PhD Theses (SACON)
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Item Status and Ecology of the Andaman Crake(SACON, 2009) Ezhilarasi, N.; Vijayan, LalithaAndaman Crake is a rare and endemic bird of Andaman Islands. There was no detailed information available on this species and was listed as data deficient till recently. Hence a study was undertaken during 2004-2007 to collect baseline data on the population, ecology and biology of the Andaman Crake. A variety of factors is responsible for Andaman Crake's habitat degradation and loss. In this chapter I briefly highlight key findings of this study, major threats to this species and suggestions for conservation and future research. While these threats and recommendations are given for the conservation of the Andaman Crake, they pertain to several other species ecologically dependent on the wet forests.Item Studies on Taxonomy, Ecology, Distribution and Conservation values of Sthalavrikshas (Temple Plants) in Tamil Nadu, South India(SACON, 2007) Gunasekaran, K.; Balasubramanian, P.A review of previous studies in this field reveals that the information is found scattered. Only a handful of scholars have conducted research in Ulis field and that too based on medicinal, religious and mythological literature. Hence, a systematic study is felt as the need of the hour with the following objectives.1. To conduct taxonomic survey of s tha1avrikshas and bring out an authentic list of sthala vrikshas of Tamil Nadu. 2. To assess the ecological importance and conservation values of sthalavrikshas. 3. To document the role of traditional customs and beliefs of sthalavriksha worship in conserving the botanical resources. Tamil Nadu s tale along with union territory of Puducherry comprises the study area. Tamil Nadu (8" 5' and 13° 35' N Latitude and 76° 15' and BOO 20' E Longitude) is situated in the southern part of peninsular India. Tamil Nadu has wide range of land forms such as Coast, Plains and Ghats and is often known as the land of temples. There arc about 25,000 temples in the state.Item Status, distribution and ecology of the Grey-Headed Bulbul Pycnonotus Priocephalus in the Western Ghats, India(SACON, 2007) Balakrishnan, P.; Vijayan, V.S.The Western Ghats of peninsular India is one of the globally important ecoregions harbouring some of the fine rainforests of the world. This mountain ranges host more than 507 species of birds including several endemics little is known, however about the ecology and conservation status of many species. Habitat loss and fragmentation due to human activities the major threats to the restricted-range birds of the Western Ghats. Their narrow habitat requirements, particularly during the breeding season are yet another possible important factor causing their decline. Hence, evaluation of their basic ecological requirements, particularly their selectivity to microhabitats during breeding is of significant value while formulating conservation programme for these species. The Grey-headed Bulbul is a poorly known endemic to the Western Ghats. This restricted range species has a very limited distribution in the heavy rainfall areas in the hills along the south-western side of India from Belgaum and Goa to Kanyakumari. Observations, including both sightings and collections of Grey-headed Bulbul are very few from 1869 to 2002. It W3S reported as '"fairly common but rather local". However, the recent surveys do not show 'common' in any of the areas covered. This indicates a decline in population probably due to habitat loss and fragmentation. In the above background a detailed study was carried out to assess the status and distribution of Grey-headed Bulbul in the Western Ghats with respect to altitude and habitat and, to explore the habitat selection, for3ging ecology and breeding biology of the species to identify key factors affecting its long- term conservation. Intensive field surveys were Carried out between February 2002 and January 2004Item Status and Ecology of the Nilgiri Pipit in the Western Ghats.(SACON, 2007) Vinod, Uma J.; Vijayan, LalithaStudy was undertaken on the Nilgiri Pipit with the following main objectives a) determine the status b) unravel the ecology c) identify the key factors affecting the survival of the Nilgiri Pipit and suggest management optionsItem Status and ecology of the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon in the Western Ghats(SACON, 2006) Soumasunderam, S.; Vijayan, LalithaConservation of the species requires a comprehensive picture on the status and distribution, ecological requirements for feeding, breeding and other activities. Ecological studies on most of the endemics have not yet been conducted and hence, such information is not available for any management programmes. Moreover, human impacts on the habitats of most species are also not understood. Hence, the present study was conducted on an endemic, endangered species of the Western Ghats which is considered as Globally Threatened, the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon Columba elphinstonii, addressing mainly its biological and ecological requirements.Item Ecology of Bird Communities in the Anaikatty Hills, Coimbatore”(SACON, 2002) Nirmala, T; Vijayan, LalithaStructural and functional aspects of bird communities are believed to have direct relation with the structure of habitat and thereby act as indicators of environmental changes. Various components such as the type of resource, quantity of resource and spatial and temporal distribution of resources play a major role in determining the community structure. In general, the central theme in the functional aspects of the avian community studies has been, how the available resources for biological activities such as foraging, roosting and nesting are partitioned among the existing group of species. Studies on bird community in different habitats are very few in India, and the pattern and processes of a group of species or an individual species were studied separately. The study of birds in relation to habitats will give valuable data for forest management. Area outside protected area network is also equally important for birds and biodiversity conservation. This study was designed to determine the ecology of the bird communities in the mixed dry deciduous forest and scrub forest (SACON) in Anaikatty Reserve Forest, foothills of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Coimbatore, South India.Item Ecology of the brown palm civet Paradoxurus jerdoni in the tropical rainforests of the Western Ghats, India(SACON, 2001) Mudappa B, Divya Cauvery; Kumar, AjithThe small carnivores of the mammalian Families of Viverridae, Herpestidae, and Mustelidae play very important roles in tropical rainforest ecosystems, as predators, prey, and seed dispersers. These roles have been poorly studied, even as small carnivore communities are undergoing changes due to severe loss and fragmentation of rainforests. This thesis explores the ecology of a small carnivore, the brown palm civet (Paradoxurus jerdoni Blanford 1885), endemic to the rainforests of the Western Ghats hill ranges of India, and also examines changes in the structure of the terrestrial and arboreal small carnivore community as a whole, due to rainforest fragmentation. The ecology of the brown palm civet, an endemic and nocturnal viverrid, was examined with reference to its role as a seed disperser, and the factors governing its diet composition, and ranging and activity behaviour, in the relatively undisturbed, large tract of rainforest in the Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), between May 1996 and December 1999. The small carnivore community here was compared with that in the rainforest fragments of the Anamalai Hills that were surveyed between January and May 2000. Habitat correlates of the occurrence of small carnivores were also examined.Item A study of the ecology of select species of weeds in different vegetation types of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve(SACON, 2000) Mahajan, Maya V; Azeez, P AInvasion by weedy species of plants has serious impact on natural and managed ecosystems. Weedy species invade agricultural lands, fallow lands, roadsides, disturbed forests and plantations. Invasion by such species modifies the ecosystem structure and function. Invading species may dominate and displace the native vegetation and cause extinction of certain native species, leading to alteration in the original biodiversity of an area. In recent years, biological invasion is being recognised as a serious threat to biodiversity conservation (Pimm and Gulpin 1989, Vitousek et al. 1996). In contrast to studies in agricultural fields, not much attention is given to plant invasion in natural ecosystems. Nevertheless, the colonisation of natural forest ecosystem by weedy species is growing as a threat. In recognition of the threats posed by plant invasions in natural vegetation and realising the scarcity of ecological information on various colonising plant species