ended up working on phylogenetics, phylogeography and evolutionary history of amphibians of the Western Ghats.
As part of my postdoctoral project in the lab (2011-15), we attempted to examine the extent and patterns of distribution of genetic diversity within the Ranid family of the Western Ghats. We assessed species-wide phylogeographical structuring within the ranid frogs to make inferences about gene flow between geographic locations on the either side of the Palghat Gap in the Western Ghats. We continue to elucidate problems in taxonomy, systematics and delimitation of the species, and are attempting to define the altitudinal and latitudinal range of distribution for ranids and other frogs.
As part of my postdoctoral project in the lab (2011-15), we attempted to examine the extent and patterns of distribution of genetic diversity within the Ranid family of the Western Ghats. We assessed species-wide phylogeographical structuring within the ranid frogs to make inferences about gene flow between geographic locations on the either side of the Palghat Gap in the Western Ghats. We continue to elucidate problems in taxonomy, systematics and delimitation of the species, and are attempting to define the altitudinal and latitudinal range of distribution for ranids and other frogs.
