M Sc Dissertation(WII)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://192.168.202.180:4000/handle/123456789/3

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Author: search.filters.author.Kher, VarunSubject: search.filters.subject.Habitat alteration

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    Effect of land use change on the habitat and abundance of Grizzled giant squirrel in and around Srivilliputhur-Meghamalai Tiger reserve, Srivilliputhur Division, Tamil Nadu
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Bevoor, Shilpa; Gopi, G.V.; Kher, Varun; Goyal, S.P.
    Human activities, especially energy extraction and food production, have drastically altered the global environment, impacting many wild species. Since 1990, around 420 million hectares of forests have been lost mainly due to agricultural conversion, significantly affecting biodiversity. In biodiversity hotspots like India's Western Ghats, agricultural expansion, monoculture plantations (tea, coffee, rubber), and non-timber forest product harvesting have fragmented protected areas, altered plant communities, disrupted nutrient cycles, and reduced carbon sequestration. While monoculture plantations reduce biodiversity, they can still provide habitats for some threatened species. Wildlife such as nilgai, blackbuck, elephants, and giant squirrels in India have adapted to these altered landscapes for food, water, and shelter, demonstrating resilience amidst habitat changes. This study focuses on the impact of converting barren lands into mango and coconut plantations around the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve in southern India on the grizzled giant squirrel population and habitat. Over the past three decades, these changes have enhanced connectivity between natural forests and agricultural areas, offering energy-rich fruits that attract wildlife, including GGS. This shift has altered ecological dynamics, making wildlife more reliant on cultivated foods and affecting their movement patterns. Density estimates reveal higher concentrations of GGS and nesting sites (dreys) in plantations compared to protected areas, with mixed plantations showing the highest densities due to the availability of nesting sites and year-round fruiting trees. Seasonal variations in GGS distribution highlight preferences for specific tree species based on fruit availability and habitat characteristics. The study also examines drey site preferences, noting GGS preference for mango trees in plantations over coconut trees due to structural attributes that provide better support and protection. These findings underscore the species' adaptation to plantation environments while emphasizing the critical role of specific habitat features for nesting and overall habitat suitability. Local farmers report conflicts with GGS due to crop damage, particularly affecting coconut, mango, tamarind, and other fruit-bearing trees. Perceived economic losses from GGS feeding habits often exceed actual damage levels, emphasizing the need for accurate assessment and targeted mitigation strategies to reduce conflict. Conservation implications stress the importance of maintaining critical habitats within protected areas, establishing buffer zones between plantations and natural forests, and promoting biodiversity-friendly practices in monoculture plantations. Community-based conservation efforts and adaptive management strategies are essential for mitigating human-wildlife conflicts and ensuring the sustainable coexistence of GGS and agricultural livelihoods in this biodiversity hotspot
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    Leveraging citizen science for bird monitoring: A case study assessing the impacts of urbanization on bird assemblages of the Nilgiris
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Phinehas N, David; Kher, Varun; Robin, V.V.; Jha, Ashish
    Anthropogenic alteration of habitats is the leading cause for biodiversity loss across the world. To accommodate the ever increasing human population, intensification of urbanised areas have led to the most extreme forms for habitat alteration (Batáry et al., 2018) and imposes a unique set of ecological filters. 2. Over that last 2 centuries during the colonial past, the Nilgiris has witnessed large-scale change in the landscape structure from native shola-grassland matrix to extensive tea and eucalyptus plantations. Currently it has emerged into a tourist haven, attracting millions every year, leading to expansion of the urban cover to accommodate the growing demand. 3. This study illuminates the profound effects of urbanization on bird communities in the Nilgiris, showcasing how habitat transformation alters community parameters such as, species richness, abundance, and composition. My results indicate a stark pattern: as urbanization intensifies, species richness declines, while a select few generalist species thrive in high abundance. 4. My findings reveal that settlements and proximity to remnant shola patches are the primary factors influencing avian community structure. Areas with higher settlement percentages and greater distances from shola patches exhibit reduced species richness and diversity. In contrast, less urbanized areas, closer to natural habitats, maintain higher biodiversity. This aligns with the hypothesis that urban environments simplify habitat structures, creating 'filter' that only a limited number of species can pass through, thereby fostering biotic homogenization. 5. Urban generalists, such as the House Sparrow, Rock Pigeon, and House Crow, flourish in highly urbanized zones due to their ability to exploit the abundant food resources and nesting sites provided by human activities. These species benefit from the homogenized urban landscape, which offers ample opportunities for foraging and nesting, often at the expense of more specialized species. Conversely, endemic shola forest specialists, such as the Nilgiri Laughing thrush and the Black-and-orange Flycatcher, suffer due to their stringent habitat requirements and limited dispersal abilities. These findings highlight the ecological trade-offs imposed by urbanization, where habitat degradation and loss disproportionately impact species with narrow niche widths. 6. This study also highlights the usefulness of citizen science as a tool for collection of largescale data in a short time span. I also tested for the accuracy of the citizen science data against a research-grade benchmark, ie, data collected by me. The results suggest that no significant variations were detected between the two datasets. 7. Conservation Implications: Monitoring species with vulnerable traits to keep track of further degradation of the habitat and involvement of the local citizens is needed. The study highlights a critical need to preserve remaining shola fragments and implementation of biodiversity friendly urban planning.