PhD Theses (WII)

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Start date: 2024Subject: search.filters.subject.Distribution

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    Movement and space use pattern of Tigers in the Eastern Vidarbha landscape, Maharashtra, India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Hussain, Zehidul; Habib, Bilal
    Movement is a crucial ecological process that influences the survival, population dynamics, and evolution of animals. Animal movement patterns are diverse and are influenced by life stages, sex, age, and habitat requirements. The relationship between animal movement and conservation is complex, particularly due to human-induced environmental changes This study emphasises that various factors influence animal movement, including individual characteristics and external factors such as resource availability, distribution, competition, and predation. Animals adjust their space use based on seasonal changes in resource availability. Additionally, movement patterns and space use can be influenced by habitat disruption, forcing individuals to displace and establish new home ranges. Landscape features play a significant role in animal home ranges, with resource distribution determining the extent of the required area. Fragmentation of habitats and human activities can affect landscape connectivity, leading to isolation, reduced gene flow, and potential genetic bottlenecks or local extinctions. Thus, maintaining habitat connectivity is crucial for long-term survival of highly mobile species. The study highlights the need for comprehensive datasets and technological advancements, such as GPS tracking, to study animal movement and behaviour. It also emphasises the importance of studying dispersal patterns, as dispersed individuals often encounter humandominated landscapes and face increased vulnerability to anthropogenic effects. This study focused on quantifying movement patterns and space use across three life stages: predispersal, dispersal, and post-dispersal phases. The results revealed differences in space use within and outside protected areas, with individuals outside protected areas requiring larger territories. The study also identified seasonal variations in space use and movement patterns, with dispersed tigers exhibiting the highest space use. Land-use composition, landscape configuration, and anthropogenic disturbances influence the use of tiger space. These findings provide insights into the factors influencing tiger movement and space use in a human-dominated landscape. They highlighted the importance of maintaining habitat connectivity, reducing anthropogenic disturbances, and restoring suitable habitats outside protected areas to facilitate dispersal and ensure the long-term survival of tigers.
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    Foraging ecology of Great-Slaty Woodpecker in and around Pawalgarh Conservation reserve in Western Himalaya
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Kaur, Sarabjeet; Gopi, G.V.; Uniyal, V.P.
    The Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus, Temminck 1826) is an old-world woodpecker that prefers mature and old-growth dipterocarp forests (including Shorea robusta, Sal) across its known distribution range. The study reveals population demography, the social system and foraging behavior from logged forest and infer the distribution and home range of the Great Slaty Woodpecker, a cooperative breeding bird species, in and around the Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve in the western Himalaya of Uttarakhand state. This study presents the first census conducted for the Great Slaty Woodpecker, providing an ecological baseline for the species population estimation from its known distribution range. I inferred the home range size of each group based on 161 independent sightings of 11 family groups. These sightings represent behaviors such as foraging, nesting, roosting, vocalizations, and territory defense
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    Land, lion and locals: Understanding the distribution of lions and large carnivore human interactions in the Greater Gir Landscape of Saurashtra
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Gogoi, Keshab; Jhala, Y.V.
    Apart from the Gir Protected Areas, Asiatic lions inhabit various coastal forest patches in Mangrol, Veraval, Kodinar, Mahua, and Rajula-Jafrabad areas. They also reside in Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) and within human-dominated landscapes across Amreli, Junagadh, and Bhavnagar districts (Mitiyala WLS), as well as along the Shetrunji river, Hipavadli, Palitana, and Shihor. However, the presence of extensive townships, linear infrastructure, and urban development has led to the fragmentation of lion populations. This fragmentation restricts the efficient exchange of individuals across the matrix of multi-use human-dominated landscapes. Historical corridors that once connected hills, forests, and lion habitats, including protected and un-classed forests, have largely succumbed to agriculture and human settlements. To address this pressing issue, it is crucial to identify and conserve existing habitat corridors that connect these lion patches. Failure to do so could exacerbate repropuctive isolation, leading to genetic bottlenecks and reduced genetic diversity within lion populations. To tackle this challenge effectively, I utilized Circuitscape theory to model connectivity among habitat patches in the Saurashtra landscape at a scale of 1km². Additionally, I employed least-cost pathway tools to determine the shortest pathways with the least total costs. My analysis revealed varying levels of permeability among different lion habitats. For instance, the permeability between the coastal forests of Veraval-Sutrapada and Rajula with Gir PA was found to be high. Similarly, coastal patches around Mahua taluka exhibited high permeability with forest patches around Palitana. However, the permeability between Girnar and Gir Forest was moderate, indicating the need for interventions to maintain suitable lion movement. In the eastern part of the Gir protected area, there is notable connectivity between Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary and Gir, as well as other habitat patches along the Shetrunjay river. By prioritizing the identification and conservation of these critical habitat corridors, we can enhance connectivity among lion populations, mitigate the risk of genetic isolation, and safeguard the long-term survival of Asiatic lions in the Saurashtra landscape
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    Landscape-level assessment of select group of pollinators and factors influencing their diversity and distribution in Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Khan, Sushmita; Uniyal, V.P.; Ramesh, K.
    Change detection analysis using satellite data in a remote sensing platform is a crucial tool for understanding shifts in land use and land cover (LULC) over time, allowing for the identification of environmental and human-induced changes across various spatial and temporal scales. This method aids in assessing the impact of factors like urban expansion, agricultural practices, deforestation, and climate change on biodiversity and ecosystems. Climate change, particularly in vulnerable regions like the Himalayas, poses significant threats to ecosystem services and biodiversity. This study explores the impact of LULC and climate change on pollinator diversity and distributional patterns in the Kullu and Tirthan valleys of Himachal Pradesh. By compiling a comprehensive list of entomofauna pollinators across various orchards in different landscape configurations, the research aims to emphasize the need of conserving pollinator species in this ecologically sensitive region. Additionally, the study predicts potential shifts in pollinator distribution under future climate scenarios, providing valuable insights for conservation strategies. Through systematic analysis, the research contributes to a deeper understanding of pollinator communities and their interactions within the mountain horticultural belt of the Indian Himalayan Region. Ultimately, the findings aim to inform targeted conservation efforts to preserve the rich biodiversity of pollinators in this area. The research focuses on two major valleys within the Kullu district, each presenting contrasting landscapes and ecological contexts. The Kullu valley, a 76 kms long stretch situated along the Beas river, is characterized by diverse land use patterns and heightened anthropogenic activity, particularly in horticulture and tourism. In contrast, the Tirthan valley, nestled along the Tirthan river for a 45 kms long stretch, is designated as a conservation area with minimal disturbance and dense forest cover. The study meticulously investigated pollinator diversity dynamics in the Kullu and Tirthan valleys. The study conducted in the Kullu Valley aimed to analyze land use changes over time using Landsat satellite imagery from 2000 and 2022. High-quality images with minimal cloud cover were obtained for both years, ensuring accurate analysis With the aforesaid aim in focus, I have tried to address the following three objectives in my thesis: Objective 1: To assess the change in landscape composition of the study area over time.• Objective 2: To assess the effect of change in landscape configuration and horticultural practices on pollinator communities (diversity and abundance) and their services. • Objective 3: To model the distribution of major pollinators of economic importance belonging to different groups (Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera) in the study area.