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The Nandhour Landscape located in an eco-fragile biodiversity rich Terai Arc Landscape of India is protected in the form of a wildlife sanctuary and is least explored in terms of insect diversity and functions. Therefore, this study aimed to provide baseline information on the biodiversity of insects and their ecological functions in tropical to sub-tropical forest ecosystems which is important for the successful long-term provisioning of ecosystem functions and services in the protected landscape. Using standardized sampling techniques, the present study examined the structure and composition of insect assemblages in terms of their comparative diversity and richness across a range of habitat types in the Nandhour Landscape. Besides, the present study also evaluated the ecological significance of insect fauna. A total of 230 insect species belonging to 47 families and nine orders were recorded from various habitats and Lepidoptera was the most dominant insect order in terms of both richness and abundance, followed by Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Odonata and others. Species diversity and richness were the highest in dense moist and open dry riverine forests, while the least in plantation forest and agricultural land. The heterogeneous structure and composition substantiated the importance of overall spatial heterogeneity and natural forests in sustaining and maintaining the rich insect diversity. Conservation of insect diversity is highly important as several species provide crucial ecosystem services and aid in the functioning of various ecologically fragile habitats of the landscape.

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The current study gives more information on Lepidoptera (butterfly) diversity and their food plant resources in the conifer woods of Shimla Water Catchment Wildlife Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh. The study was carried out during the three distinct seasons; summer, monsoon, and autumn from March 2019–April 2022. A total of 1650 butterflies, representing 68 species and 6 families were recorded. The Nymphalidae comprised the greatest number of species (28 species), followed by the Lycaenidae (15), Pieridae (13), Papilionidae (7), Hespiradie (4) and Riodinidae (1). Species abundance and richness were more in mixed forest type which owing water and grass-cover availability supported most unique butterfly assemblages as compared to pure conifers and oak forest. The months from April to November harbor the greatest abundance of species. An overall reduction in species abundance was seen from December through January and until the end of March. This study provides an understanding of butterflies and has inspired additional investigation for the restoration of forest habitats in this protected area. The current study on diversity shows the importance of preserving biodiversity and monitoring climate change. It offers a basic identification, gathers data from a comparative viewpoint, allows synthesis, and develops and stimulates ideas and hypotheses that are applicable to other fields.

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Potato (Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum) cultivars grown under tropical conditions exhibit comparatively poor yields compared to the temperate conditions, hence, there is need for stable cultivars with greater yields. The interactions of four cultivars with ten environments for 2 years under All India Coordinated Research Project (Potato) across the country for 2 harvesting stage (75 and 90 DAP) revealed that the cultivars were significantly different among themselves for Total Yield (TY) and Marketable Yield (MY) harvested at 75 and 90 DAP at seven and eight environments, respectively. The pooled analysis showed a significant difference for cultivar and environmental main effects for all traits, indicating the existence of cultivars genetic variability justified from the heterogeneity of environments. The significant effect of G×E interaction for TY and MY at 90 DAP, and a non significance for the same traits at 75 DAP clearly indicated that the prevailing environments during early crop stage were uniform as compared to its later harvesting stage. Partitioning of G×E interaction into linear and non linear components were highly significant for all traits, strongly suggesting the real differences in cultivars for regression over environmental means and the response of cultivars to environment was controlled genetically. The cultivar K. Pukhraj was proven as early bulking and stable cultivar for TY and MY at 75 DAP and predictable in nature, as against K. Khyati which was stable cultivar for TY and MY at 90 DAP across growing environments. Hence, K. Khyati, which recorded the highest TY (27.45 t ha^-1) and MY (25.24 t ha^-1) for harvesting at 75 DAP, and TY (31.28 t ha^-1) and MY (28.19 t ha^-1) at 90 DAP, can be recommended for tropical conditions.