Browsing by Author "Talukdar, Gautam"

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Assessment of grassland communities its use by mammals and mapping the potential habitat of Rhinoceros unicornis in Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2017) Murari, Krishna; Talukdar, Gautam; Pandav, Bivash; Jhala, Y.V.
This study was conducted to identify grassland vegetation communities associated mammals and to find out the potential habitat of Rhinoceros unicornis in VTR.
City Biodiversity Index - Bhopal
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Talukdar, Gautam; Ansari, Nasim Ahmed; Adhruj, Avantika; Vashishtha, Gitanjali; Pandey, Sneha
Considering the importance of the CBI, Madhya Pradesh State Biodiversity Board (MPSBB) initiated a project in 2021 to prepare the City Biodiversity Index for the cities of Bhopal and Indore, Madhya Pradesh with technical support from Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun and ICLEI South Asia, New Delhi. The CBI of Bhopal has been prepared as per the guidelines and methodology provided in the User’s Manual on the Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity, endorsed by the CBD in 2014. It comprises the following sections, a ‘Profile of the City’, which provides background information on the city; and the 23 indicators that make up the index. The 23 indicators are grouped across three main components viz. Native Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services provided by biodiversity and Governance and Management of biodiversity. The overall exercise collated and documented information on 488 species of plants, 274 species of birds, 85 species of butterflies, 36 species of herpetofauna, 44 species of fishes from various studies conducted within the city limits. A Natural Asset Map was also prepared which highlighted 12 land classes. Van Vihar National Park, 14 City Forests, Bhoj Wetland, Barkatullah University Campus and IIFM Campus are important biodiversity repositories in Bhopal.
City Biodiversity Index - Indore
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Talukdar, Gautam
The CBI of Indore has been prepared as per the guidelines and methodology provided in the User’s Manual on the Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity, endorsed by the CBD in 2014. It comprises the following sections, a “Profile of the City”, which provides background information on the city; and the 23 indicators that make up the index. The indicators are grouped across three main components viz. Native Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services provided by biodiversity and Governance and Management of biodiversity. The overall exercise collated and documented information on 477 species of plants, 235 species of birds, 82 species of butterflies, 18 species of fishes, 35 species of spiders from various studies conducted within the city limits of lndore. A Natural Asset Map was also prepared which highlighted 11 dominant land classes within the city. Ralamandal Wildlife Sanctuary, Sirpur Lake, Fatan Khedi Lake, Bilawali Lake, Pipliyapala Regional Park, Lalbagh, Meghdoot Garden, Nehru Park and Holkar Science College Campus are important biodiversity areas in Indore.
Eco toxicological and Spatial risk assessment of estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds in Middle Ganga
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Shah, Ruchika; Talukdar, Gautam; Hussain, S.A.
Chemical pollution threatens 60% of marine mammals, making it the second most significant threat to marine biodiversity. However, this alarming figure highlights the even greater risks faced by freshwater ecosystems, where biodiversity declines are happening at a faster rate than in marine environments. Freshwater ecosystems are especially vulnerable to the impacts of chemical pollution due to their limited water volume and flow, which reduces the dilution of contaminants. Their close proximity to pollution sources—such as agricultural runoff, industrial discharge, and urban waste intensifies this exposure. Furthermore, restricted natural flushing and water exchange, along with nutrient loading and additional stressors like habitat degradation and invasive species, further amplify the impacts of pollution on freshwater biodiversity. The Middle Ganga Reach (MGR), along the state of Uttar Pradesh, serves as an important habitat for endangered riverine mammals, yet faces intensified challenges to habitat suitability for these species due to various anthropogenic pressures, including EDC pollution from both point and non-point sources. Although research on e-EDCs in the river has progressed over the years, the spatiotemporal data remains incomplete and fragmented, particularly lacking in detailed characterization of point source contamination. This is a significant gap in our understanding of current risks and may result in inadequately informed and insufficient conservation efforts The objective of this thesis research was to investigate (a) the spatiotemporal distribution and load of e-E-EDCs in drains effluents and MGR (b) investigate and assess the estrogenic potential and ecological risk of selected e-EDCs to aquatic life, (c) identify high-risk zones spatially in river, and (d) assess the bioaccumulation potential of e-EEDCs in the prey species of the Gangetic dolphin, quantify the associated ecological risks, and identify suitable biomonitors for evaluating e-EDCs exposure in the MGR. The study also proposes a monitoring framework to provide guidance on monitoring and assessment of chemical contamination in Gangetic dolphin and habitats.
Effect of Inter-Habitat Matrix on Tropical Evergreen Forest Remnants : An Emprical Test of Matris-Tolerrance Hypothesis on Butterflies
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2013) Kumar, Deepak C.; Talukdar, Gautam; Habib, Bilal; Kunte, Krushnamegh
Recent studies on habitat fragmentation has highlighted the importance of inter-habitat matrix and the need for a shift from traditional binary perspective to a 'matrix composition' ·perspective for understanding species diversity patterns in human modified landscapes . Matrix-tolerance model provides a simple framework for understanding the sensitivity of species to fragmentation by simultaneous study of native forest patches and surrounding matrix. According to this model, abundance of a species in the matrix is inversely proportional to its vulnerability to fragmentation. This study tested the matrix-tolerance hypothesis on butterflies of tropical evergreen forest remnants, surrounded by a matrix of coffee plantation and paddy field in Kodagu region of Western Ghats. Western Ghats is rich in butterfly fauna represented by 333 species of which 33 are endemic to the biogeographic region. The region is also characteristic in having human modified habitats with relatively large proportion of native forest patches which calls for a landscape level approach for conservation. In order to test the matrix tolerance hypothesis sampling was carried out in 16 sites which included 7 in fragments (sacred groves), 7 in matrix (5 in coffee plantations, 2 in paddy field) and 2 in large contiguous forest (Reserve Forest). For abundance estimation of butterflies, time constrained surveys were carried out 3 times in each site between January 10 and April 8, 2013. An index related to fragmentation vulnerability was generated for each species using abundance data obtained from time-constrained surveys. The Fragmentation Vulnerability Index, FVI was defined as the ratio between average abundance of the species in the fragments and average abundance in the continuous patch. Spearma'n's rank correlation was then used to test the association between rank FVI and rank matrix abundance. Various microclimatic and habitat variables were measured in matrix sites and Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) were constructed to test their association with estimated species richness. Analyses were carried out using SPSS 16 and R (version 3.0.1, R core team 2013) software. The present study shows that the relation between abundance of species in the inter-habitat matrix and its vulnerability to fragmentation is positive and significant (rs= 0.514, p = 0.001, N = 37). Species which are capable of tolerating the matrix are found to be less vulnerable to fragmentation. Some species deviate from the expected model in their response to habitat fragmentation which could possibly be explained by examining species specific traits. Fragment size didn't have a significant effect on relation between matrix abundance and fragmentation vulnerability index (F=0.758, p=0.387, df=l), unlike expected from previous studies. This could either be due to smaller range of fragment sizes in the present study or due to confounding factors like patch isolation and patch quality which can mask the effect of patch size. Among various habitat 'and microclimatic variables, canopy cover was found to be 'important predictor of ciliated species richness in matrix sites (weight = 0.8, ~ = 0.8, P = 0.008). Coffee plantations generally have a moderate level of canopy cover which is favorable for most butterfly species. But compared to paddy field~ the canopy cover is higher in coffee plantations and this could be the reason for increase in species richness with increasing canopy cover in matrix sites.
Geospatial Framework For Connecting Tropical Seascapes: A Landscape Ecology Approach
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2013) Talukdar, Gautam
Guardians of the Valley: The Sacred Junipers of Ladakh
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Bushra, Aimon; Stanzin, Jikmat; Kumar, Amit; Talukdar, Gautam
HABITAT SELECTION BY DESERT FOX (Vulpes vulpes pusilla) IN HUMAN MODIFIED LANDSCAPE OF THAR DESERT
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Krishnapriya, M.; Dutta, Sutirtha; Talukdar, Gautam
Knowledge about habitat use and selection helps to assess the impact of land use change on wildlife and inform conservation management. This study aims to understand habitat use and den site selection of Desert Fox (Vulpes vulpes pusilla) in the human modified landscape of Desert National Park and it adjoins in Rajasthan. The study was conducted from January 2024 to April 2024 that include the fox breeding season. Species occupancy inside and outside protected areas were examined to understand the effectiveness of protection. Den site selection was examined by comparing habitat, resource, and disturbance variables at the scale of core usage around the den and random control points. Protected area showed a positive effect on occupancy of foxes. Desert fox was found to be using diverse habitat types for denning, however, scrubland tended to be used more than availability and grassland was used less than availability, in the study area. Agriculture did not influence den site. Foxes showed strong avoidance to areas with high human and livestock disturbances and strong preference to areas with abundant Capparis fruiting for denning. Increase in human footprint in the landscape could potentially lower the survivability and reproductive success of foxes by making them prone to direct threats from humans and subsidized predators such as dogs.
Management Effectiveness Evaluation of National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in India
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2020) Mohan, D.; Talukdar, Gautam; Sen, M.; Ansari, N.A.
Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves in India: Fifth Cyle : summary report
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Yadav, S.P.; Tiwari, Virendra R.; Mallick, Kaushik; Garawad, R.; Talukdar, Gautam; Sultan, S.; Ansari, N.A.; Banerjee, Kaushik; Das, A.
Niche partitioning between assamese and rhesus macaque in the Askot landscape of Uttarakhand, Northern India
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2017) Justa, Priyanka; Kumar, R.S.; Talukdar, Gautam
Closely related species often have similar requirements and these species need to have certain ecological adaptations to live in sympatry. Two congeneric species the Assamese (Macaca assamensis) and the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) co-occurring in the Askot landscape of Uttarakhand were studied to understand the mechanisms allowing their coexistence. 2. Ecological niche differentiation for the two species was investigated by examining three possible modes of separation: activity pattern, diet and spatial use following observational protocols over a period of five months (December 2016-April 2017). Crop-raiding by macaques often results in human-macaque conflict. With the help of semi-structured interviews, attempts were made to access the level of conflict and people’s perception of these two macaque species. 3. Limited niche overlap was found between two primate species across the study duration. The Assamese macaque differed from the rhesus macaque in time spent on various activities. The former spent more time feeding and the latter in resting. Although 44% of all food items were consumed by both the species, only three of the ten major food items were shared. Assamese macaques preferred leaves and had broader niche breadth compared to rhesus macaques who fed more selectively on fruits. There was a significant difference in feeding heights, habitat and roosting site preferences of the two species. Differences in diet choice and roosting sites, in turn, resulted in differences in daily movement and home range of these species. Despite a partial home range overlap, both these species were found to be spatially segregated at a local scale. 4. The extent of niche overlap across winter and spring seasons in the area showed the greatest divergence in the diets of the two species in winter, while diet overlap was more pronounced in spring. As resources were abundant in the spring, an increase in niche overlap may not have lead to competitive interactions. Synthesis and application: Knowledge about differential resource use of macaques might help in assigning conservation priorities to the different species and their specific ecological niches along with designing species-specific management strategies. The study was able to distinguish the macaque's tendency to co-exist with humans.
Population Status of Waterbirds in Human -Impacted Urban Wetland of Gangatic Plain: A study from Okhla Bird Santchuary, National Capital Region of Delhi
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2014) Manral, Upma; Gopi, G.V.; Mohan, Dhananjai; Talukdar, Gautam; Hussain, Syed Ainul
Population Structure and Microhabitat Preference of the Himalayan Yew (Taxus wallichiana. Zucc) in Uttarkashi
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2011) Ganguly, Rhea; Rawat, G.S.; Talukdar, Gautam
Understanding choices made by any species at a micro level is intrinsic to detecting patterns in ecological space. On the other hand, understanding how variations in micro site in turn affect the populations of any species is important in terms of ecological time. This study compares population structure of Taxus wallichiana. Zucc, a threatened medicinal tree endemic to Himalaya, across different habitat types and to studies micro site preferences (over space) exhibited by the species. The study maps the distribution of Taxus encountered and based on it, predicts areas which are likely to have Taxus. It also studies how differences in habitats affect the population structure of the species. Using generalized linear models, the microhabitat preferences of the species was modeled. This study is merely the preliminary to further insights to the species choices for a habitat and responses to habitat changes. The findings of the study are as below: 1. Population structure revealed significant differences between age class structure across habitat types (p
Richness and Compositional Responses of Ants to Land use Change
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Shakur, Mohammad Abdau; Talukdar, Gautam
Human-made changes to the ecosystem are leading to the loss of biodiversity across the world. Western Ghats (WG) known for its rich biodiversity has historically undergone fragmentation and loss of its primary forest cover which has significant negative effects on biodiversity. Studies have shown that fragmentation almost invariably leads to a decrease in species richness, a pattern consistently observed across different taxonomic groups. Ants, one of the numerically dominant groups in forest ecosystems, play a vital role in many ecosystem processes and yet is one of the least studies groups within the WG landscape. The effect of land use change on ants in forests, fragments, native shaded coffee plantations and silver oak shaded coffee plantations was studied in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, India. We hypothesized that habitat heterogeneity would decrease from forests to fragments to native shaded coffee plantations and silver oak shaded coffee plantations and this would consequently lead to a decline in the richness and change in species composition of ants along this gradient. To test this prediction, ants were sampled along transects in the four-land use types using both pitfall traps and modified wrinkler extractors. As expected, there is a reduction in structural complexity across forest, fragments, native shade coffee and silver shade coffee plantations. We found that at the level of a transect, species richness reduced from forests to coffee plantations. Interestingly, the trend reversed when viewed at the scale of the land use, where all the forest sites together were the least species rich while the coffee plantations collectively showed the highest species richness. With respect to species composition, we found that coffee plantations had species adapted to drier environments whereas species inhabiting leaf litter were primarily found in forests and fragments. Coffee plantations with human residence inside had higher species compared to those not inhabiting. This study highlights the importance of scale for assessing the biodiversity potential of human modified habitats and for assessing their conservation potential.
Spatial mapping of important marine habitats of Malvan Coast for re-organization of boundary of the Malvan Marine Sanctuary
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Shinde, N.; Bayana, S.; Sarkar, D.; Pande, A.; Sivakumar, K.; Talukdar, Gautam
Malvan Marine Sanctuary is a Marine Protected Area located in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra state. Known for its rich biodiversity, it is grappling with increasing anthropogenic pressure necessitating a comprehensive study to assess its habitats and threats. Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of 2017-2018 team had suggested for boundary reorganization to exclude areas of human intervention and to include important habitats and areas with high biodiversity for the better management of biodiversity off the coast of Malvan. The project has undertaken because high tourism zone are areas with high anthropogenic pressure within the core zone of the sanctuary. Coral reefs and its associated fish fauna were surveyed at nine sampling sites. The total hard coral cover was observed to be 28% while the seagrass cover was observed to be 3% in 21 sampling sites. 19 genera of corals were identified. Favites sp.was observed to be the most abundant (19.18%). Within the sanctuary, Seagrass patches were identified at five sampling sites namely King’s Garden 1, King’s Garden 2, King’s Garden 3, Dharan and Donor site. 122 species of fish belonging to 38 families were observed during underwater surveys. Fish-market surveys were conducted to study the species composition and size-class of fish species caught around the sanctuary. A total of 44 different fish species were observed during market surveys. Beach litter surveys were conducted to assess the anthropogenic stress along the Malvan coastline. Debris in the form of polythene was the major contributing litter type at all three sections of the beach. The rocky outcrops along the coast were observed to be roosting sites for avifaunal species namely, White-bellied Sea Eagles, Pigeons, Swiftlets, etc. Spatial prioritization of the marine habitats revealed potential PA’s include Kawda, 7 rocks, Lighthouse area, covering an area of 29.07 sq.km; conservation priority areas comprising Chiwla, and Sargassm covering a total area of 19.21 sq. km and King’s garden (3.534 sq km) as sensitive area. Strategies to conserve these areas for long term conservation. should be planned. Spatial mapping of important marine habitats of Malvan coast for re-organization of boundary of the Malvan Marine Sanctuary
Spatio-temporal and thermal ecology of Indian rock python (Python molurus, Linn. 1758) in Sathyamangalam and Mudumalai Tiger Reserves, Tamilnadu
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Vishnu, C.S.; Chinnasamy, Ramesh; Talukdar, Gautam
The Indian rock python (Python molurus) is a Schedule I species in the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act-1972. It is also listed as appendices I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since they face immense survival threats due to habitat degradation and poaching. This study aimed to assess those important aspects of this species. Before the major research objectives, I reviewed the snake telemetry papers between 2007 and 2017 and identified the suitable transmitter and anaesthetic for the study. It was found that the VHF AI-2 Hollohill model was the best transmitter for the study due to the animal's body plan, whereas the Isoflurane gaseous anaesthesia can be a suitable anaesthetic agent. Understanding the microhabitats used by a species is essential for its effective conservation and management. This study objective aimed to quantify the microhabitat use of Indian rock pythons in the Sathyamangalam and Mudumalai Tiger Reserves (STR & MTR), Tamil Nadu
The resilence of protected areas of India to climate change: current status and future scenario
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Sarkar, Debanjan; Talukdar, Gautam
This study seeks to address the gap by delving into the broader implications of climate change to protected areas of India, specifically homing in on its multifaceted impacts on biodiversity and the identification of potential refugia. Objectives ● Quantifying the climate drivers contributing to vegetation changes across biogeographic zones ● Identify climatically vulnerable protected areas ● Suggest management strategies., i.e., identifying climate-change refuge. This study examines the impact of climate change on India’s biodiversity, biogeographic zones, and protected areas (PA), and aims to identify climatically vulnerable and resilient protected areas of India to climate change. The study reviewing existing scientific literature on the nexus of climate change, biodiversity conservation and protected areas of India and highlights the current knowledge gaps in India
Tiger corridors of the Eastern Vidarbha landscape
(NTCA and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2016) Mondal, Indranil; Habib, Bilal; Nigam, Parag; Talukdar, Gautam