Role of Herbaceous Vegetation in Habitat Utilization by Critically Endangered Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis Nigriceps (Vigors) in the Indian Thar Desert
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2017/v143i10/119349Keywords:
Abundance, Bustard, Ardeotis nigriceps, Desert, Diversity, Endangered, Ephemerals, Richness, Vegetation.Abstract
With an objective to enhance the inviolate area, fresh closures were made adjacent to old closures in Thar desert landscape as part of managerial inputs based on in situ conservation guidelines for critically endangered great Indian bustard Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors). This newly enclosed area was partly mowed and ploughed just before the onset of rains in July which resulted in profuse regeneration of herbaceous vegetation. Preference for these newly made closures by the bustard was noted as compared to old closures. In order to understand causes of such preference, the vegetation of both old and freshly made closures was compared. High richness and abundance of ephemerals and low height of herbaceous vegetation in newly made closures providing better opportunities of feed and enhanced sight distance to detect approaching predators attracted more number of great Indian bustard. Mowing and ploughing the open areas in mosaic pattern breaks the crust laden hard surface allowing regeneration of herbaceous vegetation that improves the habitat for the species. Carrying out this activity annually just before the onset of rains without disturbing the local sewan Lasiurus scindicus and other perennial grasses, shrubs and trees of old closures of bustard range areas emerged as a key management strategy for in situ conservation of great Indian bustard in the Indian part of Thar desert.References
Arroyo B., Mougeot F. and Bretagnolle V. (2001). Colonial breeding and nest defence in Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus). Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., 50: 109–115.
Aunapuu M. and Oksanen T. (2004). Habitat selection of coexisting competitors: a study of small mustelids in northern Norway. Evol. Ecol., 17: 371–392.
Berner T.O. and Grubb T.C.J. (1985). An experimental analysis of mixed-species flocking in birds of deciduous woodland. Ecology, 66: 1229–1236.
Bhushan B. (1985).The food and feeding behaviour of the Great Indian Bustard Choriotis nigriceps (Vigors). M.Sc. Thesis. University of Bombay, Bombay.
Bongi P., Ciuti S., Grignolio S., Del Frate M., Simi S., Gandelli D. and Apollonio M.(2008). Anti-predator behaviour, space use and habitat selection in female roe deer during the fawning season in a wolf area. J. Zool., (Lond.) 276: 242–251.
Boyer S. and Rivault C. (2006). Habitat selection and coexistence of invasive cockroach species (Dictyoptera) in sugar-cane fields on Reunion island. Acta Oecol., 29: 16–26.
Cody M.L. (1981). Habitat selection in birds: the roles of vegetation structure, competitors and productivity. Bioscience,31: 107–113
Collar N.J. (1996). Family Otididae (Bustards). Pages 240-273 In Handbook of the birds of the world. Volume 3. Hoatzin to auks. (J. delHoyo, A.D. Elliot and J. Sargatal, Editors). Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.
Collar N.J., Patil P. and Bhardwaj G.S. (2015). What can save the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps. Birding ASIA, 23:15-24
Cramp, I.S., and K.E.L. Simmons (1987). Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Hawks to bustards. Oxford University Press, Oxford. The birds of the Wetern Palearctic, 2.
Dutta S., Rahmani A.R. and Jhala Y.V. (2010). Running out of time? The great Indian bustard Ardeotis nigriceps– status, viability, and conservation strategies. Eur. J. Wildl. Res., doi: 10.1007/s10344-010-0472-z.
Dutta S., Rahmani A. and Jhala Y.V. (2011). Running out of time? The great Indian bustard Ardeotis nigriceps—status, viability, and conservation strategies. European Journal of Wildlife Research 57: 615-625.
Dutta S., Rahmani A., Gautam P., Kasambe R., Narwade S. and Narayan G.Y.J. (2013). Guidelines for Preparation of State Action Plan for Resident Bustards' Recovery Programme. Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi.
Forstmeier W. and Weiss I. (2004). Adaptive plasticity in nestsite selection in response to changing predation risk. Oikos, 104: 487–499.
Fynn R.W.S. (2012). Functional resource heterogeneity increases livestock and rangeland productivity. Rangeland Ecology and Management, 65(4): 319-329.
IUCN (2011). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. www.iucnredlist.org.
Johnsgard J.A. (1991). Bustards, Hemipodes and Sandgrouse. Oxford University Presss, Oxford, UK
Jullien M. and Clobert J. (2000). The survival value of flocking in neotropical birds: reality or fiction? Ecology, 81: 3416–3430.
Krebs J.R. (1973). Social learning and the significance of mixed-species flocks of chickadees (Parus spp.). Can. J. Zool., 51, 1275–1278.
Lane S.J., Alonso J.C., Alonso J.A. and Naveso M.A. (1999). Seasonal Changes in diet and diet selection of great bustards (Otis tarda) in northwest Spain. J. Zoology, 247(2):201-214
Manakadan R. (1986).Ecology of the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors) habitats.M.Sc. Thesis. University of Bombay, Bombay.
McGranahan D.A. and Kirkman K.P. (2013). Multi-functional rangelands in southern Africa: Managing for production, conservation and resilience with fire and grazing. Land, 2: 176-193.
Mertia R.S. (1984). Studies on improvement and utilization of rangelands of Jaisalmer region. In: CAZRI Monogragh No. 25, CAZRI, Jodhpur. 50 pp.
Morosinotto C., Thomson R.L. and Korpimaki E. (2010). Habitat selection as an antipredator behaviour in a multi predator landscape: all enemies are not equal. J. Anim. Ecol., 79: 327–333.
Morse D.H. (1977). Feeding behavior and predator avoidance in hetero specific groups. Bioscience, 27: 332–339.
Pandeya S.C., Sharma S.C., Jain H.K., Pathak S.J., Palimal K.C. and Bhanot V.M.(1977). The Environment and Cenchrus Grazing Lands in Western India. Final Report. Department of Biosciences, Saurasthra University, Rajkot, India.
Petit L.J. and Petit D.R. (1996). Factors governing habitat selection by Prothonotary Warblers: field tests of the Fretwell–Lucas models. Ecol. Monogr., 66: 367-387.
Pitt W.C. (1999). Effects of multiple vertebrate predators on grasshopper habitat selection: trade-offs due to predation risk, foraging, and thermoregulation. Evol. Ecol., 13: 499-515.
Rahmani A.R. (1997a). Wildlife of the Thar. WWF India, New Delhi.
Rahmani A.R. and Manakadan R. (1986). Movement and flock composition of the Great Indian Bustard at Nannaj, Solapur district, Maharashtra, India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 83: 17-31.
Rahmani A.R. (1989). The Great Indian Bustard. Final Report. Bombay Natural History Society, Bombay.
Robinson S.K. and Terborgh J. (1995). Interspecific aggression and habitat selection by Amazonian birds. J. Anim. Ecol., 64: 1–11.
Rodgers W.A., Panwar H.S. and Mathur V.B. (2002). Wildlife Protected Area Network in India: A Review (Executive Summary). Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
Sample D.W. and Hoffman R.M. (1989). Birds of Dry-mesic and dry prairies in Wisconsin. Passenger Pigeon, 51: 195-208.
Schulz H. and Seddon P. (1996). Biology and Status of houbara bustard. In: Propagation of the Houbara bustard (Saint Jalme M. and Van Heezik Y. eds), Kegan Paul International, London. 3-14 pp.
Sikka D.R. (1997). Desert Climate and its Dynamics. Current Science, 72: 35-46.
Singh J.P., Mondal B.C., Soni M.L. and Beniwal R.K. (2006). Annual weeds add to the nutritional level of forage from desert rangelands. Annals of Arid Zone, 45(2): 189-193.
Snyman H.A. (1998). Dynamics and sustainable utilization of rangeland ecosystems in arid and semi-arid climates of southern Africa. J. Arid Environment, 39: 645-666.
Sridhar H., Beauchamp G. and Shanker K. (2009). Why do birds participate in mixed-species foraging flocks? A large-scale synthesis. Anim. Behav., 78: 337–347.
Stensland E., Angerbjo¨ rn, A. and Berggren P. (2003). Mixed species groups in mammals. MammalRev., 33: 205–223.
Svardson G. (1949). Competition and habitat selection in ¨ birds. Oikos, 1: 157–174.
Terborgh, J. (1990). Mixed flocks and poly specific associations: costs and benefits of mixed groups to birds and monkeys. Am. J. Primatol., 21: 87–100.
Tigar B.J. and Osborne P.E. (2000). Invertebrate diet of the Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis (undulate) macqueenii in Abu Dhabi from Calibrated faecal analysis. Ibis.
Vetter S. (2009). Drought, change and resilience in South Africa's arid and semi-arid rangelands. South African J. Science, 105: 29-33.
Wootton J.T. (1992). Indirect effects, prey susceptibility, and habitat selection: impacts of birds on limpets and Algae. Ecology, 73: 981–991.
Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Unless otherwise stated, copyright or similar rights in all materials presented on the site, including graphical images, are owned by Indian Forester.
