Sumit Mandal

Associate Professor

M.Sc. Marine Biology (Karnatak University, India, 2003) Gold Medalist

Ph.D. Marine Science and Technology (Nagasaki University, Japan, 2010) Japanese Government Monbukagakusho Fellowship

Post Doctoral Fellowship-Australian Government Endeavour Research Fellowship

My doctoral work at Nagasaki University Japan was on aspects of the early life history processes in two intertidal macrobenthic species with the contrasting mode of larval development in coastal waters of western Kyushu, Japan: the callianassid shrimp, Nihonotrypaea harmandi (Bouvier, 1901), and the trochid gastropod, Umbonium moniliferum (Lamarck, 1822). I also worked as a teaching assistant during my doctorate period at the Faculty of Fisheries and took classes for graduate and undergraduate students. After completing my doctorate degree I joined at National Institute of Oceanography, Goa (CSIR-NIO) as a Project Associate in the project Ballast Water Management Programme in India. In 2011, I received DST Fast Track Project for Young Scientists and continued to work at NIO as a Principal Investigator before joining Presidency University in 2012.

Most of the marine benthic macroinvertebrates have bipartite life history, a dispersing planktonic larval stage that spends some time (depending on the species and type of larval development) in the pelagic realm, before returning to the benthic environment. By studying one phase of this lifecycle, it is virtually impossible to conclude about their population dynamics. So it is imperative to know the events starting from spawning and release of propagules (i.e. gametes/larvae) by adults, larval dispersal, to recruitment and survival after settlement. For benthic invertebrates, the first few months or even days after settlement are considered the most vulnerable period. The transition between the habitats prior to the adult stage includes many important but poorly known events in their life histories. The ‘benthic-pelagic linking’ approach is lacking in most routine benthic or planktonic studies. Therefore, from an ecological perspective, filling the gap between pre-and post settlement events is essential to gain a comprehensive picture. I am interested in understanding the relative importance of pre- versus post-settlement events in soft-bottom communities, integrating both pelagic and benthic phases of some benthic animal’s life cycles. Hence, my research involves a blend of benthic and plankton ecology.

Recently my laboratory is working on the impact of anthropogenic perturbation like ocean acidification and elevated temperature on the physiological energetics of shellfish resources of West Bengal through mesocosm experiments.

My teaching interests include - animal diversity: Non-chordate and Chordate, animal reproduction, physiology, marine biology- plankton and benthic ecology, marine invertebrate larval ecology, developmental biology, ecology, conservation biology, fishery resource management, and aquaculture.

Achievements:

• Japanese Government Monbukagakusho Fellowship, 2006-2010
• Post Doctoral Fellowship-Australian Government Endeavour Research Fellowship, 2015
• Scientific member of the 11th Indian Expedition to Southern Ocean 2020 
• Fellow of The Linnean Society of London, 2021
• Scientific member of the Indian Arctic Expedition, 2023

Present Doctorate students:

1.  Snigdha Bhaumik

2. Soumya Subhra Baishnab

3. Sayantan Mahapatra

4. Ahmed Shahir

5. Arpan Mondal

6. Supriyo Das

PhD Awarded students:

1. Dr. Moumita Ghosh

2. Dr. Tanmoy Nandy

3. Dr. Sritama Baag

Lab website:

https://sites.google.com/view/pumel/home

Member of the international Association for Ecology

Member of the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA)

Publications: (Peer reviewed)  Cumulative IF > 140, Total citation 633, h-index 14, i10 index 19

1.        Sayantan Mahapatra, Sumit Mandal* (2026). Dual stressors impair bioenergetics and antioxidant defenses in Etroplus suratensis. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology. 316: 112002  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2026.112002 

2.        Soumya Subhra Baishnab, Sumit Mandal* (2026). Epibiotic assemblages of suctoria and peritrichia on nematodes and harpacticoids from Arctic fjords. Symbiosis. 98: 71-79. 10.1007/s13199-026-01110-4  

3.        Snigdha Bhaumik, Ahmed Shahir, Sumit Mandal*, Sarat Chandra Tripathy (2026). From Conservatism to Lability: Phylogenetic Signal and evolutionary models decode macrobenthos functional trait evolution from high Arctic fjords. Marine Environmental Research. 213: 107703. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107703  New

4.        Snigdha Bhaumik, Soumya Subhra Baishnab, Ahmed Shahir, Sumit Mandal*, Sarat Chandra Tripathy (2025). Influence of environmental parameters in modulating benthic and pelagic life cycle stages of macrobenthic population in high Arctic fjords: A modelling approach. Regional Studies in Marine Science. 92: 104615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104615 

5.        Ahmed Shahir, Snigdha Bhaumik, Bhaskar Karmakar, Sumit Mandal* (2025). Trait-based modelling approach to disentangle the intricate dynamics of environmental factors in shaping mesozooplankton community from river Thakuran, Sundarbans estuarine system. Marine Environmental Research. 212: 107567.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107567  

6.        Sayantan Mahapatra, Jeet Maity, Sumit Mandal* (2025). Assessing the physiological and oxidative stress status of Etroplus suratensis under elevated temperature and ocean acidification. Science of The Total Environment. 998: 180294.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180294  

7.        Sayantan Mahapatra, Biboshwan De, Sritama Baag, Sumit Mandal* (2025). The influence of chlorpyrifos contamination on oxidative stress status of Lamellidens marginalis: A multibiomarker approach. Environmental Toxicology and  Pharmacology. 116:104723. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2025.104723 

8.        Soumya Subhra Baishnab, Dibyan Dey, Ahmed Shahir, Sumit Mandal* (2025). Assessing the combined effects of elevated temperature and chlorpyrifos on meiobenthic community structure in intertidal and mangrove estuarine ecosystems. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 218: 118157.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118157 

9.        Snigdha Bhaumik, Soumya Subhra Baishnab, Ahmed Shahir, Sayantan Mahapatra, Sumit Mandal* (2025). Unveiling the effects of polyethylene microplastic on the physiological responses across different size classes of Telescopium telescopium.  Marine Pollution Bulletin. 217: 118112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118112 

10.    Snigdha Bhaumik, Ahmed Shahir, Sumit Mandal* (2025). Application of functional diversity and hierarchical modelling to evaluate the macrobenthic community dynamics from river Thakuran, Sundarbans estuarine system.  Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science. 319: 109295.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109295 

11.    Debosmita Sikdar, Ahmed Shahir, Sumit Mandal* (2025). Evaluating the global sea snake diversity and distribution under climate change scenario. Marine Environmental Research. 207: 107055.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107055 

12.    Sritama Baag, Sumit Mandal*  (2025). Integrative biomarker approach to decode seasonal variation in biomarker responses of Scylla serrata and Penaeus monodon from Sundarbans estuarine system.  Oceanologia. 67(1): 67108. https://doi.org/10.5697/IVQW7412  

13.    Snigdha Bhaumik, Sumit Mandal* (2024). Integrative taxonomy of Hermundura annandalei Fauvel, 1932 (Phyllodocida: Pilargidae) from Sundarbans esturaine system, India. CBM-Cahiers de Biologie Marine. 65: 43-55. DOI: 10.21411/CBM.A.B5CBD261  

14.    Sritama Baag, Nashiruddin Ahammed, Sukanta De, Sumit Mandal* (2024). Combined impact of elevated temperature and zinc oxide nanoparticles on physiological stress and recovery responses of Scylla serrata. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C, Toxicology & pharmacology. 275: 109764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpc.2023.109764 

15.    Soumya Subhra Baishnab, Ahmed Shahir, Sumit Mandal*, Sarat Chandra Tripathy (2023). Unveiling the meiobenthic community structure of Prydz Bay, Antarctica during austral summer. Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers. 199: 104109.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2023.104109 

16.    Snigdha Bhaumik, Sumit Mandal*, Sarat Chandra Tripathy (2023). Unravelling the functional diversity of macrobenthic community from Prydz Bay, Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean. Continental Shelf Research. 263: 105043. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2023.105043   

17.    Sritama Baag, Sumit Mandal* (2023). The influence of ocean acidification and warming on responses of  Scylla serrata to oil pollution: An integrated biomarker approach. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part B. 266: 110847. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpb.2023.110847 

18.    Sritama Baag, Sumit Mandal* (2023). Do predator (Mystus gulio) and prey (Penaeus monodon) have differential response against heatwaves? Unveiling through oxidative stress biomarkers and thermal tolerance estimation. Marine Environmental Research. 184: 105850.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105850 

19.    Sritama Baag, Sumit Mandal* (2023). Do global environmental drivers’ ocean acidification and warming exacerbate the effects of oil pollution on the physiological energetics of Scylla serrata? Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 30: 23213-23224.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-23849-1  

20.    Sritama Baag, Sumit Mandal* (2022). Combined effects of ocean warming and acidification on marine fish and shellfish: A molecule to ecosystem perspective. Science of The Total Environment. 802: 149807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149807 

21.    Alfisa Siddique, Jasmine Purushothaman, Aishee Bhowal, Sumit Mandal (2021). Distribution and diversity of Polychaeta (Phylum: Annelida) in the Northern coastal waters of Bay of Bengal. Records of the Zoological Survey of India. 121(4): 453–463. DOI: 10.26515/rzsi/v121/i4/2021/148098 

22.    Tanmoy Nandy, Avirup Saha, Sumit Mandal*, Meenakshi Chatterjee (2022). Diel and tidal variations of larvae and juveniles of Metapenaeus dobsoni from Sundarbans Estuarine System, India. Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences. 38: 255-266. doi: 10.1007/s41208-021-00337-w 

23.    Moumita Ghosh, Sumit Mandal* (2021). Disentangling the effect of seasonal dynamics on meiobenthic community structure from river Matla of Sundarbans Estuarine System, India. Frontiers in Marine Science. 8: 671372. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.671372

24.    Tanmoy Nandy, Sritama Baag, Sumit Mandal* (2021). Impact of elevated temperature on physiological energetics of Penaeus monodon post larvae: A mesocosm study. Journal of Thermal Biology. 97: 102829.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2020.102829 

25.    Moumita Bhowmik, Priya Ghoshal, Sergio I. Salazar-Vallejo, Sumit Mandal* (2021). Sigambra sundarbanensis sp. nov. (Annelida, Pilargidae) from the Indian sector of Sundarbans Estuarine System, with remarks on parapodial glands. European Journal of Taxonomy. 744: 49–66. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2021.744.1301

26.    Moumita Ghosh, Sumit Mandal* (2021). Deciphering the synergistic impact of elevated temperature and oil pollution on meiobenthic community structure: A benthocosm study. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 207: 111549.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111549 

27.    Moumita Bhowmik, Sumit Mandal* (2021). Do seasonal dynamics influence traits and composition of macrobenthic assemblages of Sundarbans Estuarine System, India? Oceanologia. 63 (1): 80-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceano.2020.10.002 

28.    Sritama Baag, Sayantan Mahapatra, Sumit Mandal* (2021). An Integrated and Multibiomarker approach to delineate oxidative stress status of Bellamya bengalensis under the interactions of elevated temperature and chlorpyrifos contamination. Chemosphere. 264 (2): 128512.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128512  

29.    Sumit Mandal* (2020). COVID-19 imposed lockdown might be a boon for aquatic ecosystem. Current Science. 118 (11): 1641. 

30.    Tanmoy Nandy, Sumit Mandal* (2020). Unravelling the spatio-temporal variation of zooplankton community from river Matla in the Sundarbans Estuarine System, India. Oceanologia. 62(3): 326-346.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceano.2020.03.005 

31.    Sritama Baag, Sayantan Mahapatra, Sumit Mandal* (2020). Unravelling the effects of elevated temperature on the physiological energetics of Bellamya bengalensis. Journal of Thermal Biology. 88: 102494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.102494

32.    Moumita Ghosh, Sumit Mandal* (2019). Does vertical distribution of meiobenthic community structure differ among various mangrove habitats of Sundarban Estuarine System? Regional Studies in Marine Science. 31: 100778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2019.1007782.

33.    Moumita Ghosh, Sumit Mandal* (2019). Living with nematode: an epibiont Trematosoma rotunda associated with basibiont Desmodora scaldensis from Matla estuary, Sundarbans, India. Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences. 35: 619–624. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-019-00129-3   

34.    Sumit Mandal*, Soumya Deb (2018). Ancistrosyllis matlaensis n. sp. (Polychaeta: Pilargidae) from the Sundarban Estuarine System, India. Zootaxa. 4531 (3): 419–429.  https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4531.3.6

35.    Tanmoy Nandy, Sumit Mandal*, Meenakshi Chatterjee (2018). Intra-monsoonal variation of zooplankton population in the Sundarbans Estuarine System, India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 190 (10): 603. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6969-8

36.    Moumita Ghosh, Sumit Mandal*, Meenakshi Chatterjee (2018). Impact of unusual monsoonal rainfall in structuring meiobenthic assemblages at Sundarban estuarine system. India. Ecological Indicators. 94 (1): 139-150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.06.067

37.    Tanmoy Nandy, Sumit Mandal*, Soumya Deb, Moumita Ghosh, Tirthankar Nath, Meenakshi Chatterjee (2018). Short-term variations in surface water properties in the Sundarban Estuarine System, India. Sustainable Water Resource Management. 4(3) 4: 559–566. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-017-0139-y

38.    Moumita Ghosh, Sumit Mandal* (2018). Free-living marine nematode diversity from the Indian coasts. Marine Biodiversity. 48: 179-194. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-016-0551-9.

39.    Sumit Mandal*, Sadanand N. Harkantra (2013). Changes in the softbottom macrobenthic diversity and community structure from the ports of Mumbai, India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 185: 653–672. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2582-4

40.    Sumit Mandal, Akio Tamaki, Seiji Takeuchi, Yoshihiro Agata, Yutsuke Takahara, Kazuyuki Harada, Satoshi Ohashi, Fumihiko Yamada (2010). How newly-recruited cohorts are formed in the trochid gastropod population (Umbonium moniliferum), on an intertidal sandflat in western Kyushu, Japan. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 389: 18-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2010.04.001

41.    Akio Tamaki, Sumit Mandal, Yoshihiro Agata, Ikumi Aoki, Toshikazu Suzuki, Hisao kanehara, Takashi Aoshima, Yasushi Fukuda, Hideshi Tsukamoto, Tetsuo Yanagi (2010) Complex vertical migration of larvae of the ghost shrimp, Nihonotrypaea harmandi, in the inner shelf waters of western Kyushu, Japan. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 86: 125-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2009.11.005

42.    Akio Tamaki, Atsuyoshi Manda, Satoshi Ohashi, Sumit Mandal, Masami Hamaguchi (2009) Larval Transport of the Callianassid shrimp, Nihonotrypaea harmandi, and Trochid gastropod, Umbonium moniliferum, inhabitiing intertidal sand flats in Tachibana Bay and the outer most Ariake sound. Bulletin on Coastal Oceanography. Vol. 46 (2): 119-126.

43.    Sumit Mandal*, Sadanand N. Harkantra, and Sergio I. Salazar-Vallejo (2007). Cabira rangarajani n. sp. (Polychaeta: Pilargidae) from the Goa coast, Central west coast of India. Zootaxa. 1446: 21-29. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.176137 

Book Chapters:

1. Moumita Bhowmik, Sumit Mandal*, Sarat Chandra Tripathy (2022). Benthic biome of the Southern Ocean: Present state of knowledge and future perspective. In: Aninda Mazumdar and Wriddhiman Ghosh (Eds.) Systems Biogeochemistry of Major Marine Biomes. Wiley Books. Chapter 10, pp 189-209. Print ISBN:9781119554387, Online ISBN:9781119554356. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119554356.ch10  

2. Abir Lal Biswas, Moumita Ghosh, Sumit Mandal*(2016). Marine Harpacticoid Copepod from Indian Coasts: a Review. In: Nithar Ranjan Madhu (Ed.), Environment and Sustainable Development: Strategies and Initiatives (pp. 76-86). NECTAR, Kolkata. ISBN: 978-93-84241-45-2.