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  1. Article ; Online: Multiscale spatially explicit modelling of livestock depredation by reintroduced tiger (Panthera tigris) to predict conflict risk probability

    Manjari Malviya / Ramesh Krishnamurthy

    Global Ecology and Conservation, Vol 40, Iss , Pp e02313- (2022)

    2022  

    Abstract: Understanding the causal factors associated with human/livestock-large carnivore conflict and distribution of conflict risk is key to designing effective preventative and mitigation strategies. Spatial modelling of human-carnivore conflict has recently ... ...

    Abstract Understanding the causal factors associated with human/livestock-large carnivore conflict and distribution of conflict risk is key to designing effective preventative and mitigation strategies. Spatial modelling of human-carnivore conflict has recently gained traction, and predictive maps have become a great tool to understand the distribution of present and future conflict risk. However, very few such studies consider scale and use appropriate spatial modelling tools. We aimed to understand the ecological correlates of human-tiger (Panthera tigris) conflict, predict livestock predation risk by reintroduced tigers in Panna Tiger Reserve, Central India and understand the prey-predator dynamics behind the conflict. We modelled livestock kill as a function of various tiger relevant ecological variables at multiple scales employing spatially explicit statistical tools. As a first step, we used geostatistical modelling to create raster layers of covariates (prey, cover, human activities), following which we did univariate scaling. We then modelled livestock loss by tiger using a geoadditive model. Employing this model, we predicted and mapped conflict risk probabilities within our study site. It was found that prey and shrub cover both selected at a fine scale, were key ecological determinants of human-tiger conflict. Prey showed an inverse relationship while shrub showed non-linear relationship with livestock predation. Which lead us to conclude that in habitats where optimum ambush cover is available but prey presence is low at fine-scale, carnivores are more likely to depredate domestic livestock since livestock have lost most of their anti-predator behaviours. Livestock kill by tiger is thus a culmination of predator choice and foraging tactics, and prey vulnerability and defence mechanism. The spatially explicit predation risk map produced in this study can guide adequate human-tiger conflict prevention measures.
    Keywords Human-carnivore conflict ; Ecological predictors ; Prey-predator dynamics ; GeoGAM ; Domestic livestock ; Panna ; Ecology ; QH540-549.5
    Subject code 333
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-12-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Elsevier
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  2. Article ; Online: Understanding the distribution and fine-scale habitat selection of mesocarnivores along a habitat quality gradient in western Himalaya

    Meghna Bandyopadhyay / A. Cole Burton / Sandeep Kumar Gupta / Ramesh Krishnamurthy

    PeerJ, Vol 10, p e

    2022  Volume 13993

    Abstract: Background: Human activities have resulted in a rapid increase of modified habitats in proximity to wildlife habitats in the Himalaya. However, it is crucial to understand the extent to which human habitat modification affects wildlife. Mesocarnivores ... ...

    Abstract Background: Human activities have resulted in a rapid increase of modified habitats in proximity to wildlife habitats in the Himalaya. However, it is crucial to understand the extent to which human habitat modification affects wildlife. Mesocarnivores generally possess broader niches than large carnivores and adapt quickly to human activities. Here, we use a case study in the western Himalaya to test the hypothesis that human disturbance influenced mesocarnivore habitat use. Methods: We used camera trapping and mitochondrial DNA-based species identification from faecal samples to obtain mesocarnivore detections. We then compared the responses of mesocarnivores between an anthropogenic site and a less disturbed park along a contiguous gradient in habitat quality. The non-linear pattern in species-specific habitat selection and factors responsible for space usage around villages was captured using hierarchical generalized additive modelling (HGAM) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination. Results: Wildlife occurrences along the gradient varied by species. Leopard cat and red fox were the only terrestrial mesocarnivores that occurred in both anthropogenic site and park. We found a shift in habitat selection from less disturbed habitat in the park to disturbed habitat in anthropogenic site for the species detected in both the habitat types. For instance, red fox showed habitat selection towards high terrain ruggedness (0.5 to 0.7 TRI) and low NDVI (−0.05 to 0.2) in the park but no such specific selection in anthropogenic site. Further, leopard cat showed habitat selection towards moderate slope (20°) and medium NDVI (0.5) in park but no prominent habitat selections in anthropogenic site. The results revealed their constrained behaviour which was further supported by the intensive site usage close to houses, agricultural fields and human trails in villages. Conclusions: Our results indicate shifts in habitat selection and intensive site usage by mesocarnivores in the human-modified habitat. In ...
    Keywords Modified habitat ; Human-wildlife interface ; Red fox ; Leopard cat ; Camera trap ; Rugged terrain ; Medicine ; R ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5
    Subject code 333
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-09-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher PeerJ Inc.
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  3. Article ; Online: N-mixture model-based estimate of relative abundance of sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) in response to biotic and abiotic factors in a human-dominated landscape of central India

    Sankarshan Chaudhuri / Rajasekar Rajaraman / Sankar Kalyanasundaram / Sambandam Sathyakumar / Ramesh Krishnamurthy

    PeerJ, Vol 10, p e

    2022  Volume 13649

    Abstract: Reliable estimation of abundance is a prerequisite for a species’ conservation planning in human-dominated landscapes, especially if the species is elusive and involved in conflicts. As a means of population estimation, the importance of camera traps has ...

    Abstract Reliable estimation of abundance is a prerequisite for a species’ conservation planning in human-dominated landscapes, especially if the species is elusive and involved in conflicts. As a means of population estimation, the importance of camera traps has been recognized globally, although estimating the abundance of unmarked, cryptic species has always been a challenge to conservation biologists. This study explores the use of the N-mixture model with three probability distributions, i.e., Poisson, negative binomial (NB) and zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP), to estimate the relative abundance of sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) based on a camera trapping exercise in Sanjay Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh from December 2016 to April 2017. We used environmental and anthropogenic covariates to model the variation in the abundance of sloth bears. We also compared null model estimates (mean site abundance) obtained from the N-mixture model to those of the Royle-Nichols abundance-induced heterogeneity model (RN model) to assess the application of similar site-structured models. Models with Poisson distributions produced ecologically realistic and more precise estimates of mean site abundance (λ = 2.60 ± 0.64) compared with other distributions, despite the relatively high Akaike Information Criterion value. Area of mixed and sal forest, the photographic capture rate of humans and distance to the nearest village predicted a higher relative abundance of sloth bears. Mean site abundance estimates of sloth bears obtained from the N-mixture model (Poisson distribution) and the RN model were comparable, indicating the overall utility of these models in this field. However, density estimates of sloth bears based on spatially explicit methods are essential for evaluating the efficacy of the relatively more cost-effective N-mixture model. Compared to commonly used index/encounter-based methods, the N-mixture model equipped with knowledge on governing biotic and abiotic factors provides better relative abundance estimates for a species ...
    Keywords Sloth bear ; Relative abundance ; Camera trap ; N-mixture model ; Human-dominated landscape ; Medicine ; R ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5
    Subject code 333
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-12-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher PeerJ Inc.
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  4. Article ; Online: Bird diversity along riverine areas in the Bhagirathi Valley, Uttarakhand, India

    Ankita Sinha / Hima Hariharan / Bhupendra Adhikari / Ramesh Krishnamurthy

    Biodiversity Data Journal, Vol 7, Iss , Pp 1-

    2019  Volume 30

    Abstract: Natural riverine areas mark ecotonal habitats harbouring a characteristically diverse faunal assemblage, especially birds that also use these habitats as pathways crucial for their movement. Increasingly, riverine systems are subjected to large-scale ... ...

    Abstract Natural riverine areas mark ecotonal habitats harbouring a characteristically diverse faunal assemblage, especially birds that also use these habitats as pathways crucial for their movement. Increasingly, riverine systems are subjected to large-scale habitat alterations due to climatic fluctuations and anthropogenic changes. Therefore, it is important to understand broad-scale community patterns for conservation planning and prioritisation for these ecotone habitats. The Bhagirathi river is one of the major headwaters of the river Ganges; despite its rich and diverse fauna, little is known about the bird species that inhabit this montane region. This study presents an extensive list of 281 bird species from 59 families, their seasonal distribution and habitat associations as recorded from field surveys along the riverine areas between April 2013 and May 2018. The present communication simultaneously discusses a few noteworthy sightings for the region and provides a baseline for future research on the distribution of birds in the Western Himalaya.
    Keywords Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5
    Subject code 590
    Language English
    Publishing date 2019-04-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Pensoft Publishers
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  5. Article ; Online: Mammal Persistence Along Riparian Forests in Western India Within a Hydropower Reservoir 55 Years Post Construction

    Shah Nawaz Jelil / Avinash Gaykar / Natasha Girkar / Clement Ben / Matt W. Hayward / Ramesh Krishnamurthy

    Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Vol

    2021  Volume 9

    Abstract: While the negative impacts of dam construction on downstream river stretches and riparian forests are well studied, the status of wildlife presence and persistence in upstream reservoir deltas is virtually unknown. We investigated the drivers of ... ...

    Abstract While the negative impacts of dam construction on downstream river stretches and riparian forests are well studied, the status of wildlife presence and persistence in upstream reservoir deltas is virtually unknown. We investigated the drivers of terrestrial mammal occupancy and persistence along riparian forests of Koyna reservoir in western India 55 years after its construction. We adopted a catchment-wide field design grounded in the river continuum concept and sampled different stream orders within the reservoir. Camera traps, nested in an occupancy modeling framework, were deployed across 72 riparian sites and replicated for four seasons across all stream types. We recorded a total of nineteen species of terrestrial mammals during the study period. Multi-season occupancy models revealed three key patterns of mammal persistence: (a) ungulates were more frequently photo-captured in riparian forests; gaur and wild pig had the highest proportions of the total sampled area (0.84 ± 0.12 SE; 0.77 ± 0.07 SE, respectively); (b) small-sized ungulates were more vulnerable to local extinction than large-bodied ungulates; extinction probability was highest for barking deer (0.59 ± 0.07) and lowest for sambar (0.15 ± 0.07); and (c) distance from stream played major roles in determining mammal detection. Riparian forests are fundamentally important to ecosystem functioning and biodiversity conservation, and using the data from this study, managers can plan to sustain high mammal persistence along riparian forests at Koyna reservoir or similar Indian reserves. Further, our robust sampling approach, grounded in the terrestrial-riverine continuum concept, can be applied globally to understand species assemblages, aiding in multi-landscape and wildlife management planning.
    Keywords dammed river ; occupancy modeling ; colonization ; extinction ; reservoir biodiversity ; river continuum ; Evolution ; QH359-425 ; Ecology ; QH540-549.5
    Subject code 550
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-04-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  6. Article ; Online: Conserving Himalayan birds in highly seasonal forested and agricultural landscapes.

    Elsen, Paul R / Ramesh, Krishnamurthy / Wilcove, David S

    Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology

    2018  Volume 32, Issue 6, Page(s) 1313–1324

    Abstract: The Himalayas are a global biodiversity hotspot threatened by widespread agriculture and pasture expansion. To determine the impact of these threats on biodiversity and to formulate appropriate conservation strategies, we surveyed birds along elevational ...

    Abstract The Himalayas are a global biodiversity hotspot threatened by widespread agriculture and pasture expansion. To determine the impact of these threats on biodiversity and to formulate appropriate conservation strategies, we surveyed birds along elevational gradients in primary forest and in human-dominated lands spanning a gradient of habitat alteration, including forest-agriculture mosaics, mixed agriculture mosaics, and pasture. We surveyed birds during the breeding season and in winter to account for pronounced seasonal migrations. Bird abundance and richness in forest-agriculture and mixed agriculture mosaics were equal to or greater than in primary forest and greater than in pasture at local and landscape scales during both seasons. Pasture had greater abundance and richness of birds in winter than primary forest, but richness was greater in primary forest at the landscape scale during the breeding season. All 4 land-use types held unique species, suggesting that all must be retained in the landscape to conserve the entire avifauna. Our results suggest forest-agriculture and mixed agriculture mosaics are particularly important for sustaining Himalayan bird communities during winter and primary forests are vital for sustaining Himalayan bird communities during the breeding season. Further conversion of forest-agriculture and mixed agriculture mosaics to pasture would likely result in significant biodiversity losses that would disproportionately affect breeding species. To ensure comprehensive conservation, strategies in the western Himalayas must balance the protection of intact primary forest with the minimization of pasture expansion.
    MeSH term(s) Agriculture ; Animals ; Biodiversity ; Birds ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Ecosystem ; Forests ; Seasons
    Language English
    Publishing date 2018-09-06
    Publishing country United States
    Document type Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
    ZDB-ID 58735-7
    ISSN 1523-1739 ; 0888-8892
    ISSN (online) 1523-1739
    ISSN 0888-8892
    DOI 10.1111/cobi.13145
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  7. Article ; Online: River birds as potential indicators of local- and catchment-scale influences on Himalayan river ecosystems

    Ankita Sinha / Nilanjan Chatterjee / Steve J. Ormerod / Bhupendra Singh Adhikari / Ramesh Krishnamurthy

    Ecosystems and People, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 90-

    2019  Volume 101

    Abstract: Rivers are affected by changes in catchment land-use and other modifications to their channel, floodplains and riparian zones. Such changes can affect biodiversity downstream, and specialist river birds might indicate the effects across multiple scales ... ...

    Abstract Rivers are affected by changes in catchment land-use and other modifications to their channel, floodplains and riparian zones. Such changes can affect biodiversity downstream, and specialist river birds might indicate the effects across multiple scales and through different ecological pathways. The risks of catchment-scale effects on rivers are especially acute in the Himalayan mountains, where the world’s greatest diversity of river birds occupies one of the most rapidly changing riverine environments on Earth. Here, we use multivariate analysis on data collected over two years to investigate the distribution of this group of birds in relation to natural and anthropogenic variations in riverine habitats along one of the major headwaters of the Ganges. River bird distribution was linked to channel character, bank morphology, aspects of river flow and land use. Riverine specialists were associated significantly with the least modified reaches characterised by faster flows, exposed bedrocks, banks with pebbles, boulders with more intact riverine forests. Our data provide evidence from which to develop specialist river birds as cost-effective indicators of human impacts on river ecosystems, but further work is needed to separate the effects of natural and anthropogenic influences. Such work could also guide conservation action to help balance the exploitation of catchment ecosystem services with the protection of river biodiversity.
    Keywords isabelle durance ; Human ecology. Anthropogeography ; GF1-900 ; Environmental sciences ; GE1-350
    Language English
    Publishing date 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Taylor & Francis Group
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  8. Article ; Online: Conservation Prioritization in a Tiger Landscape

    Vaishali Vasudeva / Sujata Upgupta / Ajay Singh / Nazrukh Sherwani / Supratim Dutta / Rajasekar Rajaraman / Sankarshan Chaudhuri / Satyam Verma / Jeyaraj Antony Johnson / Ramesh Krishnamurthy

    Land, Vol 11, Iss 371, p

    Is Umbrella Species Enough?

    2022  Volume 371

    Abstract: Conservation approaches in tiger landscapes have focused on single species and their habitat. Further, the limited extent of the existing protected area network in India lacks representativeness, habitat connectivity, and integration in the larger ... ...

    Abstract Conservation approaches in tiger landscapes have focused on single species and their habitat. Further, the limited extent of the existing protected area network in India lacks representativeness, habitat connectivity, and integration in the larger landscape. Our objective was to identify sites important for connected tiger habitat and biodiversity potential in the Greater Panna Landscape, central India. Further, we aimed to set targets at the landscape level for conservation and prioritize these sites within each district in the landscape as specific management/conservation zones. We used earth observation data to derive an index of biodiversity potential. Marxan was used to identify sites that met tiger and biodiversity conservation targets with minimum costs. We found that to protect 50% of the tiger habitat with connectivity, 20% of the landscape area must be conserved. To conserve 100% of high biodiversity potential, 50% moderate biodiversity potential, and 25% low biodiversity potential, 55% of the landscape area must be conserved. To represent both tiger habitat and biodiversity, 62% of the total landscape area requires conservation or restoration intervention. The prioritized zones can prove significant for hierarchical decision making, involving multiple stakeholders in the landscape, including other tiger range areas.
    Keywords Marxan ; systematic conservation planning ; integrated landscape management ; central India ; protected area ; targets ; Agriculture ; S
    Subject code 333 ; 710
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-03-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher MDPI AG
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  9. Article ; Online: The importance of agricultural lands for Himalayan birds in winter.

    Elsen, Paul R / Kalyanaraman, Ramnarayan / Ramesh, Krishnamurthy / Wilcove, David S

    Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology

    2017  Volume 31, Issue 2, Page(s) 416–426

    Abstract: The impacts of land-use change on biodiversity in the Himalayas are poorly known, notwithstanding widespread deforestation and agricultural intensification in this highly biodiverse region. Although intact primary forests harbor many Himalayan birds ... ...

    Abstract The impacts of land-use change on biodiversity in the Himalayas are poorly known, notwithstanding widespread deforestation and agricultural intensification in this highly biodiverse region. Although intact primary forests harbor many Himalayan birds during breeding, a large number of bird species use agricultural lands during winter. We assessed how Himalayan bird species richness, abundance, and composition during winter are affected by forest loss stemming from agriculture and grazing. Bird surveys along 12 elevational transects within primary forest, low-intensity agriculture, mixed subsistence agriculture, and intensively grazed pastures in winter revealed that bird species richness and abundance were greatest in low-intensity and mixed agriculture, intermediate in grazed pastures, and lowest in primary forest at both local and landscape scales; over twice as many species and individuals were recorded in low-intensity agriculture than in primary forest. Bird communities in primary forests were distinct from those in all other land-use classes, but only 4 species were unique to primary forests. Low-, medium-, and high-intensity agriculture harbored 32 unique species. Of the species observed in primary forest, 80% had equal or greater abundance in low-intensity agricultural lands, underscoring the value of these lands in retaining diverse community assemblages at high densities in winter. Among disturbed landscapes, bird species richness and abundance declined as land-use intensity increased, especially in high-intensity pastures. Our results suggest that agricultural landscapes are important for most Himalayan bird species in winter. But agricultural intensification-especially increased grazing-will likely result in biodiversity losses. Given that forest reserves alone may inadequately conserve Himalayan birds in winter, comprehensive conservation strategies in the region must go beyond protecting intact primary forests and ensure that low-intensity agricultural lands are not extensively converted to high-intensity pastures.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2017-04
    Publishing country United States
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 58735-7
    ISSN 1523-1739 ; 0888-8892
    ISSN (online) 1523-1739
    ISSN 0888-8892
    DOI 10.1111/cobi.12812
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  10. Article ; Online: Assessment of fine-scale resource selection and spatially explicit habitat suitability modelling for a re-introduced tiger (Panthera tigris) population in central India

    Mriganka Shekhar Sarkar / Ramesh Krishnamurthy / Jeyaraj A. Johnson / Subharanjan Sen / Goutam Kumar Saha

    PeerJ, Vol 5, p e

    2017  Volume 3920

    Abstract: Background Large carnivores influence ecosystem functions at various scales. Thus, their local extinction is not only a species-specific conservation concern, but also reflects on the overall habitat quality and ecosystem value. Species-habitat ... ...

    Abstract Background Large carnivores influence ecosystem functions at various scales. Thus, their local extinction is not only a species-specific conservation concern, but also reflects on the overall habitat quality and ecosystem value. Species-habitat relationships at fine scale reflect the individuals’ ability to procure resources and negotiate intraspecific competition. Such fine scale habitat choices are more pronounced in large carnivores such as tiger (Panthera tigris), which exhibits competitive exclusion in habitat and mate selection strategies. Although landscape level policies and conservation strategies are increasingly promoted for tiger conservation, specific management interventions require knowledge of the habitat correlates at fine scale. Methods We studied nine radio-collared individuals of a successfully reintroduced tiger population in Panna Tiger Reserve, central India, focussing on the species-habitat relationship at fine scales. With 16 eco-geographical variables, we performed Manly’s selection ratio and K-select analyses to define population-level and individual-level variation in resource selection, respectively. We analysed the data obtained during the exploratory period of six tigers and during the settled period of eight tigers separately, and compared the consequent results. We further used the settled period characteristics to model and map habitat suitability based on the Mahalanobis D2 method and the Boyce index. Results There was a clear difference in habitat selection by tigers between the exploratory and the settled period. During the exploratory period, tigers selected dense canopy and bamboo forests, but also spent time near villages and relocated village sites. However, settled tigers predominantly selected bamboo forests in complex terrain, riverine forests and teak-mixed forest, and totally avoided human settlements and agriculture areas. There were individual variations in habitat selection between exploratory and settled periods. Based on threshold limits of habitat selection by ...
    Keywords Tiger ; Large carnivore ; Reintroduction ; Habitat suitability ; K-select analysis ; Mahalanobis D2 ; Medicine ; R ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5
    Subject code 333
    Language English
    Publishing date 2017-11-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher PeerJ Inc.
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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