Theses and Dissertations
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Item Spatial abundance of ungulates and role of predation on chital (Axis axis) demography and behaviour in Corbett Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand, India.(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2022) Banerjee, Sudip; Jhala, Y.V.; Qureshi, QamarTo address the first objective which was to estimate the abundance of ungulates in different habitats of CTR, I have used line transect-based distance sampling approach to estimate the density of four major ungulate species (chital, sambar deer, barking deer, and wild pig) of CTR in ~520 sq. km of the Corbett National Park (CNP) region. Density was estimated using 156 spatial transects replicated 1 to 4 times over four sampling years. Both year-wise and pooled (weighted average of four years) density estimates were highest for chital followed by sambar. Barking deer had the lowest density. Chital density has remained stable over the years. Post-stratifying the densities of the four ungulates by three major habitat types of CNP (grassland, saldominated, and mixed deciduous) exhibited the highest density of chital in the grassland and lowest in the sal-dominated forest. Sambar density on the other hand was highest in the mixed deciduous and lowest in the grassland. Barking deer also exhibited a similar trend of habitat-wise density. A significant part of my thesis was focused on the objective of evaluating the precision and cost-effectiveness of three different density estimation techniques. The diverse ungulate assemblage and complex terrain of CNP provided an excellent environment to conduct this experiment.Item Factors affecting habitat occupancy of tiger in the Terai Arc landscape, India(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2009) Rajapandian, K.; Goyal, S.P.; Qureshi, QamarThe goal of this study, therefore, was to identify the factors affecting the distribution of tiger and assess the distribution of suitable habitat patches and the connectivity between these patches for successful dispersal in the Indian part of TAL. In the present study developed GIS probability models for tiger and its prey species and a spatially explicit individual-based dispersal model (SEIBM) for tiger in order to identify and assess the factors which are affecting the occupancy of tiger and subsequently predict potential suitable habitats and estimate the connectivity between the fragmented subpopulations in the Indian as well as between Indian and Nepal part of TAL. Data were collected on presence/absence of four wild ungulates (sambar Cervus unicolor, chital Axis axis, nilgai Boselaphus tragocamelus, and wild pig Sus scrofa), which are important prey species of tiger in two phases during the period between 2002 and 2006. The results of this study, in addition to contributing to the knowledge on factors affecting suitable habitat distribution and dispersal of tiger, have many implications for conservation of tiger in the Indian part of TAL. This study has also identified critical areas needed for management initiatives for functional unit of tiger conservation in the TAL.Item Spatio-temporal abundance and resource selection of Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur) and nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) with special reference to crop-depredation and people’s attitude in Little Rann of Kachchh, Gujarat.(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2022) Barman, Bidyut Bikas; Chowdhury, Sushant; Shah, Nita; Qureshi, QamarThe harsh climatic condition and unpredictable resource availability like water is the nature of arid and semi-arid ecosystems which is epitomised by the Little Rann of Kachchh (LRK) landscape. Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur), a sub-species of Asiatic wild ass, idiosyncratically represent the LRK landscape which has been holding its last remaining population after it had become extinct from its previous home ranges. In my study, I emphasised on estimating population density of Khur and Nilgai, which is the other sympatric ungulate in the landscape using widely accepted and robust scientific method. Also, intensive monitoring was very challenging due to logistic limitations and large study area. I had designed my study focusing on the southern fringe of the sanctuary as the intensive study area (ISA) and conducted temporal replicates to see the density of Khur in both summer and winter. In this study, I have developed habitat suitability map of Khur and Nilgai. Apart from the resource rich areas, it is imperative to see how the habitat model suggesting potential sites based on selected environmental variables which actually shaping their distribution in the landscape. This study identified northern part of the sanctuary connected by a bottle neck with the Greater Rann of Kachchh as a potential site which demands management intervention at large scale involving other line departments ensuring a safe corridor between LRK and GRK for Khur and Nilgai. I have studied the perception and attitude of local farmers in the southern fringe towards crop-depredation. Although, with growing rural population and increase in intensive farming, the overall attitude of farmers were observed to be mixed with both positive and negative attitude reflected in their perspective towards crop-depredation by KhurItem Responses Shown by Bird Communities to Teak Palatations in Sagar Forest Division, Karnataka(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2009) Barve, Sahas S.; Mohan, D.; Qureshi, QamarThis study was aimed at discerning the responses shown by bird communities to teak plantations of various age classes in Sagar Forest Division, Karnataka within Latitude 13° 36' and 14° 38' North 74° Longitude 38' and 75° 32'East Latitude. Birds were sampled using line transects in three habitat strata, natural plantations, mature teak plantations and young teak plantations. Density, diversity and community similarity were the chief ecological responses that were quantified to bring out differences in the usage of forest plantations by native bird fauna. Habitat (vegetation) correlates, both structural and floristic were quantified to establish the reasons for differences. The sampling period was from December 2008 to April 2009. This period was divided into two seasons, winter and summer. A total of 9 transects were laid, marked and sampled at least 4 times per season. Birds were divided into three feeding guilds and three habitat guilds for analysis. The overall density of birds across the three strata was found to be higher in summer than in winter. However a guild level analysis showed that in winter while insectivorous birds were most abundant in natural forest with decreasing density towards young plantations (F (6.241) , p< 0.05). There was no difference in their density in summer. Phytophagous birds showed the exact reverse trend. Density of this guild was higher in young plantations than natural forests and mature plantations in winter and summer (F(S.689), p< 0.05), (F (14.302), p< 0.01) respectively. Overall diversity of birds showed a trend of decreasing species richness from natural forests to young plantations in both seasons. However this difference was almost non existent in summer at the guild level. The abundance of birds belonging to evergreen and moist deciduous forests shows a consistent· rise in abundance from winter to summer in all the three strata. There is also evidence that there is ingression of individuals of species that were common to both seasons possibly for nesting. The overall community similarity is quite high between the three strata and it increases from winter to summer. Bird diversity was found to be affected by the vertical spread of vegetation and tree height heterogeneity (R=0.871, p