Theses and Dissertations
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Item A Study on Breeding Behaviour of Oriental White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in Anjarle and Deobag, Mahashtra(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2011) Kambale, Asish Atmaram; Sivakumar, S.; Mohan, D.This study was aimed to understand the current status, distribution pattern, habitat characteristics, nesting success and nesting behaviour of Oriental Whitebacked vulture in the Konkan coast during a breeding season between December 2010 and May 2011. A total of 24 sites either nesting or feeding were located all along the Konkan coasts of Maharashtra during the survey using area search method as well as interview based techniques. Study shows that there was no significant difference in the habitats of both active and inactive nesting sites in the Konkan coast which indicates that the decline of nesting population of vulatures in the region may not be exclusively due to habitat destructionItem Distribution of breeding Phylloscopus and Seicercus warblers in the Himalayas: Role of ecomorphology and competition.(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2012) Ghosh, Mousumi; Rawat, G.S.; Price, TrevorPresent study is carried out for the overarching goal of understanding the ecological and historical determinants of geographic and altitudinal distribution of sixteen breeding Phylloscopus and Seicercus species in the Himalayas. The broad research objectives were as follows: 1. Assess the availability of arthropod resources across the eastern and western Himalaya along the elevational gradients. 2. Identify the climatic correlates of the breeding distribution of Phylloscopidae. 3. Examine the geographic variation in foraging ecology of Phylloscopidae across the Himalayan bioclimatic gradient.Item Roosting ecology of the edible-nest swiftletin the Andaman Islands(SACON, 2017) Mohan, Mane Akshaya; Manchi Shirish, S.;the present study attempts to address certain questions relating to the roosting ecology of the cave dwelling populations of AENS in the Andaman Islands. The aim of this study was to understand more about the species habits and habitats towards strengthening the ongoing in-situ and ex-situ conservation of the AENS. This study was initiated and conducted to 1) understand the roosting patterns and behaviour of the AENS, 2) identify the biological factors affecting roosting patterns of the AENS and 3) determine the environmental factors influencing roosting patterns of the AENS.Item Study on nest tree preferences by cavity nesting birds in the riverine forests of Athikadavu Valley, Western Ghats, India.(SACON, 2017) Manikandan, P.; balasubramian, P.A study on nest tree utilization and preferences by cavity nesting birds was carried out in the riverine forests of Athikadavu Valley, Western Ghats, India from August 2012 to July 2015. In India, more than 100 species of tree-cavity nesting birds have been identified, but very little information is available about their nesting habits. In the above background, it is felt that a study on tree diversity and its use by birds in the riverine forests of an important river system-the Bhavani a tributary of Cauvery in southern India would be useful in planning biodiversity conservation. The objectives of the study were, i) Quantify the woody vegetation of the riverine forest of Bhavani river in Athikadavu Valley, ii) Find out the nest tree preferences of cavity nesting birds, and iii) Ascertain the characteristics of nest trees and nest cavities used by cavity nesting birds.Item Avian Species selection in Urban Habitats: A study in Coimbatore, India.(SACON, 2013) Rajini, J.; Azeez, P.A.Survival of a species is closely associated with changing habitats. We studied this in the context of urbanization that brings massive changes in the landscape. The study is contextual in view of high rates of conversion of natural landscapes into urban areas. With the ascent of urbanization, many species disappear while some species become abundant. The present study investigated avian species and their distribution along a rural-urban gradient of the Coimbatore city - a fast growing city in Tamil Nadu, India. The study was taken up to explore the factors that affect the distribution of avian species across an urbanisation gradient and to identify survival strategies adopted by avian species in urban areas.Item Bird Community of Andaman Islands with Emphasis on Human Associated and Introduced Birds(SACON, 2013) Rajan, P.; Pramod, P.Andaman and Nicobar Islands are very rich in bird diversity and hence have high importance in conservation planning. Both in species endemism and species diversity these islands are notable. Andaman and Nicobar Islands is also a significant place in India which is exposed to very high human mediated species introduction. These introduced species can have serious effects on the native biodiversity and it can be the agent for the breakdown of native species equilibrium. On the background of this context, this study was undertaken to examine the bird species composition of Andaman Islands especially on human influenced areas and the role of introduced birds among the avifauna of these Islands. The study was carried out in nine inhabited islands in the Andaman group and later these nine study sites were clubbed into five groups for easy analysis. The study emphasis on introduced birds and their impacts on native ecosystem especially on Islands. Both secondary and primary data collection methods are employed in the study. All the published information on distribution of birds in Andaman Islands were collated synthesized and analyzed to elucidate the characteristics of Andaman Bird fauna. Systematically 221 transect counts of birds from nine human inhabited islands which can be classified into 6 habitats were collected. These collected field observation data on birds were analyzed with special emphasis on the introduced birds.Item Study on avian frugivory and seed dispersal in the shoal forests of Nilgiri Hills, Western Ghats, India.(SACON, 2013) Anbarasu, C.; Balasubramanian, P.A study on avian frugivory and seed dispersal in 111'0 shola forests of Nilgiri hills, Western Ghats was carried out from January 2009 to July 20 I I. Longwood shola is situated between 11 °43.494'N and 0760 87A63'E) and Eppanadu shola between I lo29. IS]'N and 0760 47.223'E. The objectives or the present study were, i). study avian frugivory and find out major frugivores in the shola forests ii). assessing fruiting phenology of fleshy-fruited tree species and find out the fruiting seasonality, iii). establish the role of avian frugivores in seed dispersal and forest regeneration. Vegetation sampling was done in both the shola forests, Longwood and Eppanadu. One h3 plot (50x20m) were laid in e3ch of the above-mentioned two shola s. Data collected were analyzed to obtain quantitative structure and composition of plant communities. Fruiting periodicity was determined by monitoring tagged trees for 24 months.Item Study on Avian frugivory in Tropical Mixed Dry Deciduous and Scrub Forest in Southern India(SACON, 2012) Aruna, R.; Balasubramanian, P.Mutualistic plant-animal interactions exist in a wide variety with one of the most important being seed dispersal or the transport of seeds away from a parent plant by animals. Not only plants depend on animals for the dispersal of their seeds, animals, too, rely on plants for fruit as a food resource. Avian frugivores are considered the most important seed dispersers in several ecosystems, as assessed by the numbers of successful propagules disseminated. Fruit-eat in g birds play a critical role in the functioning of tropical ecosystems and may assist in the natural regeneration of forests by dispersing seeds into cleared areas. Seed dispersal by animals and frugivory have reached the pinnacle in tropical forests, where a percentage of up to 90% of tree and shrub species produce fleshy fruits adapted to animal dispers.:11 and eaten by a large number of vertebrates. In tropical forests, frugivorous animals are the dominant group of vertebrates. The challenge of frugivores is to find, eat and subsist partially or entirely on fruits that arc mostly deficient in protein, but rich in carbohydrates or lipids. Fruit availability is one crucial factor influencing the frugivore community. A study on frugivory by birds was carried out in two forest types namely, Tropical mixed dry deciduous forest in the Western Ghats and Scrub forest in the Eastern Ghats, Southern India. The research work was carried out in the tropical mixed dry deciduous forest of the Anaikatty hills of Nilgiri Biosphere ReserveItem Ecology and Conservation of the Spot-Billed Pelican Pelecanus Philippensis in Andhra Pradesh, India(SACON, 2011) Sheeba, N.; Bhupathy, S.Wetlands are the important bird h a habitats and birds use them as migratory resorts or for breeding, feeding and roosting. Birds are one of the best indicators of the s tatus of a wetland. Examining the environmental correlates of species distribution and life history traits is one of the best protocols to assess t he indicator properties of target species groups. The Spot · billed Pelican is one of the near threatened species found in India. The s tatus and colony size of the Spot-billed Pelican were studied in Andhra Pradesh . Nest surveys were carried out in Uppalapadu, Ramachandra palayam, Nela pattu and Telineelapuram. Birdcount and habitat use studies were done at Kolleru, Naupada Swamp and Kakara pally Creek, and Nelapattu, the three foraging sites. Recent population trends indicate increasing breeding population of the Spot-billed Pelican. To understand the habitat requirements and factors determining habitat selection, evaluation of breeding performance, distribution of the colony and adaptations were studiedItem Avifaunal Diversity of the Andaman Islands and their Conservation(SACON, 2010) Rajamannan, M.A.; Vijayan, LalithaBiodiversity hotspots in the world are chiefly tropical region is featuring high concentration of endemic species and has claimed ha lf of the world's terrestrial species, if all hotspot's are combined. These natural habitats are under threat now due to habitat loss and destruct ion. Consistently the islands, a small body of landmass are having a major role of its high endemism in the world. Nevertheless, the increasing demands on resources in the islands have resulted in their ecosystems being severely threatened and facing in its extreme habitat destruction. For example over 12.1 % of all bird species in the world are threatened with extinction today in which the majority of these are found in tropical forest and islands. There is disputing that global biodiversity is declining, but accurate measures are very hard to come by. Bird’s, the best known major group of organisms and just one component of biodiversity and far from the most significant in species numbers or biomass can help us to understand the problems and piece together the solutions, where the maintenance or restoration of the biological integrity of urban and Sundarbans areas must begin with a comprehensive study of the links between biota and land use. In this context bird communities are often used in investigations of habitat changes as the best indicators of the environment. Though the Indian mainland harbours rich avifauna diversity the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The information on community structure and general bird ecology of these islands are little known and very few attempts have been made to study the bird community along their island distribution. Hence, the present study was initiated with the major objectives to: i) document the avifaunal diversity and status in different islands/vegetations, ii) observe the bird species distribution pattern in the Andaman Islands with their biogeographical importance, iii ) study the nested·subsets of the birds in different outer islands in terms of their presence/absence which will be providing a risk assessment of the extinction probability of the various species' populations isolated on the islands of fragmented habitat, and iv) understand the insular biology of the endemic and threatened species in Andaman Islands as of baseline information for their conservation.