THAR Lab

India’s arid and semi-arid zones—home to uniquely adapted wildlife, fragile ecosystems, and centuries-old agroecological practices—remain some of the least studied yet most threatened landscapes in the country. As early-career researchers working across diverse disciplines of ecology, we recognized a pressing need for a dedicated platform that brings together young minds to focus on the challenges and opportunities within these dynamic drylands.

THAR Lab was born from this need—a virtual, inclusive consortium where emerging researchers could collaborate, share resources, and amplify their voices in the ecological research community. We started this initiative to:

• Build a network for early-career ecologists interested in applied and functional research.
  
  

• Promote science that informs conservation in dryland ecosystems.
  
  

• Provide a platform for cross-disciplinary dialogue, field-based learning, and data-sharing.
  
  

• Highlight the ecological significance of often-overlooked species, such as aridland birds, raptors, and reptiles.
  
  

• Develop a community rooted in mutual support, collaboration, and open science.
  
  

We believe that by working together—across habitats, taxa, and tools—we can generate the knowledge, partnerships, and momentum needed to conserve India’s dryland biodiversity.