Protected areas and imperilled endemic freshwater biodiversity in the Western Ghats Hotspot

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 78-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajeev Raghavan ◽  
Sandeep Das ◽  
P.O. Nameer ◽  
A. Bijukumar ◽  
Neelesh Dahanukar
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Freshwater Biodiversity ◽  
The Western Ghats

scholarly journals Monitoring of adult aquatic insect activities and ecological role in the riparian zone of streams in the Western Ghats, India

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 460
Author(s):  
T. Kubendran ◽  
M. Ramesh
Keyword(s):  
Aquatic Insects ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Food Resource ◽  
Aquatic Insect ◽  
Ecological Role ◽  
Freshwater Biodiversity ◽  
The Western Ghats ◽  
Adult Aquatic Insects

<div><p><em>The Western Ghats, running parallel to the west coast of India between 8° N and 21° N is a prominent feature of the peninsular India. In freshwater biodiversity hotspots like the Western Ghats, no information is available on activates and ecological role of adult aquatic insect in the riparian zone of streams.</em><strong><em> </em></strong><em>Most adult aquatic insects that emerge from streams live briefly in the nearby riparian zone. Adult activities, such as mating dispersal and feeding influence their distribution in the terrestrial habitat. An observation at Kurangani streams, Western Ghats, India has shown that both numbers and biomass of adult aquatic insects are greatest in the near stream vegetation; however, adult insects can be relatively common 1 to 10 feet from the stream. Why because, adult aquatic insects are abundant and they are primary food resource for many riparian insectivores. The role of adult aquatic insects in the riparian zone must be better understood for riparian and aquatic food chain to be complete. </em></p></div>

scholarly journals Two endemic viverrids of the Western Ghats, India

Oryx ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. V. K. Ashraf ◽  
A. Kumar ◽  
A. J. T. Johnsingh
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Distribution Range ◽  
Isolated Populations ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
South West ◽  
Disturbed Areas ◽  
Palm Civet ◽  
The Western Ghats

The Malabar and brown palm civets, Viverra civettina and Paradoxurus jerdoni, are both endemic to the Western Ghats of south-west India. Little is known about them and in 1990 a survey was conducted in three parts of the Western Ghats to assess their status. This revealed that isolated populations of Malabar civet still survive in less disturbed areas of South Malabar but they are seriously threatened by habitat destruction and hunting because they are outside protected areas. The brown palm civet is not immediately threatened because there are about 25 protected areas within its distribution range. Recommendations have been made for conservation action to ensure the survival of these animals.

scholarly journals Flowering plants of Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarahole) National Park, Karnataka, India

Check List ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 1052
Author(s):  
Ramasamy Manikandan ◽  
Pakishirajan Lakshminarasimhan
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
National Park ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Flowering Plants ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspots ◽  
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve ◽  
The Western Ghats

The Rajiv Gandhi National Park encompasses a rich biodiversity of both flora and fauna and is regarded as one of the richest protected areas in Asia. It is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and covers foot-hills of the Brahmagiri hill ranges in the Western Ghats, which is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots and epicenter of Indian endemics harbouring species-rich-habitats and supporting a high biodiversity. This is evident in its flowering plants diversity brought to focus during the present study. The National Park spreads over an area of 643.39 km2, harbours 1337 species, 14 subspecies and 34 varieties of Angiosperms distributed over 754 genera and 152 families. Notably 110 species of these are endemic. A complete inventory of all the recorded species is provided here.

scholarly journals Do terrestrial protected areas conserve freshwater fish diversity? Results from the Western Ghats of India

Oryx ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 544-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Kurian Abraham ◽  
Nachiket Kelkar
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Fish Diversity ◽  
Freshwater Biodiversity ◽  
Total Species Richness ◽  
Dam Reservoirs ◽  
Western Ghats Of India

AbstractTerrestrial protected areas are often designated in inaccessible high elevation regions, and usually targeted towards conservation of charismatic large mammals and birds. It has been suggested that such protected areas, with partial coverage of riverine habitats, may not be adequate for conservation of freshwater taxa such as fishes. Also, protected areas are often designated in upstream catchments of dam reservoirs, and conservation of freshwater biodiversity is usually not a priority. We investigated the importance of existing protected areas for conservation of stream fishes within and across three dammed and two undammed rivers in the southern Western Ghats, India (a global biodiversity hotspot). Comparisons of stream sites in protected and unprotected areas were restricted to mid elevations because of confounding factors of dams, elevation and stream order. For dammed rivers, endemic and total species richness was significantly higher inside protected areas than unprotected areas. Total fish species richness increased with decreasing elevation and endemic species richness peaked at mid elevations. Species found in comparable stream orders across dammed and undammed midland river reaches were similar. Intensity of threats such as sand mining, dynamite fishing, pollution and introduced invasive fishes was higher in unprotected than in protected areas. Lack of awareness among managers has also led to the occurrence of some threats within protected areas. However, existing protected areas are vital for conservation of endemic fishes. Our results support the need for extending the scope of terrestrial protected areas towards better representation of freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity.

scholarly journals Harvesting and Local Knowledge of a Cultural Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP): Gum-Resin from Boswellia serrata Roxb. in Three Protected Areas of the Western Ghats, India

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 907 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soumya ◽  
M. Shackleton
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Forest Products ◽  
Wildlife Sanctuary ◽  
Boswellia Serrata ◽  
Longhorn Beetles ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Western Ghats

Soliga tribes in the Western Ghats, India harvest some NTFPs (non-timber forest products) for religious purposes. They extract gum-resin from Boswellia serrata Roxb. in Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve (BRT), Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS), and Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary (MMH) in the state of Karnataka, India. They use gum-resin as a cultural offering to the deities in the temples in these study sites and in their households. The traditional harvesting practices adopted by the Soliga tribes in these protected areas, types of gum-resin extracted, and the nature of the extraction processes were examined. The research undertook 346 household surveys with gum-resin harvesters and non-harvesters across 15 villages, along with 60 field trips with the harvesters, during which field harvesting activities and practices were noted. Six different types of gum-resin were harvested, with marked differences between the three sites. Because of the different types of gum-resin, the quantities harvested were also significantly different between sites. Approximately 80% of the harvesters were aware of some harmful methods of harvesting gum-resin, and some harvesters highlighted that B. serrata trees would yield gum-resin only when damaged. Such damage could be human-made or through the effects of elephants, wind, Trigona honey harvest, deer horns or body rubbing and longhorn beetles. Most (81%) of the non-harvesters surveyed previously practiced gum-resin harvesting but had ceased for a variety of reasons, mostly because of insufficient demand and hence income from the sale of gum-resin, insufficient supply, or fear of wild animals in the forests. Considering these cultural practices, experiences, and beliefs of the Soliga communities can help inform management plans and conservation of the species in its natural habitat.

scholarly journals The Role of Informal Protected Areas in Maintaining Biodiversity in the Western Ghats of India

2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shonil A. Bhagwat ◽  
Cheppudira G. Kushalappa ◽  
Paul H. Williams ◽  
Nick D. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Western Ghats Of India ◽  
The Western Ghats

scholarly journals Diversity and distribution of orchids of Goa, Western Ghats, India

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 15015-15042
Author(s):  
Jeewan Singh Jalal
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Geographic Area ◽  
The State ◽  
Wildlife Sanctuary ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Orchid Species ◽  
Suitable Area ◽  
The Western Ghats

The Botanical Survey of India launched a pilot project during 2015–2017 on exploration of orchids of Goa State covering all the protected areas.  A total of 68 orchid species belonging to 28 genera were documented of which 42 are epiphytic and 26 are terrestrial.  Twenty-eight species are endemic, of which 23 species are strictly endemic to the Western Ghats, two are endemic to peninsular India, and three are endemic to the country.  Distribution of orchids in Goa is concentrated mainly in the Western Ghats region, which accounts for 86% of the total orchid species richness of the state.  The most favourable habitat was found to be semi-evergreen forests followed by moist-deciduous forests.  Among all the protected areas, the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary was found to be rich in orchid diversity (39 species) followed by Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, and Cotigaon Wildlife Sanctuary.  The MaxEnt data shows the highly suitable area for orchids in Goa is approximately 1,005km2, which is 27% of the total geographic area of the state.

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