Theses and Dissertations

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Community Structure of Dung Beetles in Kailash Sacred Landscape, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, India
(wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2020) Chauhan, Mona; Uniyal, V.P.; Chandra, Kailash
Due to the recent wave of urbanization, mountain areas are being transferred into urban and agriculture land at alarming rates. The Kailash Sacred Landscape, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, India is highly vulnerable due to fragmentation and urbanization, including increased anthropogenic disturbance, reduced area, loss of habitats, invasion of new species and ecological transformations. Therefore, it is important to document the status of biodiversity prevailing in these areas to identify the level of biodiversity still left in forest fragments. No records exist about the community structure of dung beetles in the landscape and hence we lack crucial historical documentation of the natural communities in landscape which would remain as an important source of information for measuring species extinctions in the area. This study provides basic inventory and diversity pattern of dung beetles from the undiscovered area of the Kailash Sacred Landscape, Pithoragarh, India. This study also suggested bioindicator based ecological monitoring and excellent insight for future conservation and management planning which will help the managers to set priority areas for habitat improvement or restrict areas to deteriorate any further. The study area is Kailash Sacred Landscape (KSL), Pithoragarh, India part exhibits great variability and heterogeneity in altitude and topography, due to this ecosystems of this region vary widely from subtropical to temperate, alpine, and cold high altitude desert types. Similarly, the landscape harbors a high diversity of flora and fauna of both regional and global significance.
Assessment fof Bees in Agroforestry in Kangsabati South Forest Division, Purulia, West Bengal
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Das, Pallabi; Uniyal, V.P.; Chandra, Kailash
Plant pollinator interactions have evolved through diffuse co-evolution, representations of relation between plants and animal species, where bees play a crucial role in preserving native plants' diversity and their reproduction success. This research intended to investigate the bee community composition in the agroforestry ecosystem, focusing on the impact of anthropogenic activities on pollinator diversity and ecosystem services of wild bees. This study made an effort to compile a list of bee species in both agriculture and forest ecosystems and their interaction with plant functional groups in the study site. The study was conducted in Kangsabati South Forest Division (KSFD) in Purulia, West Bengal. Extensive field research was conducted from February 2020 to April 2023. In the study, 25 species were successfully documented from three habitats: mixed forest, Sal forest, and agricultural landscape. The study found that the majority of residents in the study area were below the poverty level and an Indigenous community, relying on forest for firewood and non-timber forest product (NTFP). Agriculture practices were prevalent, with migrant labor being a significant trend. The agricultural practice was not considered eco-friendly, and excessive pesticides were used. The study also found that less than 50% of the respondents were familiar with bees. Subsistent and unskilled agriculture was practiced by less literate farmers, leading to land degradation and wasteland. The study highlights the need for eco-friendly agriculture practices and the degradation of natural habitats due to human activities. The relationship between bee species diversity and the stability of ecosystem service (E.S.) was investigated in this study. The study categorized bee communities into social and wild bees, and interpolated (IDW) diversity maps were generated for each survey site. The decline in population and diversity of bees' is observed gradually due to the influence of several anthropogenic activities, as demonstrated by several past studies. A low to slightly intermediate anthropogenic impact, mainly for agricultural landscapes, was noticed through the Human Footprint Index (HFI) map of KSFD.
Ecological assessment of geometridae Moths (lepidoptera: Heterocera) along alitutudinal gradient in Dhauladhar Mountain range in Kangra (North Western) and Lahaul and Spiti (Trans-Himalaya) regions of Himachal Pradesh
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Kumari, Shabnam; Uniyal, V.P.; Chandra, Kailash
This study investigates the ecology (diversity and distribution patterns) of Geometridae moths across the altitudinal gradients of the Himalayan and Tran Himalayan regions in Himachal Pradesh. Geometridae moths are the famous insect herbivore surrogate taxa. They have been studied globally across different mountain systems. Through the documentation of species diversity, and the analysis of ecological patterns associated with these moths, this study aimed to contribute towards a better understanding of biodiversity dynamics in the Himalayan region. The research findings hold significant implications as a comprehensive baseline information on the species diversity and community dynamics of Geometridae moths in the region along with insights from the zoogeographic analysis. It also highlights future research needs and conservation concerns in light of the impacts of climate change and human-driven changes in land-use patterns in the region. objectives proposed for this study were i) to study the diversity and species richness patterns of Geometridae moths along the altitudinal gradient of the Dhauladhar Mountain Range (DMR) (within the administrative boundary of the district Kangra), ii) to identify the potential indicator species of Geometridae moths for different habitat types (altitude) and environmental variables affecting their distribution and iii) assessment of the high-altitude Geometrid moth assemblage of Trans Himalaya (Lahaul and Spiti) region of Himachal Pradesh. The study was undertaken across the altitudes of the DMR and Lahaul and Spiti Valleys (LSVs) representing the Himalayan and Trans Himalayan biogeographic zones of India in Himachal Pradesh respectively. Species with strong preferences for specific altitudinal zones and forest types have the potential to serve as indicator species for long-term monitoring of climate change, habitat quality, and land-use changes in these regions. These findings provide valuable insights into our understanding of the biodiversity patterns and community characteristics of Geometridae moths across altitudinal gradients and different forest types in the regions

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