M Sc Dissertation(WII)

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

Browse

Subject: search.filters.subject.Grazing

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Effect of Grazing on the Community Structure and Functional Diversity of Grazing Lawns in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Malagi, Aaroha; Adhikari, B.S.; Page, Navendu V.; Ramesh, K.
    Understanding the effects of grazing (by both livestock and wild ungulates) on grasslands is paramount to come up with more robust managerial actions to conserve, and increase the ecosystem function of these valuable ecosystems. In the current study, we investigate the effects of grazing on a highly productive, mesic grassland ecosystem, viz. grazing lawn in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India. We examined how species richness and composition of a grassland patch change across a grazing gradient by carrying out plot-based vegetation sampling in the grazing lawns of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve. We also looked at how trait composition and functional diversity changed across the grazing gradient, to better understand the plant functional response and resilience of the grazing lawn complex. We used a Linear Mixed Effect Model (LMM) to investigate the impact of grazing intensity on species richness, and a Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) to look at the differences in species composition between different grazing treatments. Functional composition and diversity were measured using Lavorel and Villeger’s index in the ‘FD’ package of R (4.0.2). We found that grazing lawns were minimally affected by grazing intensity in terms of species richness and trait composition, but showed a significant change in species composition and functional diversity across the grazing gradient.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Pastoral Practice and Herders Attitude Towards Wildlife in South Gobi Mongolia
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2011) Mijiddorj, Tserennadmid; Rawat, G.S.; Badola, Ruchi
    This study deals with analysis of traditional and current pastoral practices in south Gobi areas of Mongolia with emphasis on herders' attitude towards wildlife. The study was conducted during December 2010 to May 2011. The major objectives of the study were to study: (i) Nomadic herders' pastoral practices and drives of changes. (ii) Influence of pastoral practices on human-wildlife conflict and (iii) nomadic herders' attitude towards wildlife. I used questionnaire surveys in two villages in Gurvantes soum to find out the past and current patters of herding, herders' attitudes and major drivers of changes. The villages were selected based on the fact that in one village (Tost), Snow Leopard Conservation initiatives are going along with livestock insurance and research programs, while in another village (Baysah) no conservation initiatives have been undertaken. However the range use patterns by the local herders and the level of conflict with wild carnivores is the same in both areas. A total of 144 individuals from different age, gender and educational background were interviewed, 74 in 8 aysah (nonconservation) area and 70 from Tost area where snow leopard conservation activities are taking place. The data were analyzed using SPSS Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) PC version 16.0 for . Generalized linear model GLM linear and negative binomial with log linear model. The study reveals that the pastoral practices among the herders in the study area is largely influenced by land tenure, mining disorder, school kids' admissions and development factors. Assessment of pastoral practice changes revealed that 84.7% herders had highly altered their seasonal movement pattern which can affect pasture degradation and regeneration of grass growth. Owing to changes in pastoral practices, the herders have become more prone to lose more livestock to carnivores. Using GLM models it is proven (Wald chi-square =4.551 df=11 P=O.033) that recent faulty pastoral practice change (.e.g, nuclear family, vulnerable for natural disaster and herding techniques) explains livestock losses due to the carnivores. It requires implementing livestock husbandry management in better ways. Gurvantes soum's two different villages offered ideal condition to compare carnivore conservation efficiency and way to forward to mitigate such human-wildlife conflict. Study indicated that in generally herders positive perception towards ungulates whereas carnivores Tost (conservation area) area herders' tolerance level was higher than those of baysah area (non-conservation area) (t=5.23, df=89. P
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Effects of Grazing, Utilisation and Management on the Grasslands of Royal Bardia National Park, Nepal
    (Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 1997) Karki, Jhamak Bahadur; Jhala, Y.V.
    I studied the temporal effect of grass harvest, burning, fertilizer, and grazing, with a factorial experimental design, in three grasslands of Royal Bardia National Park, Nepal. I tested the hypothesis of (i) nutrient depletion of grasslands by continuous harvest . and burning and (ii) differential use of areas by ungulates that were differentially managed m relation to forage quantity and quality. Addition of Di-ammonium phosphate and urea did not result in a significant increase in green above ground biomass and forage quality. Cut-burnt plots had the highest nutrient quality as indexed by crude protein and lignin. Plots that were only harvested had highest above ground biomass for the first month following harvest, and were more intensively grazed by ungulates during that time. Ungulates preferred to graze cut-burnt and burnt areas more during the second and third month following the treatment. Unmanaged tall grassland areas were also observed to have nutritive and other wildlife values. A management strategy for the grasslands of Bardia based on the above results is suggested. I compared the community structure, nutritive quality and above ground biomass of "grazing lawns" (patches of short grass communities), with neighboring grasslands. Grazing lawns differed form neighboring grasslands in species composition and community structure. A 50 day grazing free environment made areas of grazing lawns indistinguishable from neighboring grasslands in terms of above ground biomass. Grazing lawns had more nutritive forage in terms of digestibility and crude protein content. Sodium, magnesium and phosphorus were found to be below the critical requirements of ungulates. These minerals were ~found in higher concentrations in forages from grazing lawns. Grazing lawns seem to be maintained by continuous grazing and enriched by deposition of urine, dung and by certain plant species not found elsewhere in the neighboring grasslands.