Faculty Profile

Suresh Babu is an Ecologist engaged in teaching and research at the School of Human Ecology (SHE) at Ambedkar University. His Doctoral research work was on the ecology and patterns of natural resource use of Great Nicobar Island, in the Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago. He joined the interdisciplinary team at the School of Human Ecology in July, 2011 as an Assistant Professor.

He began his post-doctoral research career as a Research Scientist with the Centres of Excellence programme of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India. Over subsequent years he has worked in the area of Conservation Biology, Ecological Restoration, Invasive Species Management, Ecological Networks, Social-Ecological Systems and Ecological Economics. He has researched and taught at post-graduate level at the School of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi before moving to AUD. He is an active member of Professional Societies in the area of Ecology, Ecological Restoration, Conservation Biology and Ecological Economics, and is an editor and reviewer for several reputed journals in these areas.

At Ambedkar University he has held responsibilities in the academic administration in various capacities. He has been the Dean, Student Services; Director, AUD Incubation and Entrepreneurship Centre and Dean, School of Human Ecology in the recent past. Presently he is the Dean, School of Undergraduate Studies and Director, Centre for Urban Ecology and Sustainability. He maintains his primary teaching responsibilities at the School of Human Ecology.

Education Qualifications

• M.Sc. Environmental Biology. University of Delhi.
• PhD in Ecology and Ecological Economics, University of Delhi (Department of Environmental Studies and Institute of Economic Growth) CSIR-JRF

• Dean, School of Undergraduate Studies, Ambedkar University Delhi
• Dean, Student Services, Ambedkar University Delhi
• Dean, School of Human Ecology, Ambedkar University Delhi
• Professor, School of Human Ecology, Ambedkar University Delhi
• Associate Professor, School of Human Ecology, Ambedkar University Delhi
• Director, Centre for Urban Ecology and Sustainability, Ambedkar University Delhi, 2015- Present
• Assistant Professor, School of Human Ecology, AUD, 2011-2016

• Chauhan, S., Yadav, G., & Babu, S. (2022). Ecological networks in urban forest fragments reveal species associations between native and invasive plant communities. Plants, 11(4), 541.
• Singh, R., Bhutia, K. S., Bhutia, T. U., & Babu, S. (2022). Rangeland Conservation, Pastoralist Displacement, and Long-term Implications of a Grazing Ban in the Indian Himalaya. Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal, 5(1), 195-221.
• Mishra, P., Prasad, A., Babu, S., & Yadav, G. (2021). Decision support systems based on scientific evidence: bibliometric networks of invasive Lantana camara. Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy, 87(1), 133-138.
• Gupta, R., Prasad, A., Babu, S., & Yadav, G. (2021). Impact of Coronavirus Outbreaks on Science and Society: Insights from Temporal Bibliometry of SARS and COVID-19. Entropy, 23(5), 626.
• Singh R, Sharma RK, Bhutia TU, Bhutia K andBabu S (2021) Conservation Policies, Eco-Tourism, and End of Pastoralism in Indian Himalaya? Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. Vol 5:613998. DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.613998
• Singh MOK, Babu S (2021) Cultural entomology and edible insect diversity in a wetland ecosystem: A case study from the Loushi Pat Basin, Manipur. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 20(1),180-190
• Gupta R., Prasad A., Babu S., Yadav G. (2021) Temporal Bibliometry Networks of SARS, MERS and COVID19 Reveal Dynamics of the Pandemic. In: Benito R.M., Cherifi C., Cherifi H., Moro E., Rocha L.M., Sales-Pardo M. (eds) Complex Networks & Their Applications IX. COMPLEX NETWORKS 2020 2020. Studies in Computational Intelligence, vol 944. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65351-4_56
• Singh R, Sharma R.K, Babu S, et al. (2020). Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Contemporary Changes in the Agro-pastoral System of Upper Spiti Landscape, Indian Trans-Himalayas. Pastoralism 10, 15 . https://doi.org/10.1186/s13570-020-00169-y
• Babu S., Yadav G. (2019) Robustness Through Regime Flips in Collapsing Ecological Networks. In: Aiello L., Cherifi C., Cherifi H., Lambiotte R., Lió P., Rocha L. (eds) Complex Networks and Their Applications VII. COMPLEX NETWORKS 2018. Studies in Computational Intelligence, vol 812. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05411-3_67
• Singh, R., Sharma, R.K. & Babu, S.(2015) Pastoralism in Transition: Livestock Abundance and Herd Composition in Spiti, Trans-Himalaya. Human Ecology 43, 799–810 .https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-015-9789-2
• Sundar, K.S.G., Chauhan, A.S., Kittur, S. Babu S et al. ( 2015). Wetland Loss and Waterbird use of Wetlands in Palwal District, Haryana, India: The Role of Agriculture, Urbanization and Conversion to Fish Ponds. Wetlands 35, 115–125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-014-0600-8
• Kamei, R.G., San Mauro, D., Gower, D.J., Van Bocxlaer, I., Sherratt, E., Thomas, A., Babu, S., Bossuyt, F., Wilkinson, M. & Biju, S.D. (2012) Discovery of a new family of amphibians from northeast India with ancient links to Africa. Proceedings of the Royal Society Biological Sciences, 1–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2012.0150
• Yadav G, Babu S (2012) NEXCADE: Perturbation Analysis for Complex Networks. PLoS ONE 7(8): e41827. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0041827
• Babu. S, A. Love and C. R. Babu.(2010). Resolve and restoration for ecosystems overrun by invasives. Current Conservation. Vol 4.1, 10-12
• Babu S., Love A., & Babu R.C. (2009) Ecological Restoration of Lantana-Invaded Landscapes in Corbett Tiger Reserve, India. Ecological Restoration 27(4): 467- 477
• Love, A., D. Naik, S.K. Basak, Babu S, N. Pathak & C.R. Babu. 2009. Variability in foliar essential oils among different morphotypes of Lantana species complexes and its taxonomic and ecological significance. Chemistry and Biodiversity 6: 2263-2274
• Love A, Babu S., & Babu R.C. (2009) Management of Lantana, an invasive alien weed, in forest ecosystems of India. Current Science 97(10)
• Babu. S. and Babu. C. R. (2005). Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve- A Little Known Isle of Biological Exuberance. Species, Volume 43, 9-10.
• Babu. S., Kothamasi, David M. (2004). Primitve Jarawas or Primitive Scientific Ethics? Current Science, Vol 86, No.7, 893-894.
• Babu. S., Leighton. Denys P. (2004). The Shompen of Great Nicobar Island (India)- between development and disappearance. Policy Matters. Volume 13, Pages 198-211, November 2004.

2019-20

• Kaushik A, & Babu S (2020) Spatial Response of Equus Kiang to Livestock Presence in Tsokar Basin, Ladakh. International Symposium on Society and Resource Management: 2020 ISSRM – Virtual Conference, Hosted by IASNR July 11-26, 2020
• Yadav S, & Babu S. (2020). Distribution of Carbon and Nitrogen pools in Tso Kar Basin: Exploring proximity to Human settlements and Tourist camps. BES Quantitative Ecology Online Meeting 2020
• Tayebulla, F & Babu S. (2020). Preliminary Study of Artisanal Fishing Community, Assam. International Conference on Rivers for Future: University of Kerala, India
• Kumar V, Chauhan S, Kumar M, Kumari R, Babu S & Yadav G (2019) “Chemical Curation of Lantana camara Emissions across Native/ Invaded Habitats” Zenodo DOI:10.5281/zenodo.3558770
• Delivered Talk at National Frontiers of Science (NatFoS) Meeting 2019 organised by Indian National Young Academy of Science (INYAS)

2017-18

• Babu S and Yadav G (2018) Extinction Curves and Error Propagation in Mutualistic Ecological Networks: The Case of Frugivores in a Tropical Rainforest. In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Complex Networks and Their Applications. December 11-13, 2018, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
• Moderated a session (Technical Session 4), at the International Conference on Maritime Traditions of The Indian and Pacific Oceans, at Kochi, Kerala, India, 22-24 March 2018.
• Suresh Babu helped organize the International Conference on Maritime Traditions of The Indian and Pacific Oceans, at Kochi, Kerala, India, 22-24 March 2018.
• Workshop on R for Ecological Economics, Indian Society for Ecological Economics, TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi
• Babu S, Extinction curves and error propagation in mutualistic ecological networks: The case of frugivores in a tropical rainforest. 7th international conference, Complex Networks and their applications, at Cambridge, United Kingdom, December 2018
• Suresh Babu was invited to be part of an independent evaluation committee, created by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), to evaluate a Major, World Bank aided national project, implemented in six States, June–September 2018.
• Invited to be part of a National Network Project in Invasive Species as a subject expert, by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, organized at NIPGR, 7 August 2018.
• Delivered a lecture, Wetlands: Ecology, management, and restoration at water science and policy program, coordinated by the Centre for Public Affairs and Critical Theory (CPACT), at Shiv Nadar University, 25 October 2018
• As part of the EQUAL team from AUD, made a series of presentations, and participated in discussions at the University of Bologna (9, 10 June) and King’s College London (13–15 June).
• Presented at paper and moderated a session at the 7th World Conference on Ecological Restoration in the VIIth World Congress on Ecological Restoration, at Iguacu, Brazil, 27th August-1September 2017.

2015-16

• Babu, S. “Fuelwood Dependence of Urban Forests.” Paper co-presented at the Eighth INSEE Biennial Conference, Urbanization and the Environment, IISc, Bengaluru, January 2016
• Yadav M, Babu S and Yadav G. (2015). Patterns of Codon Usage in Plastidial Genomes of Ancient Plants Provide Insights into Evolution.In Proceedings of the International Conference on Bioinformatics Models, Methods and Algorithms - Volume 1: BIOINFORMATICS, (BIOSTEC 2015) ISBN 978-989-758-070-3, pages 144-149. DOI: 10.5220/000524630144014
• Babu S. (2015, February). Restoring urban wetlands: Challenges and opportunities. Talk delivered at the conference ‘Marginal Ecologies’ at the Indian Institute of Public Administration by School of Human Ecology, Project EQUAL and Centre for Urban Ecology and Sustainability at the Ambedkar Univesity.

2013-14

• Babu S, & Sehgal S. (2014, December). Integrating multiple stakeholders in the ecological restoration of an iron ore mine in Odisha, India. Paper presented at the Conference on Ecosystem Services (ACES), Washington DC, USA.
• Babu S (2014, September). Restoration ecology: Science and practice for the future. Lecture delivered as a part of JIGYASA organized by Mahakoshal Vigyan Parishad, Jabalpur
• Babu, S (2014). “Marginality, Tsunami-aid and Transformation in the Nicobar Islands”. Talk on 30 May, at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi part of Workshop of Ecology and Society.
• Participated in the All Partners’ Meeting on ‘‘Enhancing Quality, Access, and Governance of Undergraduate Education in India”, University of Bologna, Italy, under the EQUAL Project, Indo-European Collaboration Coordinated by British Council (21–23 May 2014).
• Represented AUD, at a national seminar on ‘Natural Resources, Environment and Sustainable Development at the University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India (8–9 April 2014).
• Organized and participated in a national workshop on “Human Ecology” at Ambedkar University Delhi as part of the Indo-EU collaborative E-QUAL project (8 May 2014).
• Babu, S (2013). “Restoration of Landscapes Invaded by Lantana in Corbett Tiger Reserve: Response of the Avifaunal Community Over a Five-year Period”. Paper Presented at the Fifth World Conference on Ecological Restoration: Reflections on the Past, Directions for the Future - Madison, Wisconsin, USA, October 6-11, 2013
• Babu, S (2013). “Ecology and Society: Resilience and Transformation in the Nicobars”. Invited Brown Bag Talk at International Crane Federation, Baraboo (WI), USA; 3rd October 2013
• Babu, S (2013). “Management of Lantana in Forest Ecosystems”, Invited Talk as part of a training workshop on Management of Lantana and Habitat Restoration by Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department at Jammu; 24th August, 2013
• Babu, S (2013). “Forests of Delhi: Ecology, Society and Policy”, Invited Talk- Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi; 19th June,.2013
• Misra A, Kabra A & Babu S (2013). ‘Restoring Pasture Commons: An Experiment in Paira Adivasi, Arid Central India’. Paper Presented at the Fifth World Conference on Ecological Restoration at Madison, Wisconsin, USA, October 6-11, 2013

Select Presentations Pre-2012

• Babu S. (2011). Ecology of Biological Invasions, Workshop on ‘Wildlife Habitat Management: Biological Invasion’, Dudhwa National Park,19-22nd January 2011. Palia Kheri, Uttar Pradesh
• Babu S (2010) Management of Lantana in Forest Ecosystems, Workshop and Training Programme for IFS Probationers (25th April 2011), Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun.
• Babu S (2010) Ecology of Biological Invasions, Workshop and Training Programme for IFS Probationers (25th April, 2011), Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun.
• Babu S (2010) Management of Lantana in Forest Ecosystems, Workshop on ‘Wildlife Habitat Management: Biological Invasion‘ (19-22nd January, 2011) Dudhwa National Park
• Babu S. (2010). ‘Dispersal and Spread’. International Workshop on Marine Invasives, 24th April at Goa, as part of the 30th International Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation, Goa
• Babu S. (2009). ‘Ecology of Biological Invasions. 3rd June at Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) as part of the Workshop and Training Programme on Advanced Forest Management for Senior IFS Officers, Dehradun
• Babu S. (2008). “Nicobar Islands: Restoration of Social-Ecological Systems”. The International Conference on Restoration Of Coastal Habitats
• Pathak, N., Love, A., Babu, S., Basak, S.K., Jayakumar, R., Babu, C.R. (2007) Diversity in AMF of Lantana inhabiting different eco-geographical zones of India. IInd Asian Congress of Mycology and Plant Pathology (19 – 22nd December 2007), Osmania University, Hyderabad.
• Love, A., Babu, S., Basak, S.K., Pathak, N., Babu, C.R., (2006). ‘Eradication of Lantana camara from forest ecosystems.’ International Symposium on Biology, Ecology and Management of World’s Worst Plant Invasive Species (10 – 14th December 2006), University of Delhi
• Babu, C.R., Love A, & Babu S(2006) ‘Management of weeds: where do we stand today?’ International Symposium on Biology, Ecology, and Management of World’s Worst Plant Invasive Species (10 – 14th December 2006), University of Delhi
• Babu. S, Love. A., Sharma. S., Babu. C. R. (2003). ‘Niche Opportunity: A New Paradigm in Invasion Ecology’ at the Centenary Journal Seminar of the Bombay Natural History Society (14-16th November 2003), IIT Mumbai
• Babu. S., Mittra, B., Bhattacharya. A., Babu. C. R. (2002). ‘Inventorization, Utilization and Conservation of Biodiversity in the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve’, at the Conference and Review of Biosphere Reserves in India and Their Management (8-11th September 2000), KFRI, Peechi, Kerala