Theses and Dissertations
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Item An ecological study on nesting patterns and Behavioural dynamics of vultures in Kangra valley, Himachal pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Bhattacharya, MalyasriVultures are nature’s most efficient scavengers, playing a critical role in maintaining ecological balance. Their populations in India have suffered a drastic decline from 97-99% between 1993 and 2002, leading to the establishment of captive breeding programs aimed at species recovery. Threats of decline have now stabilized, but little is known about the ecology and survival of the vultures in the wild, necessitating this study for the conservation of vultures in their natural habitat. Kangra Valley, situated in the westernmost region of Himachal Pradesh state in India, is one of India's important vulture sites, supporting most of the nine vulture species recorded in the country. Among these, the White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), Himalayan Griffon (Gyps himalayensis), and Eurasian Griffon (Gyps fulvus) are the most observed, while the Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus), Red-headed Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus), Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris), and Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus) are recorded occasionally. Kangra is also one of the most densely populated districts of Himachal Pradesh, with an extensive road network, contributing to anthropogenic pressures on vulture populations. While the region has a long history of vulture census efforts, aspects of their breeding ecology remain poorly understood. Why do they select a particular tree for nesting? What are the variables that affect nest site selection? What is the nest success rate? Where do they move, and what is their home range? What are the threats? This study, conducted between 2019 to 2024, focuses on the breeding ecology of White-rumped Vultures in Kangra, examining their nesting preferences, reproductive success, threats to nesting colonies and spatial movements. Additionally, the research explores the climatic niche availability for all nine vulture species found in the region, assessing current and future climatic scenarios to predict potential habitat suitability. The Chir Pine forests of Kangra serve as the breeding habitat for White-rumped Vultures in the region. The breeding season of the White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in the area extends from November to April, encompassing mating, incubation, hatching, and fledgling development, lasting approximately 25-28 weeks (October—April). Over three consecutive breeding seasons (2021-2024), the study recorded 17 active nesting colonies with a total of 617 active nests, primarily in Chir Pine (Pinus roxburghii) trees. Nest site selection was influenced by tree characteristics, with vultures preferring trees with a larger girth at breast height (GBH) (average GBH of 254.8 cm + 49.3 SD), lower canopy cover (5-10%), greater shrub density (77-100%), and proximity to other nesting trees and water sources. Conversely, areas with high fire activity, dense canopy cover, and limited nearby trees were found to be less suitable. In addition to breeding ecology, the study identified 36 carcass dumping sites in the region. These sites, managed by local communities, serve as designated areas for livestock carcass disposal, primarily for cattle and buffalo. The carcasses are transported from households to the dumping sites by local cobblers, locally known as "Harijans." The decline of open carcass disposal areas has posed further challenges for vulture populations. To understand movement patterns, five wild White-rumped Vultures were satellite-tagged in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, in 2021. The tagged individuals exhibited extensive movements, ranging across Jammu & Kashmir, the Pakistan border near Punjab, and Uttarakhand. Three of these vultures have consistently nested in Dolba and Lapiana within Kangra between 2021 and 2024. The study recorded an average home range of 1367.6 km? for non-breeding individuals and 1719.8 km? for breeding individuals across seasons. The future distribution for the nine vulture species shows a significant decline in the modeled climatic niche for seven vultures by 2041-2060 and 2061-2080. The study identified electrocution, forest fires and poisoning as major threats, with notable vulture fatalities recorded. Major forest fire-prone areas include Gopalpur, Pathiar Range, Lunj, and Baranj Sirmani. This study offered insights into India's largest documented aggregation of 617 White-rumped Vulture nests. The study recommends targeted conservation interventions to ensure the long-term survival of White-rumped Vultures. These include the protection of nesting sites, preservation of old-growth forests, and support for cobbler communities engaged in carcass disposal. Additionally, designated vulture feeding stations within forested areas should be established. Given these findings, the study proposes designating the region as a Vulture Safe Zone, suitable areas for releasing captive-bred vultures with continuous monitoring. Himachal Pradesh Forest Department (HPFD) and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoEFCC) have to come up with guidelines to declare a vulture safe zone as well as a strategic conservation plan to safeguard this critically endangered species.Item Management of habitat, its connectivity and human-large carnivore conflict in Western Terai Arc Landscape (TAL)(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Verma, Nishant; Pandav, Bivash; Mondol, SamratA wildlife corridor is an area of habitat that connects wildlife populations otherwise separated by human pressures such as roads, development or logging. Functionally corridors allows for the exchange of individuals between populations, reducing the negative effects of inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity that often occur in isolated populations. The Western Part of the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) a region listed among the 200 globally important ecoregions for its rich assemblage of large mammals. Over time land modifications for agriculture and anthropogenic disturbances disrupted these connections. Despite this the TAK retains immense conservation value, sustaining two level I Tiger Conservation Units - Rajaji Corbett and Chitwan-Parsa-Valmiki- alongside several level II Units. Recent assessment estimate that about 20,800 sq km of tiger habitat remains on the Indian side of the TAL. The study area of this doctoral research spans the Western Terai Arc landscape and centres around Rajaji National Park encompassing connected forest divisions in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh where it aims at (i) Evaluating corridor use by wildlife in Rajaji National Park and adjoining divisions (2) evaluating the extent and severity of human - large carnivores conflict in the Western TAL and (3) Evaluating existing management practices for large carnivore conservation. Towards evaluating the activity of wildlife and for assessing corridor functionality, systematic sign surveys were carried out in 2022–2023 to identify suitable sampling sites across all corridors, prior to camera-trapping. Transects were walked to record signs such as dung, pugmarks, hoof marks, and scrapes of large mammals. Further, a total of 87 camera traps were deployed in 2022 and 2025, yielding a total of 9,670 trap nights. Sign surveys revealed that leopards and elephants were the most frequently encountered species across both eastern and western corridors. Chillawali–Shiwalik showed extensive elephant signs, confirming its role as an elephant movement pathway. Camera traps recorded 17 species in the forest areas and nine in the corridors, with the highest species richness being recorded in Chillawali-Shiwalik, followed by Chilla-Motichur and Laltappar, and Teenpani. Chillawali-Shiwalik had the highest Relative Abundance Index (RAI) for chital (269.53), followed by Teenpani for wild pig (227.2) and sambar (123.31), whereas Chilla-Motichur and Laltappar exhibited lower RAIs for most species. In contrast, adjacent forest areas exhibited higher RAIs across all species, indicating a preference for less-disturbed habitats. Species exhibited distinct activity patterns between corridors and forest areas. Leopards were uniformly active throughout the day in the forest but showed slightly reduced daytime activity in corridors (Δ = 0.71). Elephants exhibited contrasting activity patterns, with a daytime activity peak in forest ranges and a nighttime peak in corridors (Δ = 0.48). These results highlight both the functionality and challenges of four key wildlife corridors in RNP in maintaining connectivity for species within fragmented habitats. Details of human-wildlife conflict incidents were collected from each of the Forest Divisions of the study area for 12 years (2012-2024). Of this, incident details of attacks on humans were available from 2018 to 2024, while livestock depredation incidents were available from 2003 to 2024. Of the collected data, large carnivore conflict incidents were compiled on the basis of the species of carnivore involved, and the incidents were categorised into attacks on humans and livestock depredation. Species-wise conflict points were extracted, and for each of the species, 5000 random points were then generated in QGIS to act as absence points in the study area. 65 incidents of attacks on humans were due to large carnivores – including tigers (n=29), leopards (n=19), and bears (n=17) (2018 to 2024), and 3,258 incidents of livestock depredation were attributed to large carnivores – including tigers (n=615) and leopards (n=2,635) (2003 to 2024). Human population densities were significantly different for locations of bear and tiger attacks on people and random points, whereas livestock population density was significantly different at locations of human-leopard conflict as compared to random locations. Similarly human population densities significantly varied between locations of livestock depredation by tigers & random non-conflict locations, while both human & livestock population densities were significantly different at locations of livestock depredation by leopards and random locations. Elevation gradient (p<0.01) in the study area was one of the major drivers of human conflict with bears and leopards on humans. Distance to linear infrastructure (p<0.01) and Human Footprint Index (p<0.05) majorly drive leopard attacks on people. Additionally, livestock and human population densities (p<0.05) influence bear and tiger attacks on people. Tiger attacks on humans were also driven by distances to linear infrastructure & Protected Area (p<0.01), and nightlight (p<0.01). Annual precipitation, terrain ruggedness & elevation, distances to linear infrastructure & water, human population density, and Human Footprint Index (p<0.001) are some of the factors that drive livestock depredation by leopards & tigers. The results of this study highlight the variations in trends and drivers of conflict with each large carnivore in the study area, with severe socio-economic and ecological consequences. The evaluation of management practices in the Western Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) was carried out using the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) framework developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), that have been adapted for the Indian tiger reserves. This framework assesses management performance across six broad elements: context, planning, inputs, processes, outputs, and outcomes, and provides a structured mechanism to identify strengths and gaps in conservation practice. Data was collected from (a) working plans and Tiger Conservation Plans, (b) field records and secondary data, and (c) primary evaluation and scoring. The site-specific scores were aggregated to generate comparative rankings across divisions, and grouped under five major elements (context, planning, input, process, and output). Selected critical indicators were examined individually to highlight specific areas of weakness. Additional parameters relating to habitat degradation, encroachment, invasive species status, and habitat recovery were also scored qualitatively. Scores ranged narrowly from 66.41 (Kalsi) to 68.97 (Dehradun), with Lansdowne (68.75), Rajaji (67.19), and Shivalik (67.17) occupying intermediate positions, indicating moderate but consistent levels of management. Disaggregated analysis revealed variation across the five evaluation elements. Planning (68.52) and Inputs (68.75) received relatively higher scores, reflecting the availability of documented management plans, budget allocations, and staffing provisions (Figure 4.2). By contrast, Processes (65.17) and Outputs (62.92) scored lower, indicating weaknesses in implementation and outcome delivery. Indicator-level analysis pointed to specific areas of weakness, specifically indicators related to control of biotic pressures, stakeholder participation, and conflict mitigation consistently received low scores. These findings reveal that management effectiveness in the western TAL is functional but fragile, characterized by strong planning frameworks but weaker implementation and ecological outcomes. The Western Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) represents one of India’s most critical conservation frontiers where ecological connectivity, large mammal persistence, and human livelihoods intersect. This thesis generates crucial understanding of the interdependence between habitat connectivity, conflict mitigation, and management effectiveness. Fragmentation of corridors intensifies edge effects and human intrusion, which in turn elevates conflict frequency, further complicating management efforts. This study provides several actionable insights for strengthening conservation outcomes in the western TAL, including landscape integration, corridor restoration, conflict mitigation, participatory management, monitoring, and policy mainstreaming.Item Patterns and Determinants of mammalian assemblage in an Eastern Himalayan Landscape unit(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Chackaravarthy, S. Deepan; Gopi, G.V.; Ramesh, K.This thesis presents a detailed investigation of the mammalian assemblage in a selected landscape unit in the Eastern Himalayan in the Far East region of Arunachal Pradesh. The selected landscape unit is located in a Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, with its mountain ranges are biogeographically well connected to the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. The study unit remains one of the least explored forests for mammalian species, except for a few prior expeditions. The unit is situated between two contiguous tiger reserves, The Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Namdhapa Tiger Reserve to the south, and the state’s largest wildlife sanctuary, the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary, to the north and the Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary to the west. The landscape units encomposses protected areas, including the Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, and forest divisions of Lohit, Anjaw, Anini, and Namsai forest divisions. The terrain is rugged and hilly, traversed by various rivers and streams, which are the contributors to the river Brahmaputra. We conducted a reconnaissance survey to fulfil the objective of creating an inventory, and the resulting information guided the deployment of camera traps in locations optimal for effective photo capture of mammals. The objective of the study also examines the perception of the indigenous people towards mammalian, species. A questionnaire survey was conducted in and around the study unit, to assess the perception, which also provides information about species that are not directly captured in the camera-trap monitoring programme. The study documented several mammalian species in the selected landscape unit, with species, like tigers (Panthera tigris) and leopards (Panthera pardus), were reported from secondary sources and direct sightings. Dhole (Cuon alpinus), clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), and Asiatic golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) are the top predators recorded using camera traps. Certain species of conservation interest are also reported, such as Alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens), and the recent past distribution of Wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee). This information adds additional credits for reintroduction programs in future. Both bear species, the Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) and the Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus), are recorded in this study. The recently segregated species Gongshan Muntjac (Muntiacus gongshanensis) and data-deficient species like the Northern Tree Shrew (Tupaia belangeri) were also recorded during the study period. Though the study reported flying squirrels at taxa level the region is occupied by species that are listed as endangered and critically endangered. The Critically Endangered Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) was also recorded with one individual rescued during the study. The habitat suitability prediction for selected species, both at a regional scale and at the landscape unit level provided valuable insights for conservation and management. The analysis using time-stamped camera-trap images shows that the interaction of Dhole and Yellow-Throated Martens with prey is high, possibly due to the lower density of higher Felids. The activity pattern of the Mishmi Takin (Budorcas taxicolor taxicolor) offered valuable and additional information about the migratory species which moves across habitats and elevations seasonally. The questionnaire survey on the people’s perception revealed that the people’s cultural connectedness to the wilderness remains strong. A community-based participatory approach should be developed in this region to enhance conservation practices. The study also identified an increasing trend of negative interaction with species such as the dhole (Cuon alpinus) and crop damage caused by the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) recorded through indirect evidence. Additionally, there are also two least studied rodents: The Asiatic brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus macrourus) and the Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica), which was noted to requiring further studies on their ecological role in the region. There have been discoveries of new species very recently in this region, underscores the need for a deeper understanding of species distribution in this region. In a landscape where people are deeply connected to culture, tradition and beliefs, there needs to be an inclusive approach for further exploration. A significant proportion of respondents indicated that cultural beliefs and traditional rights interlink with species protection in the region. A successful transfer of knowledge either the stratified sampling of communities and citizens to ensure that only those most apt to conduct science are invited to participate (Fernandez-Gimenez, 2008). It deals with the General Introduction about the study and its objectives. It deals with the description of the study area. It describes the basic Inventory of mammals, which is one of the core findings of the study. It focuses on the suitable habitat modelling of select mammal species recorded in the study unit. It examines the Diel activity pattern, temporal activity overlap, and spatial co-occurrence of mammal species in the study unit, serving as a representation of the species activity patterns in Eastern Arunachal Pradesh. It explores the perception of people on mammalian conservation in the landscape unit, based on a questionnaire survey.Item Influence of Canopy Gaps on Mangrove vegetation and Crab communities in the Andaman Islands(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Sengannan, Perarivalan; Prabhakar, N.Small-scale, infrequent disturbances enhance habitat heterogeneity in the landscape and promote diversity. Canopy disturbances caused by lightning strikes in mature mangrove stands modify environmental factors such as canopy cover and light intensity. Response of mangrove vegetation and crab communities to such canopy gap formation remains the least investigated aspect among ecologists. The canopy gaps were stratified based on the recent and recovering status of vegetation recruitment along with gap age, and an intact forest plot was sampled as a control treatment. The result shows that canopy opening has a significant effect on water temperature, and it has a profound influence on structuring vegetation and the crab communities in mangroves. Seedling and sapling density was 2-fold higher in canopy gaps than intact forest, and higher sapling survival was witnessed in canopy gaps. 28 species of crabs were recorded collectively from all treatments. Crabs of the family Ocypodidae were found in large proportion in canopy gaps, as the organic matter from microalgae and bacteria is their primary food base. Overall, canopy gaps in contiguous mangrove habitats are a hot spot for crab diversity and serve as a regeneration niche for seedlings and saplings by creating structural heterogeneity in the landscape. It suggests that small-scale natural disturbances, such as canopy gaps, promote habitat complexity and crab diversity.Item Foraging Guild Structure and Niche Characteristics of Waterbirds in Pong Wetland, Himachal Pradesh(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Abhishek; Talukdar, Gautam; Gopi, G.V.; Kaur, AmarjeetWetlands are one of the important habitats for waterbirds, yet the mechanism of niche segregation among the waterbird communities is understudied. This study focused on the foraging guild structure and niche characteristics of waterbirds in Pong wetland during the wintering season. The study takes into account foraging habitat (water depth, secchi depth and vegetation type) and foraging technique used by the waterbird species to understand resource partition and coexistence. The study was carried out from December 2024 to March 2025 using the point count method in two different sites of the Pong wetland i.e., Meenu khad and Gaj khad each having five replicates. The total sampling effort was 56 days with 26 days in Meenu khad and 30 days in Gaj khad. The species richness analysis of both the sites revealed Meenu khad to be more species rich than Gaj khad likely due to variation in water depth in the region, resulting in different habitat conditions. The monthly abundance of waterbirds in Pong wetland was found to be at its peak in the month of January. Generalist species such as the Eurasian Coot and Tufted Duck occupied the broadest habitat and combined niche breadth than that of specialists such as the River Tern. Furthermore, in terms of extensive foraging strategy, species such as the Northern Shoveler and Intermediate Egret occupied broader niche breadth, demonstrating behavioral flexibility in resource acquisition. The clustering of waterbird communities resulted in four functional guilds that are responsible for reducing competition and allowing species coexistence. It was found that the intraguild overlap was significantly higher than the interguild overlap (F = 54.34, p < 0.001). The null models further showed the mechanism that could be responsible for structuring the communities. It resulted in higher observed niche overlap than expected, signifying that community structure of waterbirds is largely influenced by morphological variations leading to different foraging habits, variable abundance of waterbird species and presence of abundant resources at Pong Dam. This study is the first in providing deeper understanding on seasonal waterbird abundance, niche requirements and community structure at Pong Lake. This study serves as a baseline to continue future studies in the region and assess the impacts of changing land use practices as well as changing climate on species occurrence and abundance and community structure. Furthermore, the study also showed the region to be an important staging ground for many migratory species, therefore, focusing on targeted habitat management will be crucial to support the diversity of waterbird species.are one of the important habitats for waterbirds, yet the mechanism of niche segregation among the waterbird communities is understudied. This study focused on the foraging guild structure and niche characteristics of waterbirds in Pong wetland during the wintering season. The study takes into account foraging habitat (water depth, secchi depth and vegetation type) and foraging technique used by the waterbird species to understand resource partition and coexistence. The study was carried out from December 2024 to March 2025 using the point count method in two different sites of the Pong wetland i.e., Meenu khad and Gaj khad each having five replicates. The total sampling effort was 56 days with 26 days in Meenu khad and 30 days in Gaj khad. The species richness analysis of both the sites revealed Meenu khad to be more species rich than Gaj khad likely due to variation in water depth in the region, resulting in different habitat conditions. The monthly abundance of waterbirds in Pong wetland was found to be at its peak in the month of January. Generalist species such as the Eurasian Coot and Tufted Duck occupied the broadest habitat and combined niche breadth than that of specialists such as the River Tern. Furthermore, in terms of extensive foraging strategy, species such as the Northern Shoveler and Intermediate Egret occupied broader niche breadth, demonstrating behavioral flexibility in resource acquisition. The clustering of waterbird communities resulted in four functional guilds that are responsible for reducing competition and allowing species coexistence. It was found that the intraguild overlap was significantly higher than the interguild overlap (F = 54.34, p < 0.001). The null models further showed the mechanism that could be responsible for structuring the communities. It resulted in higher observed niche overlap than expected, signifying that community structure of waterbirds is largely influenced by morphological variations leading to different foraging habits, variable abundance of waterbird species and presence of abundant resources at Pong Dam. This study is the first in providing deeper understanding on seasonal waterbird abundance, niche requirements and community structure at Pong Lake. This study serves as a baseline to continue future studies in the region and assess the impacts of changing land use practices as well as changing climate on species occurrence and abundance and community structure. Furthermore, the study also showed the region to be an important staging ground for many migratory species, therefore, focusing on targeted habitat management will be crucial to support the diversity of waterbird species.Item Influence of Predation Risk on Foraging Behaviour of Indian Desert Jird (Meriones hurrianae) in the Thar Desert(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Singh, AnanyaThe aim of the study is to understand how predation risk influences the foraging behaviour of Indian Desert Jirds in terms of time allocation of certain behaviours (vigilance and foraging), daily activity pattern and giving up densities (GUD) frameworkItem Understanding Aggregations Sites of Elasmobranchs in selected islands of the Lakshadweep archipelago(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Sawant, Chinmay Prakash; Ghanekar, Chinmaya; Johnson, J.A.This Study shows the identification of the aggregation sites of the elasmobranchs, i.e., sharks, rays, and skates, belonging to the Lakshadweep archipelago, emphasising the identification of aggregation places and traditional knowledge regarding related habitats and species. The presence of elasmobranch aggregations is biologically important as it addresses essential life processes like feeding, reproduction, and nursery grounds. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 120 respondents, including fisherfolks and scuba divers at four selected Islands of Kavaratti, Kadmat, Bitra, and Agatti on traditional ecological knowledge and information about the presence of elasmobranch species and their aggregation sites. Sixteen aggregation sites were reported, nine for rays and eight for sharks. These aggregations occurred most frequently during the post-monsoon season and the early morning hours. The major habitats ecountered with these aggregations were shallow sandy lagoon, coral and rocky reef, sand, and open ocean pelagic zone. The interviews conducted for assessing species composition included a collective 24 species of sharks and 13 species of rays, with dominant encountered species such as the Whale shark, Blacktip Reef Shark and Tawny nurse shark, for rays Spotted eagle ray, Porcupine ray and Oceanic manta ray. 14 species of sharks are aggregating: Whitetip reef shark, Blacktip shark, and Blacktip reef shark are dominant in the aggregation sites. For the ray aggregation site total of 10 species were reported as they formed aggregations from the Porcupine ray, Spotted eagle ray, Cowtail Ray, and Indian Ocean blue-spotted mask ray. Key aggregation sites are such as Cheriyapani, Valiyapani, and Suheli Par, were identified as key elasmobranch aggregation hotspots. Pole and line, hook and line the traditional fishing practices in the islands. The result of the habitat surveys confirmed these findings, showing that lagoon areas are particularly important for the aggregation of rays, whereas coral reefs in Kadmat, Kavaratti, and Bitra host potential shark populations. In Bitra, rays were observed feeding on a locally frequent prey species called "Muchroli," suggesting distinctive trophic interactions. Moreover, drone surveys validated the presence of huge aggregations of rays in pristine reef habitats, such as Cheriyapani, Valiyapani, and submerged banks offshore, including Suheli Par and Perumal Par. These locations are likely to serve as refugia, with the best possible conditions for feeding, resting, and potential nursery grounds, primarily due to minimal human disturbance. This research provides the first comprehensive understanding of the ecological knowledge of sharks and rays, including their species and key habitats. The results highlight the imperative necessity for continuous long-term monitoring, understanding their ecology of specific fisheries management and habitat, to protect these ecologically specialised and at-risk species in the Lakshadweep archipelago.Item Assessing Ghost crab distribution, abundance and habitat use along the Coromandel Coast, Tamil Nadu(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Keerthi V; Gopi, G.V.Sandy beach ecosystems around the world are facing numerous threats and tremendous pressure due to ever increasing human population. One such threat, relevant to the Indian coastline, is the large scale plantations of shelterbelts of the exotic pine, Casuarina equisetifolia, which alters beach geomorphology. The effects of such plantations on permanent shore-dwelling organisms are poorly studied. Hence Ocypode crabs, the most conspicuous macro-invertebrate on sandy beaches, has been used as a model taxon to study the effects of different kinds of inland vegetation (Casuarina plantations, Mangrove plantations, native dune vegetation) on beach geomorphology and consequently, shore dwelling ghost crabs. The present study aims to - (1) Assess the density, distribution and demography of ghost crabs across treatments (2) Understand variations in habitat use and burrow architecture across treatments (3) Understand the effects of inland vegetation on beach geomorphology 2. A total of 24 transects, temporally replicated thrice each month between January 2025 - April 2025, were walked to estimate densities of ghost crabs using burrow counts as a proxy. 87 burrows across the treatments were cast using a mixture of Plaster of Paris and water and traits such as depth, diameter, shape and branching patterns were studied. Coast characteristics like slope, compactness, beach width, moisture and temperature were recorded at each study site. 3. Mean burrow densities and across shore distribution of Ocypode ceratophthalmus differed across the treatment types, with lowest densities in beaches adjacent to Casuarina plantations. This however wasn't statistically significant. The burrow structures also differed in complexity across treatments with the major drivers for this 7 difference being the size of the crab and the type of inland vegetation. Environmental variables were not found to have significant effects on burrow architecture. 4. The results indicate that the type of inland vegetation affects the population of ghost crabs through changes in beach geomorphology. Ghost crabs were also found to modify the structure of their burrows with changes in the habitat quality and environmental conditions, which gives insights into their adaptive capacities. The study, thus raises questions on the effects of certain management interventions, like the planting of shelterbelts on habitat quality and on the ecology of the species dwelling in the said habitats.Item Assessing Habitat Use and Activity Pattern of Hoolock Gibbons (Hoolock hoolock) in the Mosaic Landscape of Garo Hills(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Passah, Betwonsaoo; Lyngdoh, Salvador; Kumara, H.N.Primates react to environmental disruption in a variety of ways. Their home range and activity pattern are often linked with anthropogenic disturbance of the landscape. This study focuses on Hoolock Gibbons (Hoolock hoolock) in Garo Hills, Meghalaya, which is a highly arboreal primate and the only ape in India. Hoolock gibbon’s habitat in the Garo hills is being degraded due to the increase in the conversion of forest land into plantations. As most of these forests where the gibbons are located are managed by the community, these forests face overexploitation, which threatens the endangered Hoolock Gibbons habitat. This study aims to establish a baseline Hoolock Gibbon Ecology in the community-managed forest and protected area in the mosaic landscape of Garo Hills, Meghalaya, by examining their habitat use and activity pattern. The main objective is to determine the Gibbon's habitat use within its home range and examine their activity patterns in different forest types. The study is conducted in Daribokgre CR (a continuous forest patch adjoining Nokrek National Park), Dura Kalakgre CR (a small strip of CR which is surrounded by abandoned jhum and active jhum), and an Areca nut plantation which is located in Rensengre close to Selbalgre CR. In each area, one group is chosen and tracked for 20 days. Geo-coordinates and behavioural data were collected, with vegetation sampling and disturbances within a 1 ha cell size grid, which was overlaid on the location points. QGIS was used to map habitat use based on the geospatial data, and the Generalised Linear Model (GLM) was used to check the influencing factors. The activity budget was calculated to understand the behaviour patterns. Across the three studied groups, the habitat types were different group in Daribokgre (Forest group) is dominated by forest patches, the group in Dura Kalkgre (Jhum group) was dominated by abandoned jhum, and the group in Rensengre (Plantation group) was dominated by plantation, and their home range size were 24 hectares, 30 hectares, and 23 hectares, respectively. GLM reveals a significant effect only for the group in the disturbed habitat on the intensity of use. Overall, habitat use patterns and activity patterns varied across the groups, reflecting in behavioural and habitat preference.Item Influence of invasive plant species on native plant-flower visitor interactions in a scrub forest of Anaikatty, Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2025) Akilan, K P; Ramesh, C.; Gautam, Ritesh Kumar; Karunakaran, P.V.Invasive alien species are one of the top five drivers of biodiversity loss globally. Invasive alien species are known to cause changes to the biotic interactions in the invaded regions. Pollination is an important limiting process in the life cycle of plants and the pollinators potentially mediate the process of invasion through novel interactions. Invasive plants can have an impact on the native plant-pollinator interactions. 2. I studied the influence of invasive plants on the native plant-flower visitor interactions in the scrub forests of Anaikatty, Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. I determined the change in flower visitor diversity along an invasion gradient. I also compared the visitation between native and invasive plants, by looking at the difference in composition of insect interactions with native and invasive plants. I used 20 min zigzag walks in 26 plots across three months looking at insects interacting with flowers. I also estimated the density of flowers in each plot. 3. I used generalised linear mixed effects models to draw the relationship between insect richness and the proportion of invasive flowers, and between number of visits and proportion of invasive flowers. To compare the difference in composition of flower visitors between the plant species, I performed permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) with bray-curtis dissimilarity index. 4.I observed 191 unique plant-flower visitor interactions of a total of 813 plant-flower visitor interactions, formed by 68 insect visitors and 28 flowering plants. Native plants, Sida cordifolia (25%), Tephrosia purpurea (20%) and Glycosmis mauritiana (13%) and invasive plants Parthenium hysteriphorus (8%) and Ageratum conyzoides (6%) formed majority of the interactions. Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera are the insect orders with the most number of interactions. 5. The richness and number of flower visitors increase with increasing flower density. The richness and number of flower visitors show a negative relationship with proportion of invasive flowers. The composition of visitors is significantly ifferent among all native flowers and between native flowers and invasive flowers.6.This is the first study in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve looking at plant-flower visitor interactions in wild flowers, with a focus on the influence of invasive species. Visitation of insects to a plot has a weak negative relationship with proportion of invasive species, in this context. This study sets the baseline for future studies that could look at explaining the patterns seen, looking at relationship between the functional diversity of flowers and insects.