PhD Theses (WII)

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End date: 2019Subject: search.filters.subject.Distribution

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    Diversity and distribution of Moth Assemblages Along Altitudinal Gradient in Gangotri Landscape, India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Sanyal, Abesh Kumar; Uniyal, V.P.
    This study intends to document the extent of moth assemblages that exist amongst various habitats in a typical Western Himalayan altitudinal gradient in Gangotri Landscape Area (GLA). In this study, using the elevation gradient as natural experiment, the faunal structure and diversity of the moth assemblage featuring all the major macro and micromoth families as well as relationships between moths and their biotic and abiotic environments were explored. Specific objectives of the study were: (1) Documenting and prepare taxonomic inventory of rich moth fauna of Gangotri Landscape Area; (2) To assess diversity and distribution of moth assemblages among different elevations and vegetation types of Gangotri Landscape; (3) To analyze the influence of altitude, seasons, vegetation types and anthropogenic disturbance factors on moth assemblages; (4) To investigate morphometric changes (body size and proportional body parts) in moths along altitudinal gradient. The study was conducted in Gangotri Landscape Area (GLA), a vast conservation network in the North-Western part of Uttarakhand, in district Uttarkashi. A total of 670 morphospecies belonging to 22 families and 356 genera were collected during entire sampling period from 2008-2012. This study is an important step towards better understanding of a long-neglected but diverse and charismatic herbivorous insect assemblage in Himalayan temperate altitudinal gradient.
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    Abundance, distribution & pattern of human impact on river Dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica).
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2018) Deori, Sunny; Qureshi, Qamar
    This study took place in a tributary of river Brahmaputra named Kulsi which originates from the Meghalaya enters Assam at Umkiam where it is known as Kulsi and finally discharges at Brahmaputra at Nagarbera, Assam. It is a highly populated riverscape. According to 2011 census data, the riverscape has 55972.88 hectares of cultivable land which is solely dependent for irrigation on natural sources (Rainfall and Rivers). Also, the river is divided into 7 River fishery under Revenue department of Assam. About 2500 commercial fishermen are registered under the fisheries of Kulsi River and 1,29,095 cultivators. Apart from this fine quality sand is a boon to the people of Kulsi floodplain. More than 5000 families were dependent on this business. The recent increase in construction business in Guwahati metropolitan and the nearby blooming towns is raising the earning bar of the people of Kulsi River. My study aimed at the following objectives: 1. Estimating the abundance & patterns of dolphin distribution across Kulsi River. 2. Estimating the effects of different human activities which can possibly affect the habitat and distribution pattern of dolphins in Kulsi River (special preferences to existing commercial fisheries, sand mining, & irrigation). 3. Socio- economic status of fishermen community, sand mining community and farmers and their attitudes towards dolphin and wider ecosystem conservation. 4. Examine suitable measures to minimize/prevent the harmfulness of these fishing gears and practices in the commercial fisheries of Kulsi.
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    Distribution of breeding Phylloscopus and Seicercus warblers in the Himalayas: Role of ecomorphology and competition.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2012) Ghosh, Mousumi; Rawat, G.S.; Price, Trevor
    Present study is carried out for the overarching goal of understanding the ecological and historical determinants of geographic and altitudinal distribution of sixteen breeding Phylloscopus and Seicercus species in the Himalayas. The broad research objectives were as follows: 1. Assess the availability of arthropod resources across the eastern and western Himalaya along the elevational gradients. 2. Identify the climatic correlates of the breeding distribution of Phylloscopidae. 3. Examine the geographic variation in foraging ecology of Phylloscopidae across the Himalayan bioclimatic gradient.
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    Determinants of occurrence of snow leopard and its prey species in the Indian Greater and Trans Himalaya.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2017) Ghoshal, Abhishek; Pandav, Bivash; Bhatanagar, Yash veer
    Understanding patterns of species occurrences and how their distribution and abundance are affected by abiotic and biotic factors have been a major theme of ecological research. The range and changes in the distribution of a species are important parameters to assess conservation status. Robust assessment of factors affecting species distribution and abundance contribute to the identification of conservation issues, appropriate scale(s) for species conservation and key stakeholders. This study is attempted to understand how distribution and abundance of a large-ranging and difficult-to-sample carnivore and its primary wild-prey species are affected by topographic, vegetation and land-use variables, at wide and fine spatial scales. Study is focused on the snow leopard (Panthera uncia), the elusive, rare and endangered apex predator of the Central and South Asian mountain systems, and its main prey, blue sheep or bharal (Pseudois nayaur) and Asiatic ibex (Capra sibirica) for the work. I have utilized tools from quantitative ecology and social sciences through the thesis.
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    Human-tiger conflict, ranging pattern and habitat use by tiger in Sundarban Tiger Reserve, India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Naha, Dipanjan; Sankar, K.; Qureshi, Qamar
    The Sundarban tiger inhabits a unique mangrove habitat type, isolated from neighboring tiger populations by hundreds of kilometers of agricultural and urban land. The main objectives of the present study were to (a) understand ranging pattern and habitat use of tiger (b) to quantify livestock losses by tiger predation and identify spatio-temporal patterns in conflict in and around the Tiger Reserve (c) to document and quantify the geographic distribution of tiger-human incidents and (d) to evaluate the perception and level of tolerance of people living in the vicinity of Tiger Reserve. This study showed that tiger home range range sizes are much larger than reported from Bangladesh Sundarban. The Sundarban Tiger Population is of global importance for the conservation of the species due to the size of the contiguous nature of the habitat and the unique adaptations of the tigers that inhabit these mangrove forests. In spite of only four tigers that could be radio-collared and monitored this study enhances our understanding aspects of tiger ecology in this unique landscape. Sundarban tigers are primarily diurnal, prefer certain habitat types and are reluctant to cross wide expanse of water. This information can be used to minimize human-tiger conflict which is a major impediment to tiger conservation in this region.
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    Spatial pattern in the occupancy and abundance of red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) in western Shivalik landscape, India.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Fernandes, Merwyn; Sathyakumar, S.; McGowan, Phillip
    This study was to identify landscape-level patterns of distribution, abundance and habitat occupancy of G. gallus across different spatial and temporal scales in a forest landscape, to help guide strategies for Galliformes conservation management. The present study was undertaken in an area (29˚54’ to 30˚24N and 77˚32’ to 79˚12’ E) that is situated within the Shiwalik Hills of Northwestern India, in the districts of Dehradun and Haridwar in Uttarakhand State. G. gallus is listed as a ‘Least Concern’ species, making an assessment of their status requires reliable information on population size and distributions. The structural component of understorey was one of the most important factor that determined occupancy and detection probabilities for the species. The structural components are known to provide cover to G.gallus, and other gallinaceous species that nest on the forest floor. The main threat to G. gallus is hybridisation and hence there is an urgent need to assess ranging patterns, survivorship and other basic demographic parameters, population status, genetic variability and purity of G.gallus in areas adjoining PAs where most of these forests have multiple uses and domestic/feral fowls are in close proximity in order to keep the common species common.
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    An assessment of abundance, habitat use and prey selection by carnivores in Khanchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, Sikkim
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2013) Bashir, Tawqir; Sathyakumar, S.
    The present study conducted for about five years (2008-2012) was therefore designed to generate some baseline information on the carnivores of the least explored part of the eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot i.e., the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve (BR~2,620 km²) with an attempt to assess their diversity, distribution, abundance, space use, food habits, activity patterns and the nature and extent of human-carnivore conflict, if any. An effort was also made to use this information in predicting suitable and priority areas for conservation action and in developing a protocol for long-term population monitoring of these species. Reconnaissance surveys were conducted in seven watersheds of the Khangchendzonga BR and the Prek chu watershed (182 km²) was selected for intensive field work. The study confirmed the presence of 19 species of carnivores from the KBR including 11 species of global conservation significance. In order to understand the factors that govern the co-existence of carnivores in the area their spatial, dietary and temporal patterns of recourse use were also assessed. This study provides the first scientific information on the ecology of carnivores in the Khangchendzonga BR and is of high significance to managers for efficient conservation and management of these ecologically important species and their habitats in such intricate habitats where accessibility and data collection is a limiting factor.
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    Diversity and structure of butterfly assemblages along altitudinal gradient in Tons valley, Western Himalaya
    (wildlife Institute of India, 2013) Bhardwaj, Manish; Uniyal, V.P.; Singh, Arun Pratap
    Present study reveals the distribution pattern of butterflies along elevation gradient along the Tons river valley in the western Himalaya. Two protected areas lies with current study area viz. Govind National Park and Govind Wildlife sanctuary and the rest of the area lies within any formal category of protection. The area represents high elevational variation (900 – 6316 m) and a gradient of disturbance regimes and from natural Himalayan forests to highly disturbed villages and agricultural lands. Current study document patterns and processes involved in shaping diversity and distribution of butterflies along an elevation gradient in Tons valley. This study provides a baseline faunistic inventory of the diversity of butterflies including description of general identification features, their relation to classification and subfamilies and genera of butterflies sampled from the Tons valley during more than four years of observations from April 2008 to October 2012. A total of 189 species representing 98 genera in 5 families were recorded in Tons valley during entire sampling period.
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    Factors affecting habitat occupancy of tiger in the Terai Arc landscape, India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2009) Rajapandian, K.; Goyal, S.P.; Qureshi, Qamar
    The goal of this study, therefore, was to identify the factors affecting the distribution of tiger and assess the distribution of suitable habitat patches and the connectivity between these patches for successful dispersal in the Indian part of TAL. In the present study developed GIS probability models for tiger and its prey species and a spatially explicit individual-based dispersal model (SEIBM) for tiger in order to identify and assess the factors which are affecting the occupancy of tiger and subsequently predict potential suitable habitats and estimate the connectivity between the fragmented subpopulations in the Indian as well as between Indian and Nepal part of TAL. Data were collected on presence/absence of four wild ungulates (sambar Cervus unicolor, chital Axis axis, nilgai Boselaphus tragocamelus, and wild pig Sus scrofa), which are important prey species of tiger in two phases during the period between 2002 and 2006. The results of this study, in addition to contributing to the knowledge on factors affecting suitable habitat distribution and dispersal of tiger, have many implications for conservation of tiger in the Indian part of TAL. This study has also identified critical areas needed for management initiatives for functional unit of tiger conservation in the TAL.
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    Conservation and management of snow leopard and co-predators with special reference to large carnivore-human conflicts in select areas of western Himalaya.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2016) Maheshwari, Aishwarya; Sathyakumar, S.
    The study aims to investigate occurrence, distribution of snow leopard, co-predators and their prey in Kargil, and some gaps areas in Greater Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh and in Greater Himalayan and Trans Himalayan regions in Uttarakhand. Objectives are as follows: Considering gaps in the knowledge on snow leopard in the Western Himalaya, this study focused on the following objectives 1. Determine conservation status and distribution of snow leopard and copredators in Kargil, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh 2. To assess occurrence and estimate density of prey species in Kargil 3. To asses food habits of snow leopard in Kargil, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh 4. To assess snow leopard-human conflicts in Kargil, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh 5. To Predict habitat suitability of snow leopards in the western Himalaya.