M Sc Dissertation(WII)

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    The Diel Activity Pattern of Indian Python (Python molurus molurus linn) at Keoladeo National Park and Some Factors Influencing it
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 1991) Bhatt, Karamvir; Choudhury, B.C.
    This study investigated die] activity pattern of Indian python (Python moJurus molurus Linn) at Keoladeo National Park Bharatpur. The study was conducted in an intensive study area of 0.5 Sq Km selected after pre sampling survey in the park. The methodology involved to estimate activity pattern of pythons was monitoring of a permanent transect every four hours, on diel basis, to record python’s tracks and sightings. The diel variations in temperature, humidity, burrow microclimate, prey activity and prey abundance were also quantified along with diel activity pattern of python. Results show a shift in diel activity pattern with seasons. The activity pattern of pythons was diurnal in winter, uniform throughout spring and bimodal crepuscular in summer. There was no significant correlation between python activity and other factors quantified, though temperature and humidity affected the diel activity pattern considerably. The microclimate variation gradient existing between outside and inside burrow possibly play an important role in occupation of the burrow and this in time influence the surface diel activity pattern. The shift in the diel activity is attributed to seasonal change in the abiotic factors. No relationship between prey abundance and activity pattern could be established possibly because python’s ability to go with out food during the cool season. Other factors not quantified during this study like reproductive behavior, body size and biotic disturbances are suspected to be responsible for the observed diel activity pattern of pythons. It is concluded that the diel activity pattern of pythons in KNP is not influenced by just one factor but is a manifestation of a combination of various abiotic, biotic and endogenous factors. A temperature sensitive telemetry study would help further in investigating the ecological aspects of this cryptic species.
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    Food Availability and range use by the common langur (Presbytis entellus) in Rajaji National Park, U.P. India
    (1991) Tiwari, Geetanjali; Kumar, Ajith
    A bisexual group of Common langur (P. entellus) wan chosen in Rajaji national Park, (U.P. India) to tent my hypothesis that spatial variation in the intensity of use -of home range is correlated with food availability. During the study period T collected data at three levels: (i) 6-day group scan for activity patterns, occupational density and frequency of use of major food species items. (ii) Circular plots, covering 6 percent of the area for estimating availability of tree species. (iii) Phenological data for estimating monthly variation in food items. Using the latter two I calculated the availability of major food species item spatially and temporally. I found that occupational density was significantly correlated with the availability of major food items in only two months. When analyzed for five months correlation increased as more major food items were added. The correlation was not significant for December, February and March because of constraints in the estimation of food availability added to the problem of dumpiness and rarity in the distribution of food species. A linear correlation is however, unlikely because availability of most foliage is often in excess of immediate requirement. moreover, as summer progressed water increasingly became limiting factor. This, in combination with other factors like inter-group interactions might further decrease the possibility of getting a linear correlation.
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    A Study of Heterospecific Flocking and Nonbreeding Bird Community Structure of Rajaji National Park
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 1991) Rai, Nitin D.; Johnsingh, A.J.T.
    Many workers have found a direct relationship between bird community structure and vegetation structure. To investigate this and describe the heterospecific flocking behaviour of nonbreeding birds I sampled five habitat types in the Dholkhand range of Rajaji National Park, U.P., India. Inter-habitat differences in flocking and bird community structure were considered. I used the line transect technique to sample bird communities. Mixed species flocks were observed to investigate why birds flock. The guild structure based on diet and foraging strategy showed a marked difference between habitats. Species richness was estimated using rarefaction analysis, a procedure that standardizes the unequal area of the different sites. I used a correlational approach to answer the question – what determines bird species richness ? Foliage height diversity, canopy cover, canopy height, canopy height difference, tree density, tree species numbers and cross sectional area, were used as the vegetation variables. Results indicate that none of the variables have strong predictive value though tree species number which is the only floristic measure of the habitats has a consistent influence independent of sample size. The guild structures suggest that the bird communities vary with floristic aspects, of the habitats. To test my hypothesis that flocking is a response to food availability I related bird densities, which is an indicator of food availability, to flocking tendencies and found a inverse relationship. I also found behavioural evidence to suggest that flocking is also an anti-predatory strategy.