PhD Theses (WII)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://192.168.202.180:4000/handle/123456789/104

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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Community Structure of Dung Beetles in Kailash Sacred Landscape, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, India
    (wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2020) Chauhan, Mona; Uniyal, V.P.; Chandra, Kailash
    Due to the recent wave of urbanization, mountain areas are being transferred into urban and agriculture land at alarming rates. The Kailash Sacred Landscape, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, India is highly vulnerable due to fragmentation and urbanization, including increased anthropogenic disturbance, reduced area, loss of habitats, invasion of new species and ecological transformations. Therefore, it is important to document the status of biodiversity prevailing in these areas to identify the level of biodiversity still left in forest fragments. No records exist about the community structure of dung beetles in the landscape and hence we lack crucial historical documentation of the natural communities in landscape which would remain as an important source of information for measuring species extinctions in the area. This study provides basic inventory and diversity pattern of dung beetles from the undiscovered area of the Kailash Sacred Landscape, Pithoragarh, India. This study also suggested bioindicator based ecological monitoring and excellent insight for future conservation and management planning which will help the managers to set priority areas for habitat improvement or restrict areas to deteriorate any further. The study area is Kailash Sacred Landscape (KSL), Pithoragarh, India part exhibits great variability and heterogeneity in altitude and topography, due to this ecosystems of this region vary widely from subtropical to temperate, alpine, and cold high altitude desert types. Similarly, the landscape harbors a high diversity of flora and fauna of both regional and global significance.
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    Patterns of distribution and multiscale-habitat correlates of riverine birds in the upper Ganges, Western Himalaya.
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Sinha, Ankita; Ramesh, K.; Jayapal, R.
    Fauna associated with riverine ecosystems vary considerably at the global scale ranging from obligate terrestrial to obligate aquatic. Birds constitute key components of wildlife along running water systems. 2. The global river bird community is diverse with 66 species, spanning across 19 families with 37 non-passerines and 29 passerines. Asia has the maximum number of species followed by South America and Africa. 3. The global distribution ranges of specialist river birds show that large areas of the world hold few or no specialist riverine birds. Richness peaks in the eastern Himalaya and the Myanmar-China border, around the Kakabo Raazi mountains where more than 15 species of specialist river birds overlap in range. 4. Species richness reflects considerable radiation in particular groups; Muscicapidae (small passerine insectivorous birds mostly belonging to the old world) in Asia, ovenbirds (Funariidae) and tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae)in South America, and the Pratincoles (Glareolidae) in Africa. 5. Ecological understanding and conservation efforts of specialist river birds remain rudimentary especially in the tropics where rivers are faced with a host of threats. 6. In this particular study, field surveys were undertaken to understand bird community composition and river habitat characteristics across summer (breeding) and autumn (wintering/non-breeding) seasons in the Bhagirathi basin, a major headstream of the Upper Ganges in the state of Uttarakhand in the western Indian Himalaya between years 2014 and 2018.
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    Study on distribution and relative abundance of large mammals and impact of human disturbance in and arond Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Ahmed, Arif; Gopi, G.V.
    The current study was started to gather baseline data on a few ecological factors (Diversity, distribution, relative abundance, Activity pattern and habitat preference) of selected large animals in Mehao WS. Northeast India. The study period was November 2017 to 2020. The objectives of the study are 1. To estimate the relative abundance and occupancy of selected large mammals in and around Mehao wildlife sanctuary. 2. To develop Habitat suitability model for selected large mammals in and around Mehao WS 3. To analyse the land use/land cover change pattern and to identify the main driving factors.
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    Diversity and Distribution Pattern of Moths (Lepidoptera : Heterocera) with special emphasis on family noctuidae in Askot Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Bandyopadhyay, Uttaran; Uniyal, V.P.
    This study has been planned to prepare a consolidated inventory of moth fauna of one of the most diverse protected areas of Uttarakhand, the Askot Wildlife Sanctuary, to assess the seasonal variation of a specialist group, the Noctuidae. The study also aimed to determine the effects of the environmental factors that govern the distribution as well as assemblage pattern of this particular family and targeted to identify the species with potential to indicate overall quality of the different habitats altitudinally which in term will contribute in future species conservation strategies.
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    Habitat use and interactions of mammalian carnivores in the tropical forest of Manas National Park, Assam, India
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2023) Bhatt, Urjit; Adhikari, B.S.; Lyngdoh, Salvador
    The study was conducted at the Manas National Park (MNP), East Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot, in Assam. Previous research on MNP revealed their significance in supporting diverse wildlife, including mammalian carnivores, focusing on their distribution patterns, relative abundance indices, and population estimates. However, interactions, co-existence, and habitat use among carnivores in the park remain understudied, creating concerns for conservation efforts given the threats to biodiversity in Southeast Asia. Examining these aspects of MNP, with their varied ecological niches and body mass variations, can shed light on species interactions and habitat preferences. understanding these complex relationships and habitat use is essential for effective conservation and management strategies to ensure the long-term survival and ecological balance of carnivore communities. The thesis used camera traps to assess the richness, species composition, encounter rates, trap efforts, and threat status of mammalian carnivores in the MNP. The objectives of the study were to (a) assess diversity and species composition of mammalian carnivores, (b) determine temporal interactions among carnivores and their potential prey species, and (c) evaluate space and habitat use of mammalian carnivores in tropical forest of MNP.
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    Diversity and distributional pattern of family Geometridae (Lepidoptera) in Great Himalayan National Park
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Mallick, Kaushik; Gupta, S.K.
    Lepidoptera is a large and diverse group of insect which includes moths (Heterocera) and butterflies (Rhopalocera). The current study aims to give a clear idea of the diversity and distribution pattern of Geometrid moths in the area which will act as a database for future works. It will also assess the environmental factors governing the distribution pattern of Geometrid moths across different vegetation and habitat type in the study area. Understanding the response of Summary moth fauna with respect to various disturbance factors will help in the implication of management plans to protect significant habitats. The Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) Conservation Area, located in Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, falls under the North- Western Himalayan Biotic Province- 2A, lies between 31°31’16” and 31°56’41” N and 77°20’ to 77°52’11” E, covering an area of 1171 km2 and showing an altitudinal variation of 1300 m to 6110 m. Among the total sampled moth assemblage of GHNP, majorly 91% species were found to be Oriental origin, while 83.5% species also had affinities to Palearctic region. In the context of Indian Biogeographic Zones and Provinces, only 21% and 26% species were distributed in two Trans-Himalayan Provinces, Ladakh Mountain (1A) and Tibetan Plateau (1B). Almost 80% species were shared with Western Himalaya (2B) as the landscape located close to that province viz., North-western Himalaya (2A), 72% with Central Himalaya (2C) and 45% species with Eastern Himalaya (2D). 45% species were shared with North-Eastern Hills & Valleys.
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    Ecological assessment of geometridae Moths (lepidoptera: Heterocera) along alitutudinal gradient in Dhauladhar Mountain range in Kangra (North Western) and Lahaul and Spiti (Trans-Himalaya) regions of Himachal Pradesh
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Kumari, Shabnam; Uniyal, V.P.; Chandra, Kailash
    This study investigates the ecology (diversity and distribution patterns) of Geometridae moths across the altitudinal gradients of the Himalayan and Tran Himalayan regions in Himachal Pradesh. Geometridae moths are the famous insect herbivore surrogate taxa. They have been studied globally across different mountain systems. Through the documentation of species diversity, and the analysis of ecological patterns associated with these moths, this study aimed to contribute towards a better understanding of biodiversity dynamics in the Himalayan region. The research findings hold significant implications as a comprehensive baseline information on the species diversity and community dynamics of Geometridae moths in the region along with insights from the zoogeographic analysis. It also highlights future research needs and conservation concerns in light of the impacts of climate change and human-driven changes in land-use patterns in the region. objectives proposed for this study were i) to study the diversity and species richness patterns of Geometridae moths along the altitudinal gradient of the Dhauladhar Mountain Range (DMR) (within the administrative boundary of the district Kangra), ii) to identify the potential indicator species of Geometridae moths for different habitat types (altitude) and environmental variables affecting their distribution and iii) assessment of the high-altitude Geometrid moth assemblage of Trans Himalaya (Lahaul and Spiti) region of Himachal Pradesh. The study was undertaken across the altitudes of the DMR and Lahaul and Spiti Valleys (LSVs) representing the Himalayan and Trans Himalayan biogeographic zones of India in Himachal Pradesh respectively. Species with strong preferences for specific altitudinal zones and forest types have the potential to serve as indicator species for long-term monitoring of climate change, habitat quality, and land-use changes in these regions. These findings provide valuable insights into our understanding of the biodiversity patterns and community characteristics of Geometridae moths across altitudinal gradients and different forest types in the regions