Principal Investigator

Meghna Krishnadas

I investigate the mechanisms that maintain diversity in ecosystems. My transition to ecology began with the realization that biodiversity was being lost at alarming rates. I went from activist to scientist because I felt that knowledge was essential to action, but I was also increasingly driven by intellectual curiosity about the complexity of life around us. Read more here.

PhD Students

Rishiddh

In my view, insects are the most underappreciated creatures. I study how insects eat plants and maintain plant diversity in the forests of the Western Ghats. They do not just eat plants mindlessly! In fact, they choose plants based on their characteristics, such as the chemicals they harbour, and their neighbourhoods. Insects eat more when most plants in the neighbourhood are of the same species or have similar chemicals. Thereby keeping the densities of similar plants low in any neighbourhood. I enjoy climbing mountains but I get distracted by insects along the way.

Shubham

My curiosity about the diverse life forms around us brings me here to the community ecology lab. I'm studying how plant roots mediate various below-ground processes that shape plant diversity. Whether exploring how root exudates shape plant communities or delving into the interactions between plants and mycorrhizal fungus, I'm looking at how all these processes make the ecosystem work. I am also fascinated by the mushrooms and fungi in the wild.

Sumashini

I've always thought of fungi as a mythical kingdom, a way of life so different from a plant or an animal one, the ways familiar to us. Yet, it is fascinating that the lives of plants and fungi could be so intertwined. I study seed-fungal interactions and how they help maintain tree diversity in tropical ecosystems. The prospect of seeing something new during every walk in the forest excites me, as does watching birds in the backyard. I'm always trying to catch up on my longlists - piled up books and playlists, amidst the daily vagaries of doing science.

Vinayak

Out of my various interests such as ecology, philosophy, neuroscience etc, I chose to focus on ecology. What connects all these subjects are complex and interesting patterns which also abound in ecology. While not doing something with the soil, I can be found reading or cooking something.

Dhrubo

A drive from curiosity, an appetite for 'why' kinda questions and love for nature is what made me pursue ecology and evolution. I'm interested in the cross talks between ecology and evolution and to cater to this interest for my PhD I'm exploring how variation within species can influence what goes on among species. I'm asking this question at multiple levels of variation like phenotypic and genetic coupled with multiple levels of ecological hierarchy like species geographical range and processes occurring within communities. Other than science I love reading on feminism, acting, styling, working out and dancing.

Sarbari

The strong dependence on theoretical framework and hypotheses driven research was what attracted me to ecology. My primary interests involve how herbivores and climate can influence species distribution and abundances. The high diversity of insect herbivores and the great adaptability of plant species make plant-insect interactions a suitable system for study. My work will take me across the biodiversity rich Western Ghats, a region which provides the scientist with much more than the narrow question at hand. Besides studying ecology, I can be found pondering over the intricacies of literature or enjoying the occasional movie at the theatre.

Anamitra

Ecological systems can be overwhelming and hard to interpret, which is why I’m drawn to functional traits as a way to make sense of patterns in community ecology. Trait-based approaches are well studied for plants but much less so for animals, and that’s the gap my work tries to address. I’m interested in finding useful animal traits that help explain how communities function. When I’m not hunched over my laptop, I enjoy playing darts, reading comics, watching pretentious niche films, and playing retro video games.

Project Assistants

Rochitha Shree

I am driven by my passion and experience in studying a diverse range of large mammals to seed-fungal interaction. Currently, I am working towards understanding the Impact of drought on forest saplings. In my free time, I find joy in exploring new places, bird watching, and hiking in the forest.

Athulya

With a background in botany and passion for conservation of Nature and natural resources, I am driven to unravel the intricacies of ecological processes in tropical forest ecosystems. I enjoy art and craft, inspiration for which I derive from my work and surroundings.

I enjoy spending time in nature and identifying plant species in my free time.

Radhika Rajendra

I hold a BS-MS degree, majoring in Biology. An interest in the biodiversity of my surroundings, combined with a growing awareness of habitat loss, led me to ecology. During my master’s dissertation at the CaFE lab, I examined the role of trait variation within plant species in shaping their distribution in the Eastern Ghats. I enjoy reading, baking, and obsessively maintaining my streak at the gym.

Gayathri

I am a 5th year integrated master's student majoring in Biological Sciences from IISER Berhampur. Looking at the insane diversity of forms and functions gives me the kick. I am currently studying Plant- Insect Herbivore Interactions. Apart from that I love being a movie snob, reading theory that I can't place and you can find me being easily distracted by anything and everything.

Aparna Lalit Mishra

Having a background in angiosperms taxonomy; classification and nomenclature of plants are interesting to learn. Understanding the interactions of species in an ecosystem gives the whole perspective. At CaFE lab, I am looking at seedling and saplings recruitment in the later life stages in the forest of Kerala, Western Ghats. I enjoy field work because it gives me the opportunity to travel. I actively take part in science education program. I enjoy Madhubani painting and swimming.

Anand Meharwade

With a master's degree in ecology and a bachelor's in forestry, I have worked in drylands of Karnataka, the Myristica swamps of Sirsi, riparian forests in Papua New Guinea, and the savannah forests of Srisailam. At the CaFE lab, I'm the project lead for establishing 1-ha forest dynamics plots at Kadamane, Western Ghats as part of the NCBS long-term research program, and in my free time I discover and map big and gigante trees. I'm also the field ecology course coordinator for Indica School.

Field Assistants

  Ebinesh

  Arul

 

Ashok

Postdoctoral Fellows

Rohit Sasidharan

As a chemical ecologist, I have previously explored intraspecific chemical variation in plants. Working at the scale of communities excites me since we can draw generalisable conclusions about how chemistry governs plant assembly at different geographies. Plants are among nature’s most efficient chemists, with each individual creating a wide array of chemicals- for purposes we have yet to fully uncover. In the CaFE lab, I study tree genera to understand how chemical diversity has unfolded over ecological gradients in the Western Ghats. I value cross-disciplinary approaches, and in my free time, enjoy music, anime, and hiking.

Vincy K Wilson

Driven by a passion for conserving biodiversity and understanding the adaptive plant intelligence, my research explores how seedlings survive and coordinate their functional traits to thrive under drought and shade in a changing climate. Beyond the lab, I enjoy capturing nature’s beauty through photography and creatively upcycling waste into crafts.

Ishrat Shaheen

Rooted in the Himalayan highlands, I explore how grasslands endure, adapt, and thrive amid shifting environmental rhythms. As a grassland ecologist, I study how temperate Himalayan grasslands respond to grazing, invertebrate herbivory, fungal pathogens, and climate change through field experiments, herbivore exclusion, and warming simulations. I have pioneered long-term environmental monitoring plots in Kashmir and helped build foundational datasets vital for understanding ecosystem change, while also contributing to BugNet on global herbivory patterns. Beyond research, I delight in cooking and savor the poetry of deep conversations, the quiet grace of understanding others, and the gentle art of offering empathetic support, which brings profound fulfilment.

Master's Students

Aravindhan KP

I’m a Master’s student in Wildlife Biology and Conservation at NCBS. I enjoy long walks spent quietly observing the life around me—especially insects. My broad interest lies in understanding how species coexist within ecosystems, particularly unique and lesser-known ones. Currently, I study how habitat structure shapes ant and spider communities in the red sand (Teri) ecosystems of South India. Outside the field, I’m into music, gaming, trivia, and football.

Aayush

I am a fifth-year student from IISER-Pune. I am primarily interested in ecosystems and their stability, and I'm presently using computational approaches in order to estimate ecosystem stability and its drivers. In my career, I hope to eventually guide data-driven decision-making for environmental conservation and sustainability purposes.

Lab Alumni

Vanga Lavanya

Soumalya Ghorui

Shreya Riswadkar

 Madhumita S

 K S Arpitha

Aayush Gupta

Vikhyath Premugh

Masters student at University College London

Devi Tejaswini

PhD Student at The University of Montana, USA

Rahul Dhalgarkar

Research fellow at Tata Memorial Centre's Advanced Centre for Treatment Research & Education in Cancer (TMC:ACTREC), Mumbai

Swathi R

Senior Assistant in the NCF Western Ghats Program

Leela Prasad

Manager at Community and Biodiversity

Malavika Kamath

MSc. in Wildlife Biology and Conservation at NCBS, Bangalore

Ashish Nambiar

PhD student at University of Indiana, USA

Bandaru Peddiraju

Project JRF at NCBS, Bangalore

Lakshmipriya Jayaraj Cannanbilla

PhD Student at University of Bayreuth, Germany

Rashmi

MS Climate Change and Sustainability at South Asian University
New Delhi