WII Digital Repository
Established in 1982, Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is an internationally acclaimed Institution, which offers training program, academic courses and advisory in wildlife research and management. The Institute is actively engaged in research across the breadth of the country on biodiversity related issues.
The Institute's idyllic campus that has been carefully developed to create state of the art infrastructure encourages scholarly work.
This Repository is the digital asset management system which integrates the intellectual output in the form of research articles, Theses and other scanned documents. This Repository facilitates the share and exchange of intellectual output of the institute.
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Inland Wetlands of India- conservation Atlas
(SACON, 2004) Prasad, S.N.; Jaggi, A.K.; Tiwari, A.K.; Kaushik, P.; Vijayan, L.; Murlidharan, S.; Vijayan, V.S.
Inland wetlands of India - conservation priorities
(Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), 2004) Vijayan, V.S.; Prasad, S.N.; Vijayan, L.; Muralidharan, S.
Species diversity and molecular study of bees (Bombus and Xylocopa) in Dehradun District, Uttarakhand, India
(wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Abha Purohit
Pollinators are fundamental to the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, as they facilitate the reproduction of a vast majority of flowering plants and thereby sustain biodiversity and ecological stability. Globally, an estimated 87.5% of flowering plants depend onanimal pollinators for successful reproduction (Ollerton et.al. 2011). In addition to their ecological role, pollinators, particularly bees, are indispensable for global agriculture. Approximately 75% of the world’s leading food crops rely on pollination to enhance both yield and quality (Klein et.al. 2007). Agricultural commodities such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, oilseeds, and spices are especially dependent on bee-mediated pollination. Beyond agricultural productivity, pollinators provide critical services that directly influence human nutrition. By increasing the diversity, availability, and quality of nutrient-rich foods, they indirectly contribute to balanced diets enriched with vitamins, antioxidants, and essential micronutrients (Eilers et.al.2011). Thus, pollinators not only underpin biodiversity but also strengthen food security and human well-being, highlighting their ecological, agricultural, and nutritional significance. 2. Research objectives The study aims to conduct a systematic survey of Bombus (bumblebees) and Xylocopa (carpenter bees) in the Dehradun district, focusing on their taxonomy, ecology, and seasonal distribution in different habitat zones. It also seeks for identification and characterization of their habitats, with emphasis on the availability of food plants that sustain high species diversity. Molecular tools, including DNA barcoding, was applied for accurate identification of collected specimens. Additionally, the research evaluated the impact of anthropogenic pressures and other environmental threats on the survival and diversity of these pollinator groups in the study area.
Assessment of altered land use pattern on the middle Ganga river hydrodynamics using Geospatial modelling
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Ali, Zeeshan; Hussain, S.A.
Molecular Phylogeny and Population genetic structure of Himalayan Blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) in Himalayan region
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Saini, Deepesh; Vishnupriya, K.; Gupta, S.K.; Sathyakumar, S.
The Himalayan blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), commonly known as bharal, is a high-altitude caprine species endemic to the rugged terrains of the high Himalayas. Although classified as a species of "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (JUCN), significant ambiguities persist regarding its taxonomic delineation and population structure. These uncertainties are further compounded by the paucity of comprehensive genetic data, particularly concerning populations within the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), where geographical isolation and environmental heterogeneity may have promoted evolutionary divergence. The present study aims to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships, genetic diversity, and population structure of Pseudois nayaur across its Indian range, with a specific focus on populations inhabiting the eastern and western Himalayas. Employing a molecular phylogenetic approach, this investigation integrates mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers-principally the cytochrome b gene, control region and the complete mitogenome-with nuclear microsatellite markers to assess lineage differentiation, historical demography, and gene flow. Non-invasive and ethically compliant sampling strategies were utilized to obtain biological material, ensuring minimal disturbance to wildlife. Laboratory analyses, including DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, and sequencing, were followed by bioinformatic assessments using tools such as DnaSP, Arlequin, STRUCTURE, BEAST, and PopART. Phylogenetic reconstructions revealed distinct mitochondrial haplotypes between eastern and western Himalayan populations, suggesting limited gene flow and historical isolation likely driven by topographic and climatic barriers. The genetic differentiation observed was consistent with the theory of allopatric divergence facilitated by the orogenic and glacial history of the Himalayas. Furthermore, the study confirms the phylogenetic placement of Pseudois nayaur within the subfamily Caprinae, identifying close evolutionary affinities with Ovis and Hemitragus species while supporting its unique lineage status. These findings have important implications for conservation biology, as they suggest the existence of evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) that merit region-specific management interventions. The bharal's role as a herbivore and primary prey for apex predators such as the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) further underscores its ecological significance in alpine ecosystems.