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Ph.D., Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science. 1998. ‘Community ecology of small mammals in montane ecosystems of the Upper Nilgiris, southern India’
Community ecology and biogoegraphy
I am interested in the distribution of diversity at various levels of organisation, from genes to ecosystems, and at various scales from local communities to macro-ecological regional scales. I study diversification in hotspots by combining molecular genetics, field ecology and monitoring. I have also recently initiated work on coastal and marine ecology, addressing the question of how species diversity is distributed along the coasts.
Sea turtles
I have been conducting research on sea turtles for the last decade, on population biology, genetics and evolution, and migration. Five of the seven species of marine turtles are found in Indian coastal waters and at least four have significant nesting beaches and/or feeding areas. My collaborators and I have been studying the population genetics and phylogeography of sea turtles on the mainland coast and islands. Currently, I am involved in projects on olive ridley turtles in Orissa, leatherbacks in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the impact of climate change on sea turtles.
Human-wildlife conflict
There is conflict between humans and wildlife in many contexts, which usually manifests itself in the form of loss of lives and livelihoods either directly (loss of lives or livelihoods) or indirectly (loss of access to resources). I have recently initiated research on social aspects of resource use and human wildlife conflict. In the terrestrial realm, we are developing a synthetic framework to examine conflict in different ecological, sociological and economic contexts, in order to identify the drivers of conflict and develop solutions. We are also beginning work on the political ecology of natural resource management in coastal and marine systems, and its implication for the conservation of these resources. A project in Orissa looks at various ecological, historical and sociological aspects of the conflict over space between fishers and sea turtles.
Sea turtles
I have worked with sea turtles since 1988 and helped initiate the Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network, now one of the longest running student programmes in the world. I have been working on the coast of Orissa for the last 10 years, trying to find solutions to addressing the issue of turtle mortality in these waters. I have worked with both government and local institutions to develop frameworks and partnerships for conservation of sea turtles. My colleagues and I initiated the Orissa Marine Resources Conservation Consortium, an alliance of fishworkers, conservationists and local community groups to conserve olive ridley turtles and safeguard livelihoods. I serve as the editor of the Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter, and am currently the President of the International Sea Turtle Society, and will conduct the Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation in Goa in April 2010.
Coastal and marine conservation
There is a need to examine and revise approaches to marine conservation in India, since current approaches are essentially exclusionary and protectionist which alienate coastal communities from the management of their livelihood resources. I am interested in evaluating marine conservation paradigms and analysing policy in the context of conservation and livelihoods. I would like to develop approaches that are participatory and promote the sustainable use of natural resources. I am also attempting to set up networks for conservation along the coast.
Journals
Conservation and Society
Current Conservation
Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter
Symposium
30th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation, Goa, India, April 27-29, 2010
http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/kartik
SELECT PUBLICATIONS
Edited Volumes/ Journal papers/ Popular articles
Edited Volumes
Shanker, K., N. Namboothri, S. Rodriguez and A. Sridhar (2008) (Editors) Beyond the tsunami: Social, ecological and policy analyses of coastal and marine systems on the mainland coast of India. Post Tsunami Environment Impact Report. UNDP/UNTRS, Chennai and ATREE, Bangalore.
Shanker, K. & B.C. Choudhury (2006) (Editors) Marine turtles of the Indian subcontinent. Universities Press, Hyderabad. India.
Shanker, K. (2003)(Series Editor) Manuals on sea turtle conservation. A GOI UNDP Sea Turtle Project. Centre for Herpetology/Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Tamil Nadu, India.
Select journal papers
Seminoff, J.A. and K. Shanker (2008) Marine turtles and IUCN Red Listing: a review of the process, pitfalls and novel assessment approaches. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
Oommen, M.A. and K. Shanker. 2008. Ecology and behaviour of an endemic treeshrew (Tupaia nicobarica Zelebor, 1869) on Great Nicobar Island, India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 105(1):55-63.
Mukherjee, N., B. Muthuraman and K. Shanker (in press) Bioshields and ecological restoration in tsunami affected areas in India. In: Integrated Coastal Zone Management (eds. E. Dahl, E. Moskness and J. Stottrup). Wiley Blackwell Publishing.
Shanker, K. (2007) Deconstructing sea turtle conservation in India. In: Making Conservation Work (eds. G. Shahabuddin and M. Rangarajan), pp. 89-110. Permanent Black, New Delhi, India.
Madhusudhan, M.D., K. Shanker et al. (2006) Science in the wilderness: the predicament of scientific research in India’s wildlife reserves. Current Science 91: 1015 – 1019.
Shanker, K., Hiremath, A., Bawa, K. (2005) Linking Biodiversity Conservation and Livelihoods in India. PLOS Biology 3: 1878-1880.
Oommen, M.A. and Shanker, K. 2005. Regional species richness patterns emerge from multiple local scale mechanisms in Himalayan plants. Ecology 86:3039–3047.
Shanker, K. & Kutty, R. (2005) Sailing the flagship fantastic: myth and reality of sea turtle conservation in India. Maritime Studies 3(2) and 4(1): 213-240.
Shanker, K., Aggarwal, R.K, Rama Devi, J., Choudhury, B.C. & Singh, L. (2004) Phylogeography of olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) on the east coast of India: implications for conservation theory. Molecular Ecology.
Shanker, K., Pandav, B. & Choudhury, B.C. (2004) An assessment of the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) nesting population in Orissa, India. Biological Conservation 115: 149 – 160.
Shanker, K. (2000) Small mammal trapping in tropical montane forests of the Upper Nilgiris, southern India: an evaluation of Capture-Recapture models in estimating population size. Journal of Biosciences 25: 99-111.
Shanker, K. & Sukumar, R. (1999) Synchrony in small mammal populations of montane forest patches in southern India. Journal of Animal Ecology 68: 50-59.
Shanker, K. & Sukumar, R. (1998) Community structure and demography of small mammal populations in insular montane forests in southern India. Oecologia 116: 243-251.
Popular articles
Into the Woods. Tehelka Magazine 5(39)Oct 04, 2008.
Much ado about the nothing. The Week, September, 2006
Sher Khan Needs his Share. Outlook, January 16, 2006.
Lets look Beyond Tigers. Times of India, December 20, 2005.
The edge of the world. Sanctuary Asia, December 2003.
Seeking a brighter horizon. Srishti, September 2003.
Conservation of olive ridley turtles in Madras. Herpinstance 1, 2003.
What ails the ridley ? The Hindu, June 8, 2003 .
Voyages of the Leatherback. Sanctuary Asia, April 2003.
Hidden treasures of the Nilgiris. Srishti, January 2003.
Nilgiris: floral paradise. Sanctuary Asia, October 2002.
Tracking turtles through time and space. Resonance. June 2002.
Solving the ridley riddle. Sanctuary Asia, August 2001.
Cool customers: herpetofauna of the Nilgiris. Sanctuary Asia, April 2001.
The odyssey of the Olive Ridley. Resonance, July 1999.
Birth and Death: The Olive Ridleys in Orissa. Sanctuary Asia, Vol 19, No. 3, 1999.
Prisoners dilemma and other Games that animals play. Resonance, March, 1999.
Will the meek inherit the earth? Resonance, May 1997.
Decline of a Montane Ecosystem. Resonance, February 1997.
Rodents of the Nilgiris. Sanctuary Asia, Vol 17, No. 6, 1997.
A review of Salim Ali's `Fall of a Sparrow' Resonance. January 1997.
Secrets of the Shieldtails. Resonance, August, 1996.
Islands of Forests. Science Reporter, June, 1996.
The Ancient Mariners. Resonance, April, 1996.
Sholas and Grasslands. Sanctuary Asia, Vol.16, No.2. 1996.
Selfish Altruism. Times of India. November, 1995.
Survival of the Ancient Mariners. Times of India. October, 1995.
Mosaic of the sholas on the Blue Mountains. Times of India. September 1995.
Down to Earth
They lived with Dinosaurs. Down to Earth, December 31, 2008.
Fenced out: wildlife research in India. Down to Earth, November 15, 2006.
Urban areas can support biodiversity. Down to Earth, October 31, 2006.
Can good science help conservation? Down to Earth, September 15, 2006.
Small empty patches are important. Down to Earth, June 15, 2006.
An island away. Down to Earth, April 30, 2006.
For a common environmental ethic. Down to Earth, March 15, 2006.
Taxonomic debates are important. Down to Earth, February 15, 2006.
The holy book and the sacred list. Down to Earth, December 31, 2005.
Lessons from Norse mythology. Down to Earth, November 15, 2005.
Reconciliation: Lessons from marine ecology. Down to Earth August 31, 2005.
Using wildlife: farming out the problem. Down to Earth, August 31, 2003.