Sanjeeva Nayaka (Hindi: संजीव नायक; Kannada: ಸಂಜೀವ ನಾಯಕ) is an Indian lichenologist. He is Senior Principal Scientist at CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow. He is in charge of the lichenology laboratory. He serves as managing editor of the journal ''Cryptogam Biodiversity and Assessment'', and editor of ''ILS eLetters,'' both published by the Indian Lichenological Society.

Career

Nayaka was introduced to research during his graduate studies. He was a volunteer in the 'Western Ghats Biodiversity Inventory Programme'. He was awarded with a Summer Research Fellowship of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore to study the lichens of Bangalore under Madhav Gadgil. After his post-graduation Nayaka moved to Lucknow to work with Dr. D.K. Upreti at CSIR-NBRI. Initially he worked as a project assistant on the All-India Coordinated Project on Taxonomy. During this period, he explored lichens of

Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...

. In 2001 he was appointed as a scientist at CSIR-NBRI. Nayaka revised the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Lecanora ''Lecanora'' is a genus of lichen commonly called rim lichens.Field Guide to California Lichens, Stephen Sharnoff, Yale University Press, 2014, Lichens in the genus ''Squamarina'' are also called rim lichens. Members of the genus have roughly ci ...

'' for his doctoral thesis under Upreti's supervision. He earned his Ph.D. from Dr. R. M. L. Awadh University, Faizabad. His research interests include taxonomy, biomonitoring and bioprospecting of lichens. Apart from ''Lecanora'' he has revised taxa such as '' Buellia'', ''

Lecidea ''Lecidea'' is a genus of crustose lichens with a carbon black ring or outer margin (exciple) around the fruiting body disc (apothecium), usually (or always) found growing on (saxicolous) or in (endolithic) rock.Field Guide to California Lichens, ...

'', ''

Phyllopsora ''Phyllopsora'' is a genus of lichenized fungi in the family Ramalinaceae. It was circumscribed by Swiss botanist Johannes Müller Argoviensis in 1894. The characteristics of a fossilized ''Phyllopsora'', '' Phyllopsora dominicana'', found in Do ...

'' and ''

Rinodina ''Rinodina'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Physciaceae. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains about 265 species. It is hypothesized that a few saxicolous lichen, saxicolous species common to dry regions of wester ...

''. He has described 28 new lichen species and reported over 110 species as new distributional record. Nayaka travelled throughout India and published lichen floristic accounts for several regions. His major work involves lichens of

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

and

Eastern Ghats The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats pass through Odisha, Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka as well as Telangana. They are eroded and cut ...

. He surveyed various wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in India, and he has visited

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...

twice to study its lichens and their ecophysiology. He has handled eight research projects as Principal Investigator and he is a co-Investigator on more than 25 projects. Nayaka published more than 200 research articles. He participated in national and international conferences and published about 180 abstracts. He authored or edited three books: ''A field Guide to the common Lichens of Corbett Tiger Reserve'', ''Lichens of Uttar Pradesh'', and ''Plant Diversity of Uttar Pradesh (Including Algae and Fungi)''.

Recognition

* Fellow of Linnean Society, London (2021) * Fellow of Mycological Society of India * Fellow of International Society for Environmental Botanist (ISEB), India * Life member of International Association for Lichenology

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nayaka, Sanjeeva 1974 births Indian ecologists Indian taxonomists Indian lichenologists Living people Scientists from Karnataka 20th-century Indian scientists 21st-century Indian scientists