Impacts of Road Related Disturbances on Mammalian and Vegetational Assemblages : A Case Study of SH-33 Passing Through Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka

Abstract

Upcoming economies such as India need to strengthen their road network for the socioeconomic development of the country. While roads are important to the country, they are a threat to wildlife when they pass through the protected areas and other ecologically sensitive areas. Multiple impacts of roads on wildlife range from habitat loss, edge effects, vehicular traffic, pollution, animal mortality, barrier effect to invasion by alien flora and fauna. This project revealed the impacts of road-related disturbances on mammals and vegetation in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka. Mysore-Mananthavadi road (SH-33) is passing through the southern part of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve that has two segments in which one segment is decommissioned and another segment is closed for the vehicular traffic during the night. Here, I have compared the habitat use of mammals in these two segments using camera traps and assessed the impact of road-related disturbances on vegetation in this road by vegetation sampling. Vehicular density was estimated using the camera traps in these two segments.The study results revealed the avoidance of vehicular traffic segment by the mammals and activity pattern seems to be relatively unaffected by the vehicular traffic. It also shows the change in the vegetation composition and spread of invasive species due to road related disturbances.