Informatics Publishing Limited

Malvika Onial ¹, Biba Jasmine ², Yashaswi Singh ³, Anant Pande ¹, Chinnasamy Ramesh ¹, Kuppusamy Sivakumar ¹, Vinod. B. Mathur ¹

Affiliations
1 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun - 248 001, IN
2 University of Maryland, College Park, MD, US
3 Forest Research Institute, Dehradun - 248 006, IN

Abstract

The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan is the primary tool for implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the country level. A National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) was prepared for India in 2008, through an inter-ministerial consultative process. Five years later, it was considered necessary to align the existing NBAP in accordance with the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (ABTs). This was achieved by formulating India’s National Biodiversity Targets (NBTs) and developing a monitoring framework using indicators, and through an evaluation of funding support for biodiversity conservation in India. The draft document was prepared and reviewed through a series of national stakeholder consultations and technical review meetings, based on which the ‘National Biodiversity Action Plan: Addendum 2014 to NBAP 2008’ was finalized. As part of its commitments to the CBD to accomplish the global ABTs, India must ensure effective implementation of the NBAP and meet the NBTs. This requires cooperation amongst all stakeholders including the relevant federal ministries and state level agencies along with a rigorous and time-bound application of the monitoring framework.

Keywords

Aichi Biodiversity Targets, Biodiversity Conservation, Convention on Biological Diversity, National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, National Biodiversity Targets.

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Aashna Sharma ¹, Vineet Kumar Dubey ¹, Prakash Nautiyal ², Jeyaraj Antony Johnson ¹, Yogesh Kumar Rawal ³, Kuppusamy Sivakumar ¹

Affiliations
1 No. 18 Chandrabani, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, IN
2 Aquatic Biodiversity Unit, Department of Zoology and Biotechnology, Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar 249 161, IN
3 Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160 014, IN

Abstract

Climate-induced stochastic events bring forth idiosyncratic changes in habitat and community assemblage patterns of an area. Nature governs its priorities in such incidents, where native taxa are preferred over the invasive ‘late-comers’, thus leading to extirpation of the latter, according to the concept of ‘priority effects’¹. This stronghold of nature strictly comes into play when an ecosystem is least altered from its natural state. River Asiganga in Uttarakhand, India was chosen as a case study to understand this theory, where cloudburst-induced flash floods are considered to be a reason for the complete wipe-out of non-native brown trout (Salmo trutta fario), leaving behind the native snow trout (Schizothorax species).

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Sharad Bayyana ¹, Satish Pawar ¹, Swapnali Gole ², Sohini Dudhat ², Anant Pande ², Debashis Mitra ³, Jeyaraj Antony Johnson ⁴, Kuppusamy Sivakumar ²

Affiliations
1 Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun 248 001, IN
2 Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 002, IN
3 Marine and Atmospheric Science Department, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun 248 001, IN
4 Department of Habitat Ecology, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 002, IN

Abstract

This study presents an attempt to utilize seagrass data acquired from field surveys to compare classification models for mapping seagrasses using Sentinel -2A satellite data. Out of three models tested , viz. Random Forest, Support Vector Machine and K-Nearest Neighbor; Random Forest classification model proved most effective in the given scenario with 0.99 model accuracy. Seagrasses present as deep as 21 m were detected post water column correction, presenting the capability of Sentinel-2A satellite in detecting submerged benthic habitat.

Keywords

Depth Invariant Index, Ritchie’s Archipelago, Seagrass, Sentinel-2A.

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Sameeha Pathan ¹, Anant Pande ², Kuppusamy Sivakumar ³, J. A. Johnson ¹

Affiliations
1 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, India, IN
2 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, India; Marine Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bengaluru 560 097, India, IN
3 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001, India; Department of Ecology and Environment, Pondicherry University, Puducherry 605 014, India, IN

Abstract

A relict dugong population resides in the Gulf of Kachchh (GoK), Gujarat, India. Very little is known about this population stemming from a lack of focused studies and inadequate examination of previous strandings. The present study gathers crucial ecological information through a systematic post-mortem examination of stran­ded dugongs in GoK. As indicated through dorsal tusk-rake scars on two carcasses, this study presents records of derivative physical evidence. Progressive healing and differences in the width of the scars indicated more than two individuals had participated in a sexual agno­stic or courtship event. Conversely, our findings report that both animals suffered relative effects of asphyxiation after fishing net entanglement. The implication of a prior pathological condition(s) in the form of dermal cysts, swollen mesenteric lymph nodes and endoparasites is also reported. Stomach content was examined for a qualitative dietary characterization. Halophila beccari, Halophila ovalis and Halodule uninervis were found in the stomach content. Other potential threats as well as fishing net microfilaments found in the stomach con­tents of both dugongs are discussed

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Sumit Prajapati ¹, Chinmaya Ghanekar ¹, Sameeha Pathan ¹, Rukmini Shekar ¹, K. Madhu Magesh ¹, Swapnali Gole ¹, Srabani Bose ¹, Sweta Iyer ¹, Anant Pande ², Kuppusamy Sivakumar ³, Jeyaraj Antony Johnson ¹

Affiliations
1 Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun 248 001, India, IN
2 Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun 248 001, India; 2Marine Programme, Wildlife Conservation Society – India, Bengaluru 560 097, India, IN
3 Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun 248 001, India; Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry 605 014, India, IN

Abstract

We analysed gut samples of stranded dugongs from Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, India, to understand their die­tary preferences. We quantified seagrass fragments from the gut as leaf, stem and rhizome, and identified leaf fragments up to genera level by their morphological features and epidermal cell characteristics using an in­verted microscope. The overall abundance of above-ground fragments (leaf, stem) was higher in all samples, which may suggest the dugongs use a cropping mechanism to forage. The ingested seagrass generic diversity was higher in Tamil Nadu (n = 5) dugong individuals than those in Gujarat (n = 2). A total of five genera were recorded from all samples, viz. Halophila spp., Halodule spp., Cymodocea spp., Enhalus sp. and Syringodium spp. In Tamil Nadu, Cymodocea spp. (46.24%) was the most dominant, followed by Halophila spp. (26.49%), Syringodium spp. (14.83%) and Halodule spp. (12.16%), with a low occurrence of Enhalus spp. (0.19%). In Gujarat, Halodule spp. (61.48%) was the most dominant, followed by Halophila spp. (30.20%). The recorded plastic and wood fragments suggest fine spatial scale threat mapping in dugong habitats

Keywords

Dugongs, foraging pattern, megaherbivore, necropsy, seagrass.

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