Publications
- Journal ArticleIn pressMixed fortunes: old expansion and recent decline in population size of a subtropical montane primate, the Arunachal macaquePLoS One
- Journal ArticleIn pressGoral Nemorhaedus goralIn: A. J. T. Johnsingh and N. Manjrekar (eds.) Mammals of South Asia: ecology, behaviour and conservation. Permanent Black, Delhi.
- Journal ArticleIn pressSerow Nemorhaedus sumatraensisIn: A. J. T. Johnsingh and N. Manjrekar (eds.) Mammals of South Asia: ecology, behaviour and conservation. Permanent Black, Delhi.
- Book ChapterIn pressConflicts over snow leopard conservation and livestock productionConservation Conflicts, Redpath S, Young J, Gutierrez R, Wood K (eds.), Cambridge University Press.
- Book ChapterIn pressTop-down or bottom-up: the role of the government and local institutions in regulating shifting cultivation in the Upper Siang district, Eastern Himalaya, India (in press)Shifting Cultivation and Environmental Change: Indigenous People, Agriculture and Forest Conservation (Ed: Malcolm Cairns), Published by Routledge.
- Journal ArticleIn pressAnts on Clerodendrum infortunatum: Disentangling Effects of Larceny and HerbivoryEnvironmental Entomology
https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvy090
Abstract
Nectar larcenists extract nectar from flowers without pollinating them. A reasonable expectation is that any form of nectar larceny should have a detrimental effect on the plant’s reproductive success. However, studies reveal an entire range of effects, from highly negative to highly positive. This variation in effect may be partly explained by additional, unmeasured, effects of nectar larcenists on plants. In a study system where two ant species Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabr.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and Trichomyrmex destructor (Jerd.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) act as nectar larcenists, we examined the effect of larceny on the female reproductive success of Clerodendrum infortunatum Gaertn. (Lamiales: Lamiaceae) in rain forest fragments of the Western Ghats, India. This was done through a combination of field observations and a series of field experiments looking at the effects of excluding ants from inflorescences. We found that T. destructor reduces fruit set considerably. Rather than this being a consequence of nectar larceny, however, our experiments show that the negative effect arises instead from the herbivorous behavior of the ant. At a population level, both ant species prefer edges over interiors of forest patches, spatially concentrating the interaction zone to forest edges. Simultaneously considering multiple ecological interactions and disentangling their relative contributions might explain the large variation across species in the observed effect of larceny. The overall population effect of nectar larceny and herbivory is likely to depend on the spatial structuring of plants and ants.
- Journal ArticleIn pressLocal community neutralizes traditional wolf traps and builds a stupaOryx
- Popular Article2018Spiders: The weavers and stalkers amongst usiWonder Issue 4, Jan 2018
A piece on spiders for iWonder, an Indian magazine for science middle school teachers. Fun and fascinating facts about spiders to talk and discuss about in the classroom. Lots of activities that teachers can do with students in and outside the class room.
http://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/SitePages/resources-iwonder-issue4-Spiders.aspx - Book2018Off to see spiders!StoryWeaver by Pratham Books
Kaveri and Shivi go looking for spiders, along with their friend Shama. A story for young children commissioned and published by Pratham Books', StoryWeaver platform.
Guest editor: Bijal Vachharajani, Art: Pia Meenakshi
https://storyweaver.org.in/stories/27612-off-to-see-spiders - Journal Article2018The role of artificial habitats and rainfall patterns in the unseasonal nesting of Sarus Cranes (Antigone antigone) in south AsiaWaterbirds 41(1): 80-86.
Sarus Cranes (Antigone antigone) in south Asia breed during the rainy season (monsoon), with few nests initiated outside of the monsoon. Several hypothesis have been put forth to explain the unseasonal nesting outside the monsoon, but a careful evaluation of the hypotheses has been absent. Using a multi-year (2004-2017), multi-scale (four Indian states) data set, this study explored the factors potentially responsible for unseasonal nesting by Sarus Cranes. Nests outside the monsoon were very rare (0.3% of all nests) and were initiated when Sarus Crane pairs were in areas with artificial water sources (irrigation canals or reservoirs) or faced abnormal monsoonal conditions. Unseasonal nests were initiated only when breeding pairs had been unsuccessful in raising chicks in the previous primary nesting season. Altered cropping patterns associated with increased artificial irrigation and changing rainfall patterns appear responsible for unseasonal nesting in Sarus Cranes. Nesting of this species outside the monsoon may increase in response to the increasing changes in cropping patterns and changing rainfall conditions.
- Journal Article2018Temporal variations in patterns of Escherichia coli strain diversity and antimicrobial resistance in the migrant Egyptian VultureInfection Ecology and Epidemeology 8:1, 1450590.
https://doi.org/10.1080/20008686.2018.1450590
ABSTRACT
Aims: Multiple antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli of wild vertebrates is a global concern with scarce assessments on the subject from developing countries that have high human-wild species interactions. We studied the ecology of E. coli in a wintering population of Egyptian Vultures in India to understand temporal changes in both E. coli strains and patterns of antimicrobial resistance.
Methods and Results: We ribotyped E. coli strains and assessed antimicrobial resistance from wintering vultures at a highly synanthropic carcass dump in north-west India. Both E. coli prevalence (90.32%) and resistance to multiple antimicrobials (71.43%) were very high. Clear temporal patterns were apparent. Diversity of strains changed and homogenized at the end of the Vultures’ wintering period, while the resistance pattern showed significantly difference inter-annually, as well as between arrival and departing individuals within a wintering cycle.
Significance of study: The carcass dump environment altered both E. coli strains and multiple antimicrobial resistance in migratory Egyptian Vultures within a season. Long-distance migratory species could therefore disseminate resistant E. coli strains across broad geographical scales rendering regional mitigation strategies to control multiple antimicrobial resistance in bacteria ineffective.
- Popular Article2018Meet the world’s smallest wild catThe Hindu, In school, March 18 2018
A peek into the life of the rusty-spotted cat, an elusive feline found in the forests of India.
- Popular Article2018Flexible Fish
http://blog.ncf-india.org/2018/03/20/new-study-from-the-lakshadweep-flexible-fish/
- Popular Article2018Q&A: Spider Insider with Vena Kapoor
http://blog.ncf-india.org/2018/02/23/qa-spider-insider-with-vena-kapoor/
- Popular Article2018Ornithology and Graphic Design: What's the Connection?
http://blog.ncf-india.org/2018/02/01/birds-and-how-we-think-of-colour-today/
- Report2018Understanding distribution, population density and conservation status of the endemic and threatened Ladakh urial Ovis orientalis vigneiDownload
PDF, 2.93 MB
- Book Chapter2018Living with Snow Leopards: a pluralistic approach to conservationIn Conservation from the Margins. (Eds) Umesh Srinivasan & Nandini Velho. Orient BlackswanDownload
PDF, 1.68 MB
- Poster2018Birds Around UsDownload
PDF, 12.5 MB
- Report2018Population assessment of the Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) using the Double-observer Survey method in the Anamalai Tiger ReserveTechnical Report, Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore, IndiaDownload
PDF, 4.59 MB
- Journal Article2018Hornbill Watch: A citizen science initiative for Indian hornbillsIndian Birds, 14:65-70Download
PDF, 18.4 MB
Hornbills are conspicuous and well-known birds with nine species occurring in India. While several hornbill species have been studied extensively in some parts of India, there is a knowledge gap about their distribution, population size, and adaptations to rapidly changing habitats. Most research and conservation efforts are often focused on single or few species within protected areas. Hornbill Watch (henceforth, HW) is an online platform created specifically to record public sightings of hornbills from anywhere in India. The idea is to encourage birders, nature enthusiasts, and photographers to share information on hornbill presence, behaviour, and conservation-related issues. The main objective is to generate baseline information using sight records and enable long-term monitoring of these species by encouraging citizen participation. HW was launched in June 2014, and up to February 2017 had received 938 records from 430 contributors across India, from 26 States and three Union Territories. States from where most sightings were reported were Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh. Species were reported from both inside (41%), and outside Protected Areas (59%; henceforth, PA). Hornbills were reported from 70 PAs. Fifty-one records of nesting were reported for all species from inside and outside PAs, while 27 records of communal roosting were reported for some species. The data obtained thus far has yielded some useful information and insights,and has the potential for enhancing our understanding of current hornbill distribution patterns, and for identifying important sites for conservation/protection.
