Tamil University

This study analyzes the spatiotemporal dynamics of vegetation in the forested landscapes of Dindigul and Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, from 2001 to 2020 using satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), and key meteorological parameters. Results reveal that NDVI has a strong positive correlation with relative humidity ( r = 0.68, P < 0.01), surface pressure ( r = 0.52, P < 0.05), and precipitation ( r = 0.60, P < 0.05), indicating that moisture availability is a major driver of vegetation health. In contrast, elevated temperature and high radiation were linked to reduced NDVI, suggesting vegetation stress under warming conditions. VCI analysis for 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 revealed minimal drought-affected areas, indicating strong ecological resilience across the study period. However, a gradual decline in NDVI between 2005 and 2015 reflects growing climate-induced stress on vegetation. The findings underscore the influence of climatic variability on vegetation dynamics and highlight the potential of NDVI and VCI as effective tools for long-term ecosystem monitoring and sustainable forest management. (c) 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of The Society for Range Management. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )

Groundwater resource assessment is an important part of sustainable water management in the coastal district. In this study, geoelectrical methods were employed for aquifer characterization and delineation of subsurface lithology in the Kanyakumari district, Southern India. Vertical electrical sounding data were collected at 47 locations using the Schlumberger array, and Dar Zarrouk parameters were derived from resistivity and layer-thickness inversion. The 1-D inversion results show resistivity values ranging from 4.7 to 1981.7 Ω m and layer thicknesses between 0.4 and 123 m. Curve-type interpretations show HA-type (36

Understanding land use and land cover (LULC) transformations in coastal regions is critical for environmental management and development planning. The present study quantifies LULC changes across Kanyakumari District, Southern India over a ten-year period (2015–2025). Random Forest classification applied to Landsat 8/9 imagery within Google Earth Engine identified seven LULC categories. Exported classified maps were analysed in Google Colab for transition matrices, trend evaluation and Markov-based future projections. Results demonstrate significant landscape transformation: scrub land declined by 99.48 km² (38.8

As a result of liberalization, privatisation, and globalization policies in India, industrialization, and urbanization progressed rapidly. This led to an increase in the number of growing cities. In these growing cities, waste generation has increased. Handling the waste had been a great challenge for them. Segregation of wastes and composting of organic waste, along with appropriate disposal of non-biodegradable waste according to its nature, is a sustainable solution. In the current situation, since municipal solid waste contains heavy metals, these metals are also present in the resulting compost. When compost containing heavy metals and other contaminants are used in agriculture, they can impact soil fertility, human health, and the environment. For this study, 32 developing cities in Tamil Nadu were selected and thirty-two samples were taken from their RRP (Resource Recovery Park). This study reveals the extent to which four heavy metals, lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni), are present in the compost, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) was used to determine the levels of these heavy metals. The levels of the four heavy metals are below the maximum limits set by the government. However, 85.5 mg/ kg of lead in Kannanur and 47 mg/kg of chromium in Mamallapuram are higher than in other urban local bodies. This is due to the floating population, more economic activities, and industries in those areas. Therefore, this study emphasizes the importance of clearly separating metalcontaining waste at the initial stage, identifying and continuously monitoring the sources of metal contamination, using the right technology during composting, and creating awareness among the public about the harmful effects of heavy metals.

Lavangadhi Chooranam is a classical Siddha polyherbal formulation composed of 30 medicinal plants, widely used in the traditional Siddha system of medicine to treat conditions such as menstrual disturbances, diarrhoea, fever, excessive thirst, burning sensation, giddiness, hemorrhoids, cough, bronchial asthma, and menorrhagia. This review aims to explore the phytopharmacological significance of Lavangadhi Chooranam and its individual herbal components. A literature-based methodology was adopted using authentic Siddha texts and contemporary scientific databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate. The study identified the botanical names, plant families, parts used, and key pharmacological actions and chemical constituents of each ingredient. Analysis revealed that the formulation predominantly includes plant parts such as roots, seeds, and fruits, with Piperaceae, Apiaceae, and Zingiberaceae being the most represented families. The ingredients exhibit various pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antipyretic, antidiabetic, analgesic, and anticancer effects. Chemical profiling highlighted the abundance of terpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, and saponins. These compounds synergistically contribute to the formulation's therapeutic efficacy. This review provides scientific validation to the traditional use of Lavangadhi Chooranam and emphasizes the need for further experimental studies on its bioactive principles, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and clinical efficacy.