Foldscope has given a new dimension to the field of frugal science. The paper microscope has not only given easy access to the microscopic world to common people but also has redefined the concept of doing science and understanding it. We were fortunate that inventor of the foldscope, Prof. Manu Prakash and his colleague Dr….
Author: Gurdeep Rastogi
High-resolution foldscopy of an unidentified benthic organism.
Chilika lake is a unique assemblage of marine, fresh and brackish water ecosystem, with amazing floral and faunal diversity. The diversity is under the exploration and every sampling is an excitement to learn new and more about the prevailing organism and its ecosystem. Chilika harbours a good number of seagrass species which makes the lagoon…
Foldscopy of a live female copepod
Outer channel of Chilika, is dominant with the marine organisms. During this month sampling we collected some zooplankton samples from the channel and observed the collected organism under foldscope. The video captures the organism which is a matured female copepod. This is the video of matured female copepod which is seen to carry eggsacs dangling…
SENSITIZING THE FISHERMEN Of CHILIKA ABOUT BENTHIC COMMUNITIES USING FOLDSCOPE
Chilika due to its brackish salinity and shallow nature supports dense beds of seagrasses that are often dominated by Halophila species. Seagrass beds are vital due to their role in providing the sheltering and feeding ground for many birds and fishes. The benthic community of seagrass beds is extremely diverse and many annelids living in…
Capturing the Amphipod through foldscopy and sensitization of coastal fishermen.
Chilika a brackish water coastal lagoon is well known for its rich fishery resources. The lagoon is a life line for the economic and nutritional security to 0.2 million fishermen who are dependent on this renewable bio resource. The rich fishery resource of Chilika eventually depends on many small animals that directly or indirectly play…
Foldscopy of Damselfly nymph from macrophyte dominated area of Chilika lagoon
Chilika Lagoon supports dense growth of submerged and emergent aquatic plant (macrophyte). These aquatic plants are also sheltering niches to a variety of flies and insects that feeds and rests on these macrophytes. During sampling from Northern part of the Chilika, where luxurious growth of freshwater aquatic weeds such as Eichhornia, Potamogeton and Vallisneria is…
High resolution Foldscopy of Mysis, the opossum shrimps
Chilika Lagoon a brackish water lagoon supports many species of plankton. During sampling from southern sector of the lagoon, which also harbours a rich diversity of seagrass and many planktonic species, zooplankton samples were collected. Mysis is a zooplankton primarily marine in nature, belonging to the order Mysida of the malacostracan superorder of Peracarida. Also…
Foldscopy of filter feeding action of a veliger larva.
Many benthic organism start its early life stage as a planktonic larvae. A veliger is the planktonic larva of many kinds of sea snails and freshwater snails, as well as most bivalve molluscs (clams) and tusk shells. These larvae happen to be free living and are often carried from one place to other through the water currents. They complete…
Polychaete larva feeding on organic aggregates.
Chilika is a highly productive lagoon where water contains plenty of suspended organic matter of both extrinsic and intrinsic origin. We collected water from the shore of Chilika where large amount of organic material mostly of plant origin were decomposing. Polychaetes refer such habitats where plenty of such organic matter is available and are known…
OUTREACH PROGRAMME ON FOLDSCOPE IN KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA, GOPALPUR MILITARY STATION (ODISHA)
On 2nd November 2018, Foldscope Team of Wetland Research and Training Centre, Chilika Development Authority visited Kendriya Vidyalaya, Gopalpur Military Station, Odisha to educate the students of 9th to 12th standard on Seagrass biodiversity of Chilika and use of Foldscope. The students and teachers of KV took an active participation in the interactive programme to…
Foldscopy of a fish juvenile
Seagrass meadows are well recognized for acting as a nursery ground for many commercially important fish species. Nalabana, a bird sanctuary within the Chilika Lagoon supports dense seagrass meadows that act as sheltering ground for many important fish and crab species. A survey on seagrass meadows was carried out during which some fish juveniles were…
Touching young minds of Chilikarani English Medium School
On 31st October 2018, foldscope team of Wetland Research and Training Centre got a chance to interact with the school children of Chilikarani English Medium School located at Balugaon on the theme “Outreach programme on seagrass biodiversity of Chilika under Foldscope”. The enthusiast participants were the 9th and 10th class students and their teachers who…
Ultra-high imaging of benthic oligochaeta (Annelida) from seagrass medows.
Seagrass meadow support diverse flora and fauna and offer several ecosystems services such as nutrient cycling and foraging and breeding ground for many fishes and crabs. Chilika Lagoon support a rich diversity of seagrasses and their meadows are vital in sustaining the lagoon fishery resources. Nalabana protected sanctuary inside Chilika lagoon is rich in seagrass…
High-resolution foldscopy of an actively grazing Rotifer
Shoreline of Chilika is rich in decaying submerged vegetation and foldscopy provided us an amazing view of actively grazing rotifer in samples collected from these areas. We were able to capture the live wheel movement of coronal cilia that rotifer was using to catch food. Also we noticed the internal organs and movement of jaws…
High resolution images of Spirogyra colonizing the seagrass meadows
During ground survey of seagrass meadows from southern part of Chilika Lagoon, dense growth of algae covering the seagrasses were observed. Water samples were collected on board through plankton net and mounted immediately to identify the macroalgae. Filamentous green algae: Spirogyra was identified based on their characteristics spiral pattern of chloroplast.
Twinning of Chilika Development Authority, Odisha with Cotton University, Guwahati
Exchange of knowledge regarding use of Foldscope for analyzing the plankton samples was done under twining program with North East partner. In this context, Dr. Shamim Rahman, Scientific assistant in the Department of Zoology, Cotton University, Guwahati and his team visited Wetland Research and Training Center to gain hands on experience in using the foldscope…
First Outreach Programme at Kendriya Vidyalaya, INS Chilika
On 5th of October 2018, the first outreach programme for school children was held in Kendriya Vidyalaya, INS, Chilika on the theme “Outreach programme on seagrass biodiversity of Chilika under Foldscope”. The active participants were the Principal KV, teachers and young brains of standard 11th and 12th. A detailed presentation on Chilika, a Ramsar site…
SENSITIZATION OF FISHERMEN ABOUT SEAGRASSES AND ZOOPLANKTON
Seagrass bed supports enormous diversity of both benthic and planktonic fauna. After prolonged monsoon season, seagrass meadows of the Chilika lagoon started rejuvenating from their underground rhizome. Developing seagrass bed were observed in the outer channel area of lagoon which is primarily marine with salinity as high as 30 ppt. Fishermen fishing in the outer…
Zooplankton and Polycheate from seagrass meadow.
Water and benthic sediment samples were collected from the seagrass bed located in the southern sector of Chilika. Water samples were collected using zooplankton net where as seagrass sediments were collected usinga Van Veen grab sampler. Samples were stained with the Rose Bengal stain and mounted on glass slide for observation under foldscope. Zooplankton such…
Pond water through the Foldscope
Water samples were collected from a pond located at the Wetland Research and Training Center at Balugaon, Odisha for phytoplankton and species. Large population of live Euglena with active motility were observed under Foldscope. Live Euglena under Foldscope
Observance of Phytoplankton samples using Foldscope
Phytoplankton samples were collected from the overlying water column of the seagrass meadows of the central sector of Chilika Lagoon with the help of a plankton net. The samples collected were analysed under the foldscope. Filamentous algae Oscillatoria and Polysiphonia sp. were identified.
Plankton sampling and analysis under Foldscope
The Southern sector of Chilika Lagoon has a good spread seagrass meadow from where the plankton sample was collected above the seagrass bed and were analysed under the foldscope. The samples were collected using plankton net, The following pictures were observed under the foldscope.
Sensitization of Foresters about seagrasses and Foldscope
Seagrasses, the underwater forests play a crucial role in sustaining the flora and fauna in coastal lagoon like Chilika. Ironically, these underwater plants are mostly neglected when it comes to conservation and management plan of wetlands. Chilika, a biodiversity hotspot of India is well known for its scenic beauty, dolphins and birds. Seagrass meadows of…
Actinomycetes associated with the Seagrasses
Actinomycetes that are well known for producing secondary metabolites have been cultured from seagrass bed sediments. Wide diversity of actinomycetes were obtained and the culture were seen through foldscope which revealed actinomycetes of different cell morphology.
Epiphytic Microalgae of seagrasses in Chilika
On 14th July 2018, microalgae were sampled from the seagrass meadow located at the Rajhans area of Chilika Lagoon. In this area the seagrasss meadow is a mixture of dense Halophila species and the Halodule species. After the seagrasses were collected, the epiphytic algae were washed off from the leaves of seagrass. Slide was prepared…
Educating the Chilika Fishermen about seagrasses and their role in ecosystem services
Nalabana, a protected bird sanctuary under Wild Life Act is also considered a nursery ground for many fish species. Every year millions of birds congregate in this area for feeding and resting purposes. Due to protected nature of site, fishing activities are banned in this sanctuary. The sanctuary supports luxuriant sea grass meadows that play…
FOLDSCOPE AS A TOOL TO MAGNIFY THE CURIOSITY OF SCHOOL TEACHERS ABOUT CHILIKA LAGOON ODISHA
On 19th June 2018, teachers of Local school around Chilika Lagoon from Balugaon and Banpur area visited the Wetland research and Training Centre, under an exposure visit. During their visit, they have been introduced about the biodiversity of Chilika Lagoon through Lab visit and a presentation on Foldscope followed by a practical demonstration of Foldscope. …
Exploring biodiversity of Chilika Ramsar site- a wetland of international importance located at Odisha India
Researchers working in Wetland Research and Training centre looked at the water samples from Chilika Lagoon on a sunny day. A Lagoon that is known for its legacy as biodiversity hotspot of India was explored for the zooplankton species. After preservation and staining, samples were looked under the Foldscope and several species of zooplankton were…
Introduction to Foldscopes as a tool to look Seagrasses and associated epiphytic communties
Foldscope was introduced to students and teachers of Xavier School of Sustainability, Bhubaneswar, Odisha during their visit to Wetland Research and Training Centre, Balugaon on 23 June 2018. All were excited to learn about multiple application of Foldscopes ranging from environmental to clinical applications. Students and teacher were demonstrated different seagrass specimens using foldscopes and…
sensitizing the local fishermen of Chilika lagoon.
The Chilika Lagoon is the largest lagoon of India. With the flow of fresh water from the northern side and the entry of sea water from the southern side makes it a serene environment for many flora and fauna. It is the home to Irawady Dolphins, foraging area to 0.98 million migratory birds and serving…