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Research

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Plants are interesting to us because they can choose to change their genders, they can propagate vegetatively as well as sexually, they evolve with their interacting animals, they can polyploidize, hybridize and respond to chemical signaling. These fascinating features are investigated over several projects in the lab using molecular, chemical, ecological, and simulation-driven approaches.


Molecular phylogenetic approach:


i) Morphological trait evolution – evolution of floral and vegetative characters
ii) Biogeography – species diversification over large geographic spaces
iii) Speciation – phylogenetic relationships to resolve species complexes
iv) Flexistyly – evolution of flexistyly in Alpinia using NGS


Chemical ecology:


v) Evolution of floral fragrance in Zingiberaceae


Field ecology:


vi) Coevolution – Understanding geographic variations in plant-animal interactions
vii) Gender expression – Role of andromonoecy in plants
viii) Conservation – Role of forests as important pollinator source to agricultural crops

    - Field site: Western Ghats, Indo-Himalayan region


 

Simulation-driven:


vii) Emerging traits – Model-based approach to understand emerging traits and trends in ecology and floral morphology

 

 

Collaborators

 

Local collaborators

  • Bhutia tribe

  • Sikkim biodiversity board

  • Uttarakhand forest department

 

 

 

Publications

40. Shrotri, S., Kaur, S., Dhargalkar, R., Najla, P.V., & Gowda, V. (2024). Mass flowering and flowering asynchrony characterise a seasonal herbaceous community in the Western Ghats BioRxiv, 2024-11. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.10.622833

39Shrotri, S., Kaur, S., Nawge, V., Sandhya, S., Dandavate, R., & Gowda, V. (2024). Revisiting Aristotle's observation on bees: High floral constancy is common among bees but it is shaped by the locally abundant flowering species BioRxiv, 2024-10. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.28.614270v1

38. Maas, B., Cardelus, C., Carrasco Rueda, F., Chirango, Y., Gowda, V., Montaño‐Centellas, F., ... & Santiago, L. (2024). Supporting inclusive scientific communities: Insights from the ATBC society surveyBiotropica, e13378. https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.13378

37. Shrotri, S., & Gowda, V. (2024). Pollinator visitation pattern and differential reproductive compatibilities maintain bract colour polymorphism in a nocturnal ginger from Western Ghats, India. BioRxiv, 2024-09. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.09.21.614269

36. Yadav, R., & Gowda, V. (2024). Six new species of Globba L. (Zingiberales, Zingiberaceae) from the Eastern Himalayas and Northeast India. PhytoKeys, 246, 197–228. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.246.118751

35. Jiménez-Mejías, P., Manzano, S., Gowda, V., Krell, F. T., Lin, M. Y., Martín-Bravo, S., ... & Sánchez-Mata, D. (2024). Protecting stable biological nomenclatural systems enables universal communication: A collective international appeal. BioScience, biae043. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae043

34. Xavier, A., Yadav, R., & Gowda, V. (2024). Evolutionary patterns of variations in chromosome counts and genome sizes show positive correlations with taxonomic diversity in tropical gingers. American Journal of Botany, e16334. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16334

33. Xavier, A., & Gowda, V. (2024). Characterization of SSR markers from draft genome assembly and genotypic data in Hedychium spicatum (Zingiberaceae). Data in Brief, 55, 110568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2024.110568

32. Rhuthuparna, S.B. & Gowda, V. (2024). Didymocarpus janakiae (Gesneriaceae), a new species from the Eastern Himalayas, India. Nordic Journal of Botany, e04353. https://doi.org/10.1111/njb.04353

31. Ashokan, A. & Gowda, V. (2024). Etymological histories of all names in Hedychium (Zingiberaceae), Part I. HSI bulletin, 29(4), 9-14. 

30. Rhuthuparna, S.B. & Gowda, V. (2024). Microchirita karaketii (Gesneriaceae), a new record for India from Meghalaya. Rheedea, 34(1), 39-44. https://dx.doi.org/10.22244/rheedea.2024.34.1.03

29. Francila, F. A., Prasanna, N. S., Shrotri, S., Nawge, V., & Gowda, V. (2023). Life amidst debris: Urban waste management affects the utilization of anthropogenic waste materials in avian nest construction, Tropical Ecology, 64, 756-764.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s42965-023-00302-z

28. Ashokan, A., Leong‐Škorničková, J., Suksathan, P., Newman, M., Kress, W. J., & Gowda, V. (2022). Floral evolution and pollinator diversification in hedychium : Revisiting Darwin's predictions using an integrative taxonomic approach. American Journal of Botany, 109(9), 1410–1427. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16039

27. Ashokan, A., Xavier, A., Suksathan, P., Ardiyani, M., Leong-Škorničková, J., Newman, M., Kress, W. J., & Gowda, V. (2022). Himalayan orogeny and monsoon intensification explain species diversification in an endemic ginger (hedychium: Zingiberaceae) from the Indo-Malayan Realm. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 170, 107440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107440

26. Yadav, R., and Gowda, V. (2022). Shining a light on bulbils: Globba L. (Zingiberaceae). The Bulb Garden, 20(2), 1–4.

25. Ranavat, S., Becher, H., Newman, M.F., Gowda, V. & Twyford, A.D. (2021). A Draft Genome of the Ginger Species Alpinia nigra and New Insights into the Genetic Basis of Flexistyly. Genes, 12(9), 1297. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12091297

24. Prasanna, N.S. & Gowda, V. (2021). Didymocarpus vickifunkiae (Gesneriaceae), a New Species from the Indo-Burma Hotspot and Lectotypification of D. aureoglandulosus. Systematic Botany, 46(1), 229–234.  https://doi.org/10.1600/036364421X16128061189486

23. Surveswaran, S., Gowda, V. & Sun, M. (2020). Cryptic species and taxonomic troubles: a rebuttal of the systematic treatment of the Asian ladies’ tresses orchids (Spiranthes species; Orchidaceae) by Pace et al. (2019). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 194(3), 375–381, https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/boaa068

‌22. Saryan, P., Gupta, S. & Gowda, V. (2020). Species complex delimitations in the genus Hedychium: A machine learning approach for cluster discovery. Applications in Plant Sciences, 8(7), e11377. https://doi.org/10.1002/aps3.11377

21. Albal, A., Azad, G., Shrotri, S. and Gowda, V. (2020). When to be a male? Role of resource-limitation and pollinators in determining gender in an andromonoecious spiderwort. BioRxiv, 2020-06. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.06.06.138354

20. Prasanna, N.S. & Gowda, V. (2020). Rediscovery of four narrow endemic Didymocarpus species (Gesneriaceae) from Mizoram, India, with revised species descriptions and lectotypifications. PhytoKeys, 148, 1-19.   https://doi.org/10.3897%2Fphytokeys.148.49772

19. Prasanna, N.S., Liu, D.T., Saryan, P., Duan, S.Z., Cai, L. & Gowda, V. (2020). Didymocarpus sinoindicus (Gesneriaceae), a new species from India and China. Rheedea, 30(1), 135-142.  https://dx.doi.org/10.22244/rheedea.2020.30.01.07

18. Saryan, P. and Gowda, V. (2020). Low‐cost FloPump for regulated air sampling of volatile organic compounds. Applications in Plant Sciences, 8(4), e11343. https://doi.org/10.1002/aps3.11343

17. Ashokan, A. and Gowda, V. (2020). Diversity of the genus Hedychium J. Koenig (Zingiberaceae) in the Northeast India-III: Arunachal Pradesh. Heliconia Society International Bulletin, 26(3): 1-15.

16. Ashokan, A., and Gowda, V. (2019). Hedychium ziroense (Zingiberaceae), a new species of ginger lily from Northeast India. PhytoKeys, 117, 73-84. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.117.24951

15. Jiang, L., Wang, Q., Yu, J., Gowda, V., Johnson, G., Yang, J., Kan, X., Yang, X. (2018). miRNAome expression profiles in the gonads of adult Melopsittacus undulatus. PeerJ, 6, e4615. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4615

14. Surveswaran, S., Gowda, V., and Sun, M. (2018). Using an integrated approach to identify cryptic species, divergence patterns and hybrid species in Asian ladies’ tresses orchids (Spiranthes, Orchidaceae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 24, 106-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.02.025

13. Ashokan, A., and Gowda, V. (2018). Describing terminologies and discussing records: More discoveries of vivipary in the genus Hedychium J. Koenig (Zingiberaceae) from Northeast India. PhytoKeys, 96, 21-34.  https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.96.23461

12. Saryan, P., Ashokan, A., and Gowda, V. (2018). Diversity of the genus Hedychium J. Koenig (Zingiberaceae) in the Northeast of India-II: Manipur and Nagaland. Heliconia Society International Bulletin, 24(3), 1-8.

11. Verma, A.K., Diwan, D., Raut, S., Dobriyal, N., Brown, R.E., Gowda, V., Hines, J.K., and Sahi, C. (2017). Evolutionary Conservation and Emerging Functional Diversity of the Cytosolic Hsp70:J Protein Chaperone Network of Arabidopsis thaliana. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, 7(6), 1941-1954. https://doi.org/10.1534/g3.117.042291

10. Ashokan, A. and Gowda, V. (2017). Diversity of the genus Hedychium J. Koenig (Zingiberaceae) in the Northeast of India-IHeliconia Society International Bulletin. 23(2), 1-11.

9. Gowda, V. and Kress, W.J. (2013). A geographic mosaic of plant-pollinator interactions in the Eastern Caribbean Islands . Biotropica, 45, 224-235. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2012.00915.x

8. Zhang, L., Wang, X. Li, Gowda, V., Wang, M., Li, X., and Kan X. (2012). The Mitochondrial Genome of the Cinnamon Bittern, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus (Pelecaniformes: Ardeidae): Sequence, Structure and Phylogenetic Analysis. Molecular Biology Reports, 39(8), 8315-8326. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-012-1681-1

7. Gowda, V., Kress, W. J., and Htun, T. (2012). Two new species of gingers from Myanmar. PhytoKeys, 13, 5-14.  https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.13.2670

6. Gowda, V., Erickson, D. L., and Kress, W. J. (2012). Development and characterization of microsatellite loci for two Caribbean Heliconia (Heliconiaceae: H. bihai and H. caribaea). American Journal of Botany (Primer Notes & Protocols) 99, e81-3. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1100386

5. Gowda, V., Temeles, E. J., and Kress, W. J. (2012). Territorial fidelity to nectar sources by Purple-throated Caribs, Eulampis jugularis. Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 124(1), 81-86. https://doi.org/10.1676/11-061.1

4. Gowda, V. 2011. Island explorations and evolutionary investigations. The Plant Press, 14(3)

3. Côrtes, M.C., Gowda, V., Kress, W.J., Bruna EM, Uriarte M. (2009). Characterization of ten microsatellite markers for the understory Amazonian herb Heliconia  acuminata. Molecular Ecology Resources, 9(4), 1261-1264.  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-0998.2009.02627.x

2. Gowda, V. and Kress, W. J. (2008). Nectar characteristics of two Eastern Caribbean Heliconias (Heliconia: Heliconiaceae). Heliconia Society International Bulletin,14(4), 6-10. 

1. Borges, R. M., Gowda, V., and Zacharias, M. (2003). Butterfly pollination and high-contrast visual signals in a low-density distylous plant. Oecologia, 136(4), 571-573. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-003-1336-y

Popular Articles/Media coverage​

14. News article covering the discovery of six species new to science of the dancing girl ginger Globba (Zingiberaceae) from West Bengal, Meghalaya, and Mizoram, India was published in Hubnews , EastMojo, Nagaland Post and The Hindu

13. A news article covering the discovery of new species Didymocarpus janakiae from Arunachal Pradesh, named after botanist Dr Janaki Ammal was published in newspaper- Mathrubhumi and digital news outlets, EastMojo and Hubnews

12. A news article covering our new geographical record of Microchirita karaketii was published in news outlets - EastMojo and Shillong Times.

11. Newspaper article on the effect of anthropogenic waste materials in avian nest construction was published in the Patrika newspaper. 

10. Popular science article titled Birds use waste to build nests in a Bhopal institute was published in Mongabay-India [online].

9. April 2023: News article titled, "Botanical gardens and life on earth" was published in The Hindu by Kamal Bawa and Vinita Gowda.

8. Dr Vinita was featured in the spotify podcast 'Scientifically speaking' where she shares her scientific journey and experiences

7. SciCom article titled Didymocarpus discoveries from India : a taxonomic, historical, and geographic glimpse of six gesneriads from the NE of India. Gesneriads 71(4): 5-16 is out in Gesneriad magazine.

6. The Discovery of a new species of Gesneriaceae was covered by many newspapers including The Hindu, Times of India, Deccan Herald, Hindustan Times etc. Also check out the TV news coverage in Rajyasabha TV and Northeast Live.

5. Almanza. L.V., Sep. 2020. Virtual scientific conferences open doors to researchers around the world. [online] Science | AAAS.

4. Article titled Discoveries and rediscoveries: Stoneflowers in northeast India published in Mongabay-India.

3. An article titled 'Indian honey bees need some love' published in The Hindu talks about the importance of indigenous bees

2. An article on Preventing Plant Blindness featuring Vinita Gowda published in IndiaBioscience.

1. Blog post on Why IISER Bhopal’s Scientist-Parents are Breathing Easy documents Vinita Gowda's initiative to establish a functional crèche and daycare within the IISER Bhopal campus.

Presentations

Oral and poster presentations

 

Teaching

 

BIO 406/626: Evolutionary Ecology (4 credits)

History of the theory of evolution, introduction to evolutionary biology; experimental design; population ecology; ecological communities; ecosystem ecology; community change and succession; adaptive evolution, neutral evolution, types of selection, evolution of genotype, phenotype, concepts of population genetics: Hardy-Weinberg principle, selection, drift, migration, evolution of sex, life history traits, r and K selection, group selection, extinction; trophic interactions: plant-pollinator, plant-disperser, herbivory, predation, optimal foraging, parasitism, competition, mutualism; conservation ecology. Phylogenetics and molecular ecology.

 

Recommended reading:

1. Ecology. Michael L. Cain, William D. Bowman, and Sally D. Hacker. 2014

2. The Economy of Nature. Robert Ricklefs. 2008.

3. Introductory Ecology. Peter Cotgreave and Irwin Forseth. 2002.

4. An introduction to behavioral ecology. N B. Davies, J R Krebs, and SA West. 2012.

5. The experimental analysis of distribution and abundance. C. J. Krebs. 2008.

 

 

BIO 414/634: Behavioral Biology (4 credits)

The importance of studying behavior. Historical perspective, Tinbergen's four questions for studying behavior; development of behavior; evolution of behavior. Learning and memory: innate and learned behavior. Important behaviors such as general communication, foraging, mate search, predator avoidance. Social behaviors such as leks, migration, altruism, reciprocity, kin selection, and eusociality. Introduction to plant behavior. Sensory systems - auditory and visual systems, basic organization and adaptations. Neural mechanisms of selected behavior such as echolocation in bat, counter sonics and predator avoidance in moths and directional locations in owls. The above topics will be complemented with discussions of classic and recent research papers in the field of behavioral biology.

 

Recommended reading:

1. Animal behavior: an evolutionary approach. Alcock J. 2013.

2. Behavioral Neurobiology: an integrative approach. G. K. Zupanc. 2010.

3. An introduction to behavioral ecology. N B. Davies, J R Krebs, and SA West. 2012.

 

NKN BIO 422: Evolution (4 credits, with IISER-Pune)

 

Brief history of evolutionary thought. Population genetics: Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, models for selection, mutation, drift, migration, inbreeding, linkage.

Molecular evolution and neutral theory. Quantitative genetics, adaptive landscapes, Fisher's fundamental theorem, Price's equation, Wright's shifting balance theory. History of life on earth. Species concepts, speciation, phylogenetic trees. Adaptations,

life history evolution, experimental evolution, multi-level selection, sexual selection, sociobiology. Evolutionary developmental biology, extended evolutionary synthesis. Evolutionary psychology, evolutionary medicine, evolution and society. Critical thinking in evolutionary biology.

 

Recommended reading:

1. Evolutionary Analysis: S. Freeman and J.C. Herron. 2007.

2. Evolution: D.J. Futuyma. 1997.

3. Evolution: N.H. Barton, D.E.G. Briggs, J.A. Eisen, D.B. Goldstein and N.H. Patel. 2007.

4. Principles of Population Genetics: D.L. Hartl and A.G. Clark. 1997

5. Evolution—The Extended Synthesis: M. Pigliucci and G.B. Muller. 2010.

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