PhD scholar (Defended the thesis)
Email: 1sangeethavarma@gmail.com
Since from my post-graduation, I am associated with Central University of Kerala. I did my MSc. in Animal science in CUK and subsequently enrolled for integrated MPhil-PhD programme under the guidance of Dr.P A Sinu, which gave me the opportunity to enter into the world of insects.
During my MPhil period, I have done the phylogenetic analysis of the Onthophagus dung beetles from Northern Kerala region. Later, I enrolled for PhD in June 2014. I am broadly interested on biology, ecology and taxonomy of bees, and pollination ecology. I did my PhD on pollination ecology of wild herbaceous plant community in agroecosystems.
Achievements:
- Central University of Kerala Merit Scholarship, 2010-2012
- Third rank in MSc. Animal science, Central University of Kerala
- Awarded Kerala State Council for Science and Technology PhD Fellowship, 2014
- Qualified Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE- Life sciences)-2017
Publications:
- Varma S, Rajesh TP, Manoj K, Asha G, Jobiraj T, Sinu PA (2020) Nectar robbers deter legitimate pollinators by mutilating flowers. Oikos 129: 868-878
- Varma, S., Sinu, P.A. 2019. Nectar robbing in bellflowers (Sesamum radiatum) benefited pollinators but unaffected maternal function of plant reproduction. Scientific Reports 9: 8357. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44741-y
- Sinu, P.A., Varma, S., Reshmi, K.S., Aswathi, K., Megha, P.P., Jasna, T.V., Nikhila Reshmi, N.V., Sibisha, V.C. (2019) Effect of flower sex ratio on fruit set in pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima). Scientia Horticulturae 246: 1005 – 1008.
- Anusree., C.Abhina.,P.P.Lishiba.,T.V.Rasna., Sangeetha Varma and Palatty allesh Sinu., Flower sex expression in cucurbit crops of Kerala:Implications for pollination and fruitset.curr.sci.,2015,109,2229-2302.
- Sneha S. Kambli., M. S. Aiswarya.,K. Manoj.,Sangeetha Varma., G. Asha.,T. P. Rajesh and Palatty allesh sinu., Leaf foraging sources of leafcutter bees in a tropical environment: implications for conservationApidologie,2017, 10.1007/s13592-016-0490-2
- Palatty Allesh Sinu.,Sangeetha Varma.,U.Prashanth Ballullaya.,G.Asha and Prabitha Mohan (2016).Natural history and behavioral ecology of bees.In Palatty Allesh Sinu and K.R.Shivanna(Ed.),Mutualistic interactions between flowering plants and animals (pp.50-70).Manipal University Press.
Conferences/ workshops/seminars attended:
- Selected for Oral presentationat 2017 ESA Annual meeting to be held during 06/08/2017 to 11/08/2017 at Portland, Oregon on the topic ‘Facilitation not competition in plant-pollinator mutualisms: staggered diurnal flower blooming period in three Malvacean species supports facilitation hypothesis
- Attended and presented a poster in Indian Biodiversity Congress on 9-12 march 2017 at Pondicherry University on the topic “Importance of weeds in sustaining the pollinators”.
- Post conference workshop in “Biostatistics: An introduction to R, 1st march to 3rd March 2016, Department of Animal science, Central university of Kerala.
- “Insect biodiversity studies: Where does India stand in the global map”-29th-31st march 2016-Joint conference of Department of Animal science, Entomological society of India and Prof. T C Narendran Trust for animal taxonomy
- National Workshop on Pollination ecology- A practical approach– 14-16 January 2016, Department of Zoology, Government College Kodanchery, Calicut.
- Workshop on “Pollination of flowers by insects from ecology to chemistry and Behavior”, 9-13 January 2016, IISER Trivandrum.
- Indian bee course, 10-14 August 2015, Department of Animal science, Central
- University of Kerala
- Training Programme on Taxonomy of bees and other pollinators, 29th December 2014- 3rd January 2015, Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural sciences, Bangalore.
- “National symposium on Human-wildlife conflict or co-existence: What we want?”– 15th October 2014, Department of Animal science, Central University of Kerala
- “National workshop on Concepts and practices in Ecology of plant- animal
- Interactions”– May 20-27, 2014, Department of Animal science, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala.