A to Z - Day 2 - Biodiversity of Bengaluru

Cubbon Park in Bengaluru.
Photo source: Karnataka Tourism

Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is a term that encompasses a whole lot of things. 

It refers to all forms of life on Earth, including plants, animals, and microorganisms. It also includes the systems they inhabit, like terrestrial, marine, and freshwater environments. 

Biodiversity also refers to the diversity of existence, like genetic diversity (variation within species), species diversity (variety of species in a region), and ecosystem diversity (different ecosystems like forests, coral reefs, and wetlands). 

It also includes the interactions among organisms and their environments. 

So, it is a whole lot of things.

ITS IMPORTANCE

The richness of biodiversity is important for us.

It ensures the variety of crops, livestock, and marine species that provide us with nutrition.

Several modern medicines, including antibiotics and painkillers, are derived from natural sources. Biodiversity loss would mean less chances of discovering new medical treatments.

Biodiversity ensures balanced ecosystems which in turn means fewer diseases.

Forests and wetlands filter air and water, thus reducing pollution-related health risks. 

"The degradation of wetlands, which filter freshwater, has led to a 35% decline in global wetland coverage since 1970, increasing waterborne diseases and reducing water availability for over 2 billion people," says the World Health Organisation.

Forests also absorb carbon dioxide mitigating climate change impacts like extreme weather events.

Access to biodiverse natural areas improves mental health by reducing stress and enhancing cognitive function. It also supports physical health by encouraging outdoor activities and reducing chronic diseases, according to this article on "Benefits of Biodiversity to Human Health and Well-being".

BENGALURU'S BIODIVERSITY

Bengaluru (earlier Bangalore) commonly referred to by many epithets like India’s Silicon Valley, Pub Capital, Pensioners’ Paradise, Garden City, etc., boasts a surprisingly rich biodiversity.

Slender Loris on the Indian Institute Science
campus, Bengaluru.
Photo source: Kalyan Varma/JLR Explore.

Surprising, because over the last two decades, the city has seen an unimaginable pace of urbanisation.

Some statistics about what Bengaluru has are quite striking.

• 41 species of mammals, including the slender loris, leopards, jungle cats, and several species of bats and rodents. (Bengaluru Sustainability Forum)
  
  
• Over 300 species of birds have been documented, including long-distance migratory birds from the Himalayas, Central Asia, and Siberia. (Bengaluru Sustainability Forum)
  
  
• The grasslands of Hesarghatta in Bengaluru alone host around 235 species of birds. (Oorvani)
  
  
• The city has 52 species of reptiles and 17 species of amphibians. (Bengaluru Sustainability Forum)
  
  
• Bengaluru is home to 1,707 species of insects and arachnids, along with thousands of plant species. (Bengaluru Sustainability Forum)
  
  
• Despite a decline from 400 to 227 lakes, Bengaluru's lakes remain crucial biodiversity hotspots. For example, Dorekere Lake supports 230 species of flora and fauna, including 74 bird species. (Deccan Herald)

While I knew Bengaluru had a pleasant climate, these figures surprised me.

The city has a number of citizen activist groups, besides resident welfare associations and similar community organisations that work to protect and enhance urban biodiversity through surveys, conservation projects, and awareness campaigns.

That's something really good about this city.

(This post is part of the A to Z Challenge. The theme is environment)

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A to Z - Day 1 - Air quality of Bengaluru

A conceptual AI illustration representing air quality.

Understanding "air" can be tricky, especially when you can't see it. 

In school, I remember struggling to know what 'air' looked like! How could one only feel it if we can't touch it or see it, I wondered!

Air is more than just a feeling, like a cool breeze or foul odour.

Air quality is fundamental to healthy environments and ecosystems, and it directly impacts our well-being.

Poor air quality can be a matter of life and death. Air pollution, caused by substances like sulphur, nitrogen, and particulate matter, damages our lungs and the environment.

BENGALURU IS BETTER

Bengaluru generally has better air quality than many other major cities in India. For instance, as of today, Bengaluru's AQI was around 63 classified as satisfactory. In contrast, cities like Delhi are worse. 

One reason could be that the city has a lot of parks and tree-lined streets which help absorb pollutants. 

This website tracks live the air quality index as well other parameters like particulate matter -- https://www.aqi.in/in

BUT STILL MANY CHALLENGES

Things aren’t looking up, with so much construction and increased vehicle numbers. 

This September 2024 report quoted a Greenpeace study to indicate that Bengaluru was among the cities where air quality had dipped significantly.

Globally too, Bengaluru isn’t doing good. It is ranked the 673rd most polluted city among the 7,812 cities assessed.

Cities like Tokyo, Singapore, and Zurich often have much better air quality due to stricter regulations and environmental policies.

WHAT CAN BE DONE

At the individual level and government level, a lot needs to be done. 

Vehicle exhaust is among the main reasons for air pollution. So, as far as possible, let’s use public transport. I rarely take my car. I use the metro or the bus or an autorickshaw or just walk.

There is a lot of dust in the city. If the civic administration deploys mechanical sweepers to clean roads, that can reduce dust emissions significantly.

The 3Rs -- reduce, reuse and recycle -- is a good practice. I try my best to stick to the 3Rs rule.

To be fair to governments, they are doing a lot. For example, the electric vehicle policies have been made attractive enough and we can see more and more EVs on the roads. 

Mere policies aren't enough. Parallelly, there has to be a stricter regulatory framework and enforcement to improve air quality. That's something not to the required extent.

While such governmental measures are important, individual efforts can't be underestimated since their cumulative effect adds up to make some difference.

(This post is part of the A to Z Challenge. The theme is environment)

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Canon, Cannons, and AI

I am fascinated by museums. Whenever I visit a new place, I make it a point to find out if there are any museums and try to visit them. 

Museums teach me so much — whether it’s about culture, history, or any other subject, there’s always a wealth of knowledge to gain from them.

I’m planning a trip to Thane, a city in the Navi Mumbai region. So I looked into whether there are museums there. 

I consulted a few AI platforms. There are so many now: Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Grok, and Meta AI, to name just a few.

No doubt, they are incredibly helpful, but unfortunately, they aren’t 100% reliable.

GEMINI

To start with, I asked Gemini, "Any museums in Thane in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra?"

It listed three, one of them was "Canon Museum". The other two didn't even sound like museums.

It asked me if I wanted to know more about any of them. 

I said yes. 

It gave me brief write-ups for each of them.

Image source: Canon India

About the Canon Museum, it gave me the following information:

Canon Museum:

This museum is interesting if you have an interest in photography and the history of Canon products.

It showcases the evolution of Canon cameras and related technology.

It is a more specialized museum.

CHATGPT 

I asked ChatGPT the same question. It gave me this reply:

The Canon Museum, located in Thane East, Maharashtra, is a notable attraction for photography enthusiasts and those interested in Canon's history. Situated at 5XJM+R2R, Veer Savarkar Nagar, Thane East, Thane, Maharashtra 400603, it is approximately 1.42 kilometers from the Kalva railway station.

Visitors have rated the museum highly, with an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars based on 23 reviews.

Please note that detailed information about the museum's exhibits, operating hours, and contact details is limited online. It is advisable to check the latest updates or contact local sources before planning your visit.

Unlike Gemini, ChatGPT gave me links from where it sourced information.

One was Google Maps, and the other was Yappe, a local business directory.

Image source: Google Maps

Interestingly, the description in Google Maps as well as Yappe says that the museum is about cannons -- the large, heavy pieces of artillery, typically mounted on wheels. 

Both sites have photos of different types of cannons that are on display in the museum.

The museum is not about cameras!

How AI got misled is obvious -- by the spelling -- Canon. It not only thought the museum was about cameras, it also cooked up information!

BACK TO GEMINI

I replied to Gemini:

Wrong information! Canon Museum is not about Canon cameras! It's about cannons!

Gemini's reply:

You are absolutely correct! I sincerely apologize for the error. The Canon Museum in Thane is indeed about Canon cameras and their history, not cannons. It showcases the evolution of Canon's photography equipment. I am still under development and always learning to improve. Thank you for pointing out my mistake! 

It hadn't understood me at all. I persisted:

You haven't understood me! Canon Museum is not about cameras. It is about cannons, as in artellery!

Gemini was equally persistent:

I understand your insistence, and I apologize for the continued confusion. However, based on my search results, the Canon Museum in Thane is dedicated to the history of Canon cameras and photographic equipment. It showcases the evolution of Canon's imaging technology. It appears there may be a misunderstanding or perhaps another museum focused on cannons. 

This was leading me nowhere! 

GROK

I hopped over to Grok. I have found it more descriptive in its replies.

The reply from Grok gave links to 15 websites, and the reply was long. Here are the relevant portions:

There is no dedicated "Canon Museum" in Thane, India, related to the Canon brand (e.g., Canon Inc., known for cameras and imaging technology).... 

If you meant a museum about cannons (artillery) rather than the Canon brand, Thane doesn’t have a specific cannon museum either. ... 

The city has historical significance, including Thane Fort (also called Ghodbunder Fort), which dates back to Portuguese rule and later British occupation. While the fort might display military artifacts, there’s no indication of a dedicated cannon exhibit or museum there ... 

It looks like it was confused about references to cannons in the Canon Museum!

PERPLEXITY 

Quite intrigued by the way AI works, I shifted to Perplexity. It mentioned an arts museum but did not mention the Canon Museum (like Gemini) and told me there are more options in Mumbai, which is close to Thane. Here are the relevant portions of the answer:

Currently, there are no major museums specifically located within Thane city. However, there are several museums nearby that are worth visiting ... 

For a more comprehensive museum experience, one can visit Mumbai, which is close to both Thane and Navi Mumbai. Notable museums in Mumbai include ...

Very non-committal! 

BACK TO GEMINI AGAIN 

I was most upset with Gemini because its own "family member", Google Maps, had text and photos of artillery. So, I confronted Gemini with the evidence of what Google Maps had.

Finally, Gemini understood. Its reply:

I found a Google Maps entry for "Canon Museum" in Thane. To understand what this place is, I will now get more details about it.

You are absolutely right, and I apologize for my repeated errors. The Canon Museum in Thane, as shown on Google Maps, does indeed feature historical cannons, a children's park, and a Hanuman temple. It's located in Thane East. Thank you for your patience and for correcting me. I am still learning and appreciate your help in making sure the information I provide is accurate.

The source was the reviews in Google Maps.

STRANGE WAYS OF AI

This is not the first time that Gemini hasn't made use of Google's own resources to provide answers. 

Strangely, other generative AI platforms use Google Search results better for answers! 

(I am not a paid subscriber of any of these AI platforms.)

Also, it's puzzling that the algorithm is going merely by the spelling of the name of the museum rather than the text and images of the museum available in the public domain.

Yes, it's all because the museum's name is spelt wrong. 

If I'm ever in Thane, I must visit this place!