Browsing by Author "Pramod, P."

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Bird Community of Andaman Islands with Emphasis on Human Associated and Introduced Birds
(SACON, 2013) Rajan, P.; Pramod, P.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands are very rich in bird diversity and hence have high importance in conservation planning. Both in species endemism and species diversity these islands are notable. Andaman and Nicobar Islands is also a significant place in India which is exposed to very high human mediated species introduction. These introduced species can have serious effects on the native biodiversity and it can be the agent for the breakdown of native species equilibrium. On the background of this context, this study was undertaken to examine the bird species composition of Andaman Islands especially on human influenced areas and the role of introduced birds among the avifauna of these Islands. The study was carried out in nine inhabited islands in the Andaman group and later these nine study sites were clubbed into five groups for easy analysis. The study emphasis on introduced birds and their impacts on native ecosystem especially on Islands. Both secondary and primary data collection methods are employed in the study. All the published information on distribution of birds in Andaman Islands were collated synthesized and analyzed to elucidate the characteristics of Andaman Bird fauna. Systematically 221 transect counts of birds from nine human inhabited islands which can be classified into 6 habitats were collected. These collected field observation data on birds were analyzed with special emphasis on the introduced birds.
Breeding Ecology of the Edible-nest Swiftlet Aerodramus fuciphagus and the Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta in the Andaman Islands, India
(SACON, 2009) Manchi Shirish, S.; Pramod, P.
The intriguing biological feat of making nest with its saliva is threatening the survival of the edible-nest swiftlet. Ever since the16th century when bird’s nest became a delicacy in Chinese cuisine and an important item in their pharmacy, edible nest swiftlets are found overexploited all over. In the past two to three decades the production of the edible bird’s nests has reduced drastically because of overexploitation and uncontrolled harvesting that is directly affecting the population of this cave-dwelling species. The high demand in the international markets has put so much pressure that despite strict regulations on nest collection, the wild populations of the edible-nest swiftlets is plummeting by as much as 80% to 90% and has reached local extinction across some of their ranges. To understand the nest-site requirements of the species, their nest-site characters, preference and the relationship with nesting success were studied. Results showed that the edible-nest swiftlet and the glossy swiftlet are cave dwelling trogloxenes and do not nest randomly inside the caves
Comparative assessment of select faunal taxa with reference to various growth stages of paddy in organic and non-organic fields of Kathiramangalam, Tanjavur District, Tamil Nadu
(SACON, 2021) Chaithra Shree, J.; Pramod, P.
Agro-ecosystems cover 43% or India's land area and also harbour wildfire. The paddy is a unique ecosystem that is known to support diverse wildlife in a short period. being a man-managed ecosystem. The change in management practices are known to impact the biodiversity of agro-ecosystems. The biodiversity supported by the paddy fields or adhiramanagalam were studied using select indicator taxa vi:. birds, butterflies and odonates and their communities were compared between two cultivation regimes viz. Organic and non-organic. with the following objectives I. To study the Community structure and variability of select faunal indicator taxa supported by the paddy fields. 2. To compare the changes in the community of select faunal taxa across paddy growth stages between organic and non-organic paddy cultivation regimes. These objectives were achieved by collecting species abundance data on birds, butterflies and odonates. during two cropping cycles of paddy by strip transect method. One Km transect with 50 m breadth was marked in paddy fi elds under organic and non-organic cultivation regimes each. The vegetation in the sampling area was recorded. The environmental, habitat conditions and physico-chemical water parameters were
Ecological studies of insect communities in Anaikatty hills
(SACON, 2006) Eswaran, R.; Pramod, P.
Community studies are relatively less in ecological entomology. Documentation of the communities of insects itself is a challenging job because of the inherent weakness in taxonomical brevity at the special level. The present study aimed primarily at exploring the patterns of insect diversity of a dry deciduous forest of Anaikatty hills, Western Ghats. As the term insect holds a large spectrum of organisms with a great level of taxonomic ambiguity, new approaches are needed to face the problems related with its diversity and distribution. The new approach attempted in this study was to examine the dynamics of diversity and abundance at different levels. At the broadest level an attempt has been made to study the composition and changes of insect families within and between different microhabitats of the landscape. At the intermediate level, the species composition, diversity and dynamics of one selected group of insects, viz., butterflies and at a finer level the aggregation and dynamics of the individuals of the selected species of butterflies were studied. The abiotic and biotic influences of these family levels, species level and individual level patterns were also studied
Ecological, Morphological and Demographical Variations of Hanuman Langur (Semnopithecus spp.) Species complex in Peninsular India and their Implications to Taxonomy
(SACON, 2011) Chetan Nak, K.S.; Pramod, P.
To bring greater resolution in Hanuman langur taxonomy, current thesis attempted to map the congruence between some of the ecological, morphological, and demographical characters of Hanuman langurs of peninsular India. In doing so the thesis, ultimately aimed to correlate which of the existing classification scheme best explained the taxonomic position of these taxonomically challenged langurs. With this objective the study was conducted in peninsular India (8–21°N, 73–78°E), covering the states of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamilnadu in India, as well as some parts of northern Sri Lanka opportunistically. The study also included some Northern type Hanuman langurs as controls from parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Orissa. As far as possible study included the type localities mentioned in various classification schemes
Molecular markers and feather microstructures of select traded avian species in Assam
(SACON, 2019) Ray, Swapna Devi; Singh, Ram Pratap; Pramod, P.
The illicit trade of birds is widespread across the globe, causing the major concern of population declines of several elusive and endemic species. It is the fastest growing business with ease of moneymaking with minimum effort. The major driving factors of the illegal bird trades vary and include traditional beliefs, traditional medicines, different socio-cultural issues. superstition s. and the easiest connectivity among the participants in the trade. 11 is a serious matter of concern where the ongoing scenario always remains clandestine. This study provides information for the first time on illegally traded avian species in Assam. The state of Assam is a "Gate-way" of travel and transport and is marked as the "Transitory Route" for illegally traded birds in India due to its transboundary nature. Moreover, different socio-cultural practices followed by the local tribes also plays significant role in the illegal bird trade scenario in Assam. Using the snowball sampling method, a systematic market survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire for illegally traded birds and local people's perceptions towards issues associated with the traded birds