Arunava Datta

About

My current research focuses on cultivars of ornamental plants in the context of risk assessment of invasive plants. Invasive plants are traditionally labelled at the species level and not at the infra-specific levels (below species). However, lot of variation exists at infra-specific levels, especially in ornamental plants with varying degree of invasiveness due to long history of artificial selection and breeding. In past, several cultivars with reduced fecundity (seedless/ sterile cultivars) have been developed by to reduce the possibility of further invasion. Therefore, it is necessary to perform risk assessments and formulate regulations at the infra-specific levels wherever applicable. I am currently involved in the development of a conceptual framework and experimental assays for performing risk assessment at infra-specific levels.

During my doctorial research at Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Halle, Germany), I worked on eco-evolutionary aspects of Ageratina adenophora invasion in western Himalaya using both experimental and macro-ecological approaches. I have also worked on other topics such as the distribution of highly endemic Jasminum parkeri in western Himalaya and tree line vegetation of western Himalaya.

Employment

• Raja Narendralal Khan Women's College (Autonomous) Assistant Professor
  2025 - Present
• The University of Burdwan Post Doc (Kothari post doc fellow)
  2021 - Present
• Centre for Invasion Biology Post Doc
  2019 - 2020

Education

• Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung PhD
  2013 - 2018
• Banaras Hindu University M.Sc
  2008 - 2010
• St Xaviers College B.Sc (Hons.)
  2005 - 2008
• Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg PhD

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (15)

• Monographs on invasive plants in Europe: Ageratina adenophora (Spreng.) R.M. King & H. Rob
  Botany Letters 2025 DOI: 10.1080/23818107.2025.2529890
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• Spatially‐Differentiated Regulation of Alien Species Can Be Improved Using Species Distribution Models: Psidium guajava in South Africa as a Case Study
  Diversity and Distributions 2025 DOI: 10.1111/ddi.70102
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• A checklist of invasive plants of Gorakhpur district: terai region of eastern Uttar Pradesh
  Tropical Ecology 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s42965-024-00345-w
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• Regulatory options for cultivars and hybrids of invasive plant species—the South African experience
  Invasive Plant Science and Management 2024 DOI: 10.1017/inp.2024.24
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• Establishment of seed biopriming in salt stress mitigation of rice plants by mangrove derived Bacillus sp.
  Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2023.102626
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• Assessing the level of compliance with alien plant regulations in a large African protected area
  Biological Invasions 2022 DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02883-7
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• Identifying safe cultivars of invasive plants: six questions for risk assessment, management, and communication
  NeoBiota 2020 DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.62.51635
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• Is invasion science moving towards agreed standards? The influence of selected frameworks
  NeoBiota 2020 DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.62.53243
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• Origin of climatic data can determine the transferability of species distribution models
  NeoBiota 2020 DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.59.36299
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• Niche expansion of the invasive plant species Ageratina adenophora despite evolutionary constraints
  Journal of Biogeography 2019 DOI: 10.1111/jbi.13579
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