Theses and Dissertations
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://192.168.202.180:4000/handle/123456789/1
Browse
176 results
Search Results
Item Monitoring prey dynamics and diet flucuations of leopard (Panthera pardus) in Dachigam National Park, Srinagar, J&K(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2016) Zaffar, Rais MirLeopard (Panthera pardus) is known for its ecological flexibility and wide distribution range. However, like other large carnivores, leopards are declining throughout their range due to habitat conversion, prey depletion, intense persecution and poaching for trade. In Kashmir valley leopard is at the top of the food chain and an apex predator that aids in regulating prey populations. Conservation and management planning of the leopards in Kashmir valley is impeded by the paucity of reliable empirical ecological information. There has been an increase in the human leopard conflict in the valley which, if left unnoticed, will worsen the conservation prospects of this threatened felid. Hence, this study was initiated to investigate the feeding ecology of leopard in Dachigam National Park and the human carnivore conflict around the park. The objectives of the study were estimating seasonal density and spatial distribution of prey species of leopard, studying the food habits and prey selectivity of leopard and quantifying the nature and extent of human-carnivore conflict around Dachigam National Park. The population of wild prey species was estimated in Dachigam National Park on seasonal basis using Distance sampling techniqueItem Diversity and distribution of Moth Assemblages Along Altitudinal Gradient in Gangotri Landscape, India(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Sanyal, Abesh Kumar; Uniyal, V.P.This study intends to document the extent of moth assemblages that exist amongst various habitats in a typical Western Himalayan altitudinal gradient in Gangotri Landscape Area (GLA). In this study, using the elevation gradient as natural experiment, the faunal structure and diversity of the moth assemblage featuring all the major macro and micromoth families as well as relationships between moths and their biotic and abiotic environments were explored. Specific objectives of the study were: (1) Documenting and prepare taxonomic inventory of rich moth fauna of Gangotri Landscape Area; (2) To assess diversity and distribution of moth assemblages among different elevations and vegetation types of Gangotri Landscape; (3) To analyze the influence of altitude, seasons, vegetation types and anthropogenic disturbance factors on moth assemblages; (4) To investigate morphometric changes (body size and proportional body parts) in moths along altitudinal gradient. The study was conducted in Gangotri Landscape Area (GLA), a vast conservation network in the North-Western part of Uttarakhand, in district Uttarkashi. A total of 670 morphospecies belonging to 22 families and 356 genera were collected during entire sampling period from 2008-2012. This study is an important step towards better understanding of a long-neglected but diverse and charismatic herbivorous insect assemblage in Himalayan temperate altitudinal gradient.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 Sociality of Asiatic lion(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2018) Chakraborty, Stotra; Jhala, Y.V.In the current study investigate (i) how resources are shared between male partners of Asiatic lion coalition (ii) the cost benefits for male lions in forming alliances (iii) female mating strategies and mate selection in lions. The study area is Gir Protected Area and the adjoining agro-pastoral landscape lying to the south-Western fringes of the PA.Item Plant diversity gradients along the Himalaya: A comparison between the east and the west(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2018) Kumar, Suresh; Rawat, G.S.; Price, TrevorPatterns and causes of latitudinal and elevational diversity gradients have gained increasing attention in the field of macroecology. A monotonic decline in species richness from low to high latitudes and elevations was widely accepted as the common pattern for a long time. However, reviews of the available literature on patterns of species diversity along elevational radients show that species richness often does not monotonically decline with elevation. In this thesis, I analyse the elevational and latitudinal patterns of plant species richness across the Himalaya.Item Modelling plant invasions in tropical India(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2019) Mungi, Ninad Avinash; Qureshi, Qamar; Jhala, Y.V.Human modifications are simplifying global ecosystems, and one agent catalysing this process is biological invasion. Species transferred by human means to areas beyond their evolutionary range, where they impact the native ecosystem and its services, are known as invasive species. Invasive species have affected native ecosystem functioning to an extent where native species went locally extinct, or where the native economy and human health has been adversely affected. While invasive species are spreading at an alarming rate, our knowledge on their large-scale status remains disjunct, disparate, and often outdated. The resultant loss in global ecosystem services is believed to be catastrophic for the global human-welfare; with developing societies being the most vulnerable. One such megadiverse developing country is IndiaItem Evaluation of population structure of tigers (Panthera tigris) in Central India using genetic markers.(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Yumnam, Bibek; Jhala, Y.V.The findings presented in this thesis are the outcome of a long term research project entitled ‘Management of Forests in India for Biological Diversity and Forest Productivity - A New Perspective (1996 — 2002)’. The intensive study area is a part of the Garo Hills situated in the western Meghalaya of the northeast India. The landscape (2459 km2) is a mosaic of protected areas (PAs), managed forests (MFs) and intervening private/community land. The major goal of present study is to provide knowledge, tools, and indicators for monitoring, and potential management guidelines for conserving native biological diversity of study area. The objectives of present study are (i) to assess diversity patterns and successional changes among tree communities, (ii) to analyse landscape characteristics in particular fragmentation, classify tropical forests and prioritise wildlife areas, (iii) to discuss the native wild fauna and develop information base for modelling wildlife habitat relationships, and (iv) to assess the socioeconomics of native tribes, and evaluate the impact on existing protected areas of the region.Item Diversity assessment and molecular characterization of the geometridae moths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Uttarakhand.(wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2018) Dey, Pritha; Chandra, Kailash; Uniyal, V.P.The study aims to combine traditional morphological and modern molecular tools to answer the questions on diversity, the patterns and the factors governing the patterns. The study was conducted in Nanda Devi National Park area which is a part of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (NDBR), Uttarakhand, India. The study area (Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve) was stratified on the basis of elevation & vegetation and sampled at every 200m along the elevation between 2000-3800m. Two mountain gradients 1) Joshimath and 2) Data were chosen for a comparative study. DNA extraction and sequencing were performed at the CCDB, University of Guelph. Sequences of further specimens from the Zoologische Staatssammlung München from western Himalaya (Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir) and eastern Himalaya (Sikkim) were included into the analysis. Our results revealed one new species (Prometopidia sp. nov.), one new distribution record for India (Alcis paghmana) and considerable distribution extensions of 15 other species within India. Four species from Sikkim show deep genetic divergences (K2P distance) from conspecifics, indicating potential crypsisItem A study on the resource dependence, human-wildlife conflict and community participation in forest management in Alaknand basin, Uttarakhand.(wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2018) Manral, Upma; Hussain, S.A.; Badola, RuchiHimalayan mountains are highly dynamic systems with both natural and anthropogenic disturbances acting as integral drivers of natural system dynamics in the region. The consequent changes brought into the system determine ecosystem productivity and the flow of ecosystem services to the humans. Any degradation of ecosystem functions and services will increase both the environmental and socioeconomic vulnerability of mountain communities which are highly reliant on natural systems, particularly forests of the area. The objectives of the study were to: a) quantify the extent of extraction of plant resources in different villages located at different elevations; b) assess the availability of major phyto-resources in and around the villages and surrounding forests along elevational gradient in the Alaknanda river basin; c) assess the extent of human-wildlife conflicts affecting the livelihood in the study area; and d) measure the contribution of community forest management practices in livelihoods of local communities. Four hypothesis were framed as: a) patterns of both availability and the extraction of forest resources in the study area xi change along the elevational gradient; b) human–wildlife conflicts negatively impact livelihood generation of affected communities; c) community forest management practices play a role in augmenting livelihood of local communities in the area; and d) better managed forests in an area are the result of community participation in forest managementItem Ecology of Golden jackal (Canis aureus) in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2015) Chourasia, PoojaThis study aimed to examine the abundance and occupancy of jackal with the application of photographic captures using camera traps and diet composition through scat analysis, investigate species-habitat relationships from habitat features (non-spatial) and remotely sensed features (spatial) to understand how these variables govern occurrence pattern and predict the distribution of jackal in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan. In India, jackal populations achieve high densities in pastoral areas such as Kutch, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Haryana. This study will vitally improve our state of knowledge to protect jackal and assist the development of theory on their social structure, behavior and habitat preferences in forested ecosystem. The study will help in suggesting localized monitoring mechanisms wherever necessary as this is important in minimizing surprise cases of extinction. The objectives of this study are as follows:-1. To determine the abundance of golden jackal. 2. To estimate the food availability, food habits and dietary niche overlap between golden jackal and other meso-carnivores.3. To evaluate the den site selection by golden jackal and, 4. To evaluate the habitat use by golden jackal. The study was conducted from 2010-2013 in Sariska Tiger Reserve (79° 17’ to 76°34’N and Latitude: 27° 5’ to 27° 33’ E), Rajasthan. Selected 160 km2 of intensive study area which was divided into four blocks. A total of 160 locations were selected for the placement of camera traps where, each block having 21 camera trap stations. Peafowl was observed to be the most abundant prey species throughout the study period. Amongst the wild prey species, nilgai was observed to be the most abundant wild ungulate prey species followed by, chital, wild pig and sambar in the study area..The Species distribution data was collected from camera trapping, direct sighting records, scat locations and track locations and was pooled for the entire study period 2010-2013, collectively making 413 observed point locations in the intensive study area.