The complex topic of biodiversity appeared to taken a meaningful dimension when St. Agnes College organised an exhibition on Thursday that effectively sent across the message to preserve it. They also highlighted the challenges in achieving that goal.
It is open to the public on Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.
Students showcased a bank with 300 types of seeds, including foodgrains, pulses, spices and fruits. There is Chinese glutinous, black rice and “brown Basmati”.
There are seeds of “Entada”, a seed so large that it is used as a snuff bottle, red and multi-coloured “gulganji” and American “pecan” nut. Venitia Rasquinha, second year, B.Sc. (CBZ) has contributed 250 seeds which she collected from the outskirts of Mangalore, to the seed bank.
Noeline Pinto, head of the department of botany, said her department's project was inspired by the “Adopt a seed” initiative of the Kew Gardens in the U.K. The department of zoology has collected 15 species of butterfly, including one with a wingspan of over three inches. It has showcased 25 types of shell, all collected from the Panambur beach. It has collected from near Mangalore nests of birds, including that of the kite, crow, bulbul, baya weaver bird, tailor bird and sunbird. Almost every aspect of biodiversity has been showcased in over 25 projects presented by students from five departments of the college.
The students met environmentalists, consulted experts, spoke to professionals, and researched for over a year, said Dr. Ita D'Souza, professor of Chemistry, St. Agnes College. The theme of biodiversity was chosen as the U.N. had declared 2010 as the Year of Biodiversity.
