The Vembanad lake in Alappuzha, Kerala, has developed a unique ecosystem due to different laws. The Vembanad Fish Count is a citizen science initiative that helps study the diveristy of fish in this Ramsar site.
The study from IISc found a previously unidentified yeast-like symbiont inside the lac insect Kerria lacca, which gives the insect its distinctive red colour and, may also provide other nutrients in return for shelter.