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Professor M.K. Pandit

Contact Information:
Centre for Inter-disciplinary Studies of Mountain & Hill Environment
University of Delhi
Academic Research Centre Building (3rd Floor),
Patel Marg, Delhi -110007
Telefax: 91-11-27666163, 27666341
email: mkpandit@cismhe.org, director@cismhe.org mkpandit@hotmail.com

Education: B.Sc. (Hons.);   M.Sc.;  Ph.D.

Research Areas:

Conservation Biology, Environment Impact Assessment, Environment Management, Systematics.

Research Interests:

Most of my research work has revolved around Himalayan plant species, particularly the rare and endangered ones. I have conducted multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research on the endemic plant species facing extinction in wild habitats. The areas of my study spans across Habitats in Eastern and Western Himalaya in north and Western Ghats in the South of India. My primary quest has been to understand the causes behind species rarity in absence of external pressures on habitats and on species. I have also used landscape level screening of ecosystems, through Remote Sensing & GIS, to mark out areas for conservation and more in-depth analysis. The research work has been carried out with the funding assistance from various Government Ministries and a few private sources.

Recent and on-going Projects:

	The rarity and invasiveness in plants – searching for patterns.
	Biology and Conservation of an endangered and endemic Himalayan plant species.
	Biological signatures of climate change on Himalayan plant taxa
	Upstream and downstream ecological impacts of river regulation in Himalaya
	Impacts of large-scale development projects on physical, biological and socio-economic environments in Himalayan watersheds and biodiversity conservation management plan.

Awards:

Fellow of Linnean Society of London (2002)

Raffles Visiting Fellow, National University of Singapore (2004)

Profile

2009-	Coordinator, Department of Environmental Biology, University of Delhi.
2003-	Professor/Director, CISMHE, University of Delhi.
2004-2007	Visiting Professor, University Scholars Programme, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
2001	Visiting Scientist, Geobotanical Institute, ETH, Switzerland.
2001	Summer Faculty, Institute of Botany, Vienna University, Vienna, Austria
2000-2002	Scientist In-Charge, (Professor's Level) CISMHE, University of Delhi South Campus.
1997-2000	Scientist In-Charge, (Associate Professor's Level) CISMHE, University of Delhi South Campus.

Selected Publications:

	Sharma, S.K. & Pandit, M.K. 2010. Resolving the taxonomic anomaly in Panax sikkimensis Ban. (Araliaceae) species complex from Sikkim Himalaya, India. Plant Syst. Evol. (in press).
	Pandit, M.K. 2010. Higher education in India: In search of the teacher. Current Science 99:728-730.
	Bhatt, J.P. and Pandit, M.K. 2010. A macro-invertebrate based new biotic index to monitor river water quality, Current Science 99:196-203.
	Sharma, S.K. & Pandit, M.K. 2010. Synaptic mutation-driven male sterility in Panax sikkimensis Ban. (Araliaceae) from Eastern Himalaya, India. Plant Syst. Evol. 287:29–36.
	Pandit, M.K. 2009. Other factors at work in melting Himalaya: Follow-up to Xu et al. Conservation Biology 23:1346-1347.
	Nautiyal, D.C., Shama, S.K. & Pandit, M.K. 2009. Notes on the taxonomic history of two rare species of Begonia (Begoniaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya and their conservation. J. Bot. Res. Inst. (Texas) 3:823-830.
	Nautiyal, D.C., Shama, S.K. & Pandit, M.K. 2009. Notes on the taxonomic history, rediscovery and conservation status of two endangered species of Ceropegia (Asclepiadaceae) from Sikkim Hiamalaya. J. Bot. Res. Inst. (Texas) 3:815-822.
	Sharma, S.K. & Pandit, M.K. 2009. Panax sokpayensis (Araliaceae): a new species from Sikkim Himalaya. Systematic Botany, 34: 434-438.
	Pandit, M.K. 2008. Science writing. Current Science, 95: 701.
	Bhatt, J.P., Bhaskar, A. and Pandit, M.K. 2008. Biology, distribution and ecology of Didymosphenia geminata (Lyngbye) Schmidt an abundant diatom from the Himalayan rivers. Aquatic Ecology, 42:347-353.
	Lukram, I. M., Pattanayak, S.K., Bhaskar, A., Pandit, M.K., Tandon, S.K. 2007. Climatic imprints in Quaternary valley fill deposits of the middle Teesta valley, Sikkim Himalaya. Quaternary International  159: 32–46
	Pandit, M. K., Sodhi, N.S., Koh, L.P., Bhaskar, A., Brook, B.W. 2007. Unreported yet massive deforestation driving loss of endemic biodiversity in Indian Himalaya. Biodiversity &. Conservation 16: 153-163.
	Pandit, M.K., Tan, Hugh H.W., Bisht, M.S. 2006. Polyploidy in the invasive plant species of Singapore. Bot. Jour. Linn. Soc., 151:395-403.
	Pandit, M.K. 2006. Continuing the search among rare plants: are diploid species more likely to be rare? Evolutionary Ecology Research 8:543-552.
	Pandit, M.K., H.T.W.Tan & Bisht, M.S. 2006. Polyploidy in invasive species of Singapore. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 151:395-403.
	Bhatt, J.P., Bhaskar, A. and Pandit, M.K. 2005. Biotic communities of Kishanganga river: A pre-impoundment case study of a Himalayan river. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management 8:259-265.
	Pandit, M.K. & Babu, C.R. 2003. The effects of loss of sex in clonal populations of an endangered perennial, Coptis teeta (Ranunculaceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society  143: 47-57.
	Bhat, J.P., Jain Ajay, Bhaskar, A. & Pandit, M.K. 2001. Pre-impoundment study of biotic communities of Kishtobazar Nala in Purulia, West Bengal. Current Science. 81:1332-1337.
	Pandit, M.K. & Babu, C.R. 2001. Divergence or dead end : an evolutionary ecological perspective and future goals in diploid apomict research. Proceedings of 2nd International Apomixis Conference, Como, Italy.
	Pandit, M.K. & Babu, C.R. 2000. Synaptic mutation associated with gametic sterility and population divergence in Coptis teeta (Ranunculaceae). Bot. Jour. Linn. Soc. 133:523-533
	Jain, A., Pandit, M.K., et al. 2000. Reproductive behaviour and genetic variability in geographically isolated populations of Rhododendron arboreum (Ericaceae). Current Science. 79(9) :  1377-1381.
	Pandit, M.K. & Babu, C.R. 1998. Biology and Conservation of Coptis teeta - an endemic and endangered medicinal herb of eastern Himalaya. Environmental Conservation 25 : 262-272.
	Pandit, M.K. & Babu, C.R. 1998. Cytology and taxonomy of Coptis teeta Wall. (Ranunculaceae). Bot. Jour. Linn. Soc. 111 : 371-378.