The Indian Wildlife Ecology Conference (IWEC) 2024: A Glimpse into the Future of Biodiversity Conservation
The second Indian Wildlife Ecology Conference (IWEC) was a gathering of researchers, scientists, and conservationists, all united by a shared goal: to understand and predict the future of wildlife ecology in India. This conference, held at Ashoka University in Sonepat, Haryana, showcased the latest advancements in the field, with a particular focus on the interplay between scientific understanding and practical conservation efforts.
One of the key takeaways from the conference was the importance of staying grounded in fieldwork and local institutions. While technology and artificial intelligence have expanded the scope of ecological research, speakers emphasized that these tools cannot replace the understanding that comes from direct engagement with nature. As Bilal Habib, from the Wildlife Institute of India, stated, "Unless and until we have field logic, we won't be able to analyze our data well."
The conference highlighted the diverse range of topics being explored in wildlife ecology, from evolutionary history and ecosystem change to bird conservation and animal physiology. For instance, Jahnavi Joshi traced the biodiversity of woody plants in the Western Ghats through deep evolutionary time, examining the role of geological history and climate gradients in shaping species diversity. Meanwhile, Mahesh Sankaran discussed the future of India's montane grasslands under climate change, highlighting the vulnerability of these ecosystems to rising temperatures and variable rainfall.
The conference also emphasized the importance of long-term monitoring and citizen science in tracking biodiversity changes. Ashwin Viswanathan, from the Nature Conservation Foundation, showcased how eBird India, a citizen-science platform, has generated valuable observations on bird migration and species distributions. Asad Rahmani, from the Bombay Natural History Society, urged scientists and citizens to take action to protect wildlife, citing the drying of Kashmir's Shallabugh wetland as an example.
However, the conference also underscored the limitations of scientific understanding alone in conservation efforts. A special session, 'Leveraging Global Policies for Local Conservation in India', explored how ecological knowledge can inform decision-making while recognizing the complex interplay between science, governance, and society. Jagdish Krishnaswamy, from the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, called for a shift from species-centric conservation to protecting the ecological processes that sustain entire landscapes.
The conference also addressed the role of technology in wildlife ecology, with speakers cautioning against viewing it as a replacement for ecological understanding. Panel discussions on artificial intelligence, genomics, and environmental DNA highlighted the transformative impact of these tools on the field. However, speakers also emphasized the importance of field logic and direct engagement with nature in ecological research.
In conclusion, the IWEC 2024 conference provided a glimpse into the future of biodiversity conservation in India, showcasing the latest advancements in wildlife ecology and the complex interplay between scientific understanding and practical conservation efforts. As Rohini Nilekani, a philanthropist and conference sponsor, aptly noted, "Wildlife ecologists are like the breeze that carries a spider's silk, allowing it to cast a web that would otherwise be impossible to build." The conference served as a reminder that individual strands of conservation become meaningful only when they connect, and that the future of wildlife ecology in India depends on the integration of scientific understanding and practical conservation efforts.
