Post-fire soil nutrient dynamics in a tropical dry deciduous forest of Western Ghats,India

Background: The effect of forest fire on soil is complex and relatively less understood than its above ground effect.Understanding the effect of fire on forest soils can allow improving management of valuable forest ecosystems as adequate and proper information is very important for efficient management. We have studied the recovery of soil properties after fire, using a chronosequence approach(two, five and fifteen years after fire and control). Soil samples were collected from each plot of four fire patches(B0, B2, B5 & B15) from three different depths viz. 0–10(Top), 10–20(Middle), and 20–30 cm(Bottom).Results: Soil organic carbon was lower than unburned plots after the fire and could not recover to the level of unburned plot(B0) even in 15 years. Total N, available P, and extractable K were lower 2-years and 5-years after the fire but are higher than unburned plot after 15-years. Available nitrogen(NO_3^- and NH_4^+) remain unchanged or higher than B0 in burned patches. Soil pH, Bulk Density, Water Holding Capacity, and Electrical Conductivity was lower initially after the fire. Forest fires have affected soil properties considerably. The response of soil properties varied with years after fire and soil depth.Conclusion: Forest fires occur very frequently in the study area. Significant quantities of carbon and total nitrogen are lost to the atmosphere by burning of litter, duff, and soil OM. Because nitrogen is one of the most important soil nutrients, the recapture of N lost by volatilization during a fire must receive special attention. Long-term studies are required to better understand the recovery of soil nitrogen.

Status and distribution pattern of coarse woody debris along an altitudinal gradient in Askot Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand, West Himalaya

A rapid assessment on the status and distribution patterns of coarse woody debris （CWD） was conducted by laying five curvilinear transects （transects A, B, C, D and E; major trails）, along an altitudinal gradient starting from 900 to 2 600 m, in three major watersheds （Charigad, Dogarhigad and upper Gosigad） of Goriganga catchment in Askot Wildlife Sanctuary, India. At every 100 m rise in altitude a hectare plot （100 m x 100 m） was selected. Results showed that the percentage contribution by different succession phases was in the decreasing order： phase I 〉 phase II 〉 phase IV 〉 phase III for snags, and phase III〉 phase II 〉 phase IV 〉 phase I for logs. Snag density in chir pine forest was high in transect A （11 snags＇ha^-1） at 1 500 m, and the value in rianj oak forest was high in transect B （10 snags.ha-l） at 2 300 m. The total available mass of snags and logs in chit pine forest was 13.9 t, of which snags mass accounted for 41% of the total mass and logs mass for 59%. While the total value was 5.6 t in rianj oak forest, of which snags and logs accounted for 60% and 40% of the total mass, respectively. Moreover, the presence of CWD in the study area if not harvested, would provide a great opportunity to the orchids in future to flourish by providing protection. The high densities of snags and logs in chir pine forest at mid-altitudinal zone led to less species richness and lower density of ground flora as the zone receives more light, accompanying with lower soil moisture, and thus only the dominant species occupy the habitat.

Distribution,Use Pattern and Prospects for Conservation of Medicinal Shrubs in Uttaranchal State,India

The present paper gives an insight into the distribution and use pattern of medicinal shrubs in Uttaranchal State. A total of 222 medicinal and aromatic shrub species have been appended based on secondary information. Euphorbiaceae, Rosaceae, Verbenaceae, and Fabaceae have the highest repre- sentatives of medicinal shrubs. Twenty one families had one species each in medicinal use. Verbenaceae and Euphorbiaceae in the sub-tropical region, Rosaceae in the temperate region, and Ericaceae and Rosaceae in the sub-alpine and alpine regions, respectively, had the highest representatives of medicinal shrubs. The distribution of medicinal shrubs was 42 % in sub-tropical, 29 % in warm temperate, 13 % in cool temperate, 9 % in sub-alpine and 7 % in the alpine region. Of the total species, 70 medicinal shrubs were native to the Himalayas and 22 native to Himalayan region including other Hima- layan countries. The most frequently used plant parts for various ailments were leaves (31 %) and roots (23 %). Most shrubs are being used for the diseases, viz. skin diseases, dysentery, cough, fever, wounds, and rheumatism. The present paper will help in the execution of strategies for promotion and cultivation of medicinal shrubs in Uttaranchal State.

On the Identity and Taxonomic Status of Coluber nuthalli Theobald, 1868, with Redescription of the Type Specimens of Coluber nuthalli and Elaphis yunnanensis Anderson, 1879(Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae)

The taxaColuber nuthalli Theobald, 1868 andElaphis yunnanensis Anderson, 1879 are compared and re-described, based on the examination of their type material. The morphological similarities of these two taxa revealed them as conspeciifc.Elaphis yunnanensis Anderson is thus declared as a protected name （nomen conservandum） with priority overC. nuthalli Theobald （nomen oblitum）. A lectotype forElaphis yunnanensis is designated and described. The validity ofyunnanensis as subspecies name in combination withOrthriophis taeniurus （Cope） will be discussed. A key to the subspecies ofO. taeniurus is provided.

印度喜马拉雅山区西藏盘羊的警戒行为(英文)

在几个动物类群中开展的许多行为研究中发现,个体的警觉水平与群体大小存在着负相关关系。一般认为,这种关系是由于个体在一个较大的群体中被捕杀的概率小。在本研究中,我研究了濒危的印度喜马拉雅地区西藏盘羊(Ovis ammon hodgsoni)的警戒行为与群体大小和逃逸地形的关系。我假设小群体中的、位于悬崖旁的盘羊比那些大群体中的、开阔地带(逃逸地形)中的盘羊的警戒水平高。结果发现随着群体增大,盘羊的警戒水平下降,但是,逃逸地形与盘羊的警戒水平没有关系。盘羊的不同性别、年龄组之间的时间预算存在显著差异。与雄性和亚成年个体比较,雌性用于警觉的时间多,它们比雄性采食时间长,移动少。因此。

印度拉达克羌塘地区黑颈鹤日间行为时间分配

时间分配研究是理解栖息地利用模式、资源利用和限制物种生存因素的合适手段,这些一旦掌握清楚了便可被整合到管理策略的制定中。于2008年、2009年和2010年繁殖期对拉达克地区的黑颈鹤(Grus nigricollis)日间行为时间分配进行了研究。为了更好地统一繁殖周期内不同繁殖阶段的活动模式,将黑颈鹤的繁殖期分成繁殖前期、繁殖中期和繁殖后期。调查期间,共进行了95天野外调查,黑颈鹤观察时长达785 h,所有观察在06:00—19:00完成,共记录到16314次行为事件。该文中黑颈鹤的日间行为时间分配以不同行为的百分比来表示。繁殖期内,黑颈鹤的取食行为占(48.5±1.3)%,其次分别为休息[(14.2±1.2)%]、运动[(10±0.7)%]、繁殖[(10±2.6)%]、保养[(5.7±0.5)%]、警戒[(4.1±0.9)%]、保卫[(1.5±0.3)%]和求偶炫耀[(0.7±0.2)%],另有(5.4±1.9)%]的时间黑颈鹤飞出观察视野。相较于其他生境,黑颈鹤在沼泽草甸生境中停留的时间最长[(43±0.9)%]。

印度黑颈鹤现状与分布

为了弄清和监测印度黑颈鹤(Grus nigricollis)的现状与分布,作者于2000-2014年开展了长期研究。每年在所有已知的黑颈鹤分布点开展调查,同时探索了新的区域。基于黑颈鹤的历史分布区,包括查谟和克什米尔、锡金等的文献记载和调查,该文对印度黑颈鹤的现状与分布进行了综述,详细列出了黑颈鹤在印度的当前现状与分布。首次对过去15年来印度黑颈鹤种群状况进行了报道:整个研究期间,于2012年在拉达克的繁殖地最多记录到139只黑颈鹤个体,于2006年在印度东北部记录到11个越冬个体。

Mass Foliar Damage at Subalpine-Timberline Ecotone in Western Himalaya Due to Extreme Climatic Events

Glimpses of unusual climatic conditions such as high summer temperature, heavy rainfall as well as snowfall and low winter temperature were noticed during 2010-2011 in subalpine-timberline (2700 - 3600 m) zones of Western Himalaya. Abundant winter injury to the current year (2010) foliage and shoot of Rhododendron arboretum and Quercus semecarpifolia became apparent in winters of 2010-2011. The foliar and bud mortality both increased with elevation beyond 2800 m and maximum along the edges of forest. Rhododendron campanulatum was another species which also got affected throughout the Western Himalaya. Such events were not reported earlier from the region and current observations indicate the high sensitivity of the plant species to the extreme inter-annual climatic variations.

Plant studies in the first Himalayan Biosphere Reserve: a review

Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve(NDBR) was declared as the first Himalayan Biosphere Reserve owing to its unique biological and cultural wealth. Its core zones, Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers National Park, are a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. In spite of lying at a high altitude, interplay of factors such as unique geographical location, climate, topography and wide altitudinal variations have endowed NDBR with a rich and diverse flora. Proportionately high percentage of endemic and near endemic plants makes NDBR a very important protected area from conservation point of view. However, its floristic wealth is facing unprecedented threats in the form of climate change and growing anthropogenic pressure. Hence, a need was felt to assess the directionality, quality and sufficiency of past and ongoing research for the conservation of floral and ethnobotanical wealth of NDBR in the absence of any such previous attempt. Based on an extensive review of more than 150 plant studies on NDBR, this communication provides a detailed account of the current state of knowledge and information gaps on flora, vegetation ecology, rare, endangered, threatened(RET) and endemic plants and ethnobotany. Priority research areas and management measures are discussed for the conservation of its unique floral wealth. Incomplete floral inventorization, lack of biodiversity monitoring, meagre studies on lower plant groups, population status of medicinal plants, habitat assessment of threatened taxa and geo-spatial analysis of alpine vegetation were identified as areas of immediate concern.

喜马拉雅山西部Askot野生动物保护区内粗木质残体沿山高度分布格局与现状

A rapid assessment on the status and distribution patterns of coarse woody debris (CWD) was conducted by laying five curvilinear transects (transects A, B, C, D and E; major trails), along an altitudinal gradient starting from 900 to 2 600 m, in three major watersheds (Charigad, Dogarhigad and upper Gosigad) of Goriganga catchment in Askot Wildlife Sanctuary, India. At every 100 m rise in altitude a hectare plot (100 m x 100 m) was selected. Results showed that the percentage contribution by different succession phases was in the decreasing order: phase I > phase II > phase IV > phase III for snags, and phase III > phase II > phase IV > phase I for logs. Snag density in chir pine forest was high in transect A (11 snags·ha-1) at 1 500 m, and the value in rianj oak forest was high in transect B (10 snags·ha-1) at 2 300 m. The total available mass of snags and logs in chir pine forest was 13.9 t, of which snags mass accounted for 41% of the total mass and logs mass for 59%. While the total value was 5.6 t in rianj oak forest, of which snags and logs accounted for 60% and 40% of the total mass, respectively. Moreover, the presence of CWD in the study area if not harvested, would provide a great opportunity to the orchids in future to flourish by providing protection. The high densities of snags and logs in chir pine forest at mid-altitudinal zone led to less species richness and lower density of ground flora as the zone receives more light, accompanying with lower soil moisture, and thus only the dominant species occupy the habitat.

Plant studies in Himachal Pradesh,Western Himalaya: a systematic review

Owing to a predicted rise in temperature,increase in precipitation and the escalating anthropogenic stresses,the Himalayan ecosystems are the most threatened non-polar regions of the world.In the past,there have been racing extinctions and range shifts of several life forms in this region,particularly of the plant species.Therefore,consistent qualitative and quantitative records on botanical baseline data on a regular basis are indispensable.The current communication attempts to provide a detailed account on the current state of knowledge and research gaps in floristic studies of Himachal Pradesh,Western Himalaya.Based on an extensive review of more than 140 studies in the form of scientific peer reviewed literature on floristics,medicinal and aromatic plants(MAPs),rare,endangered,threatened and endemic species and ethno-botany,it is revealed that the number of floristic studies in Himachal Pradesh have surged in the past years but studies pertaining to the lower plants remain meagre.Unfortunately,the remote valleys including micro-watersheds lying in the coldarid regions are relatively less studied in terms of available growing stock and population status of MAPs.Depleting traditional ethno-botanical knowledge has been the major concern and,many threatened MAPs need to be accessed globally following IUCN standards.Thus,documentation of the conservation status of key MAPs,setting aside conservation areas around viable populations of threatened species,developing germplasm banks of the priority MAPs and monitoring the impacts of climate change has been suggested.

Hunting of hunted:an ensemble modeling approach to evaluate suitable habitats for caracals in India

Background:Large-scale hunting and various anthropogenic pressures in the recent past have pushed the Asiatic caracal(Caracal caracal schmitzi),an elusive medium-sized and locally threatened felid species towards local extinction in India.Though widely distributed historically,it has been sparsely reported from several regions of central and northern states in India till twentieth century.Later,the species distribution became confined only to the states of Rajasthan,Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh,which have had reported sightings in the twenty-first century.In order to highlight the potentially suitable habitats for Asiatic caracals in India,we targeted forth-filtering of the spatial model ensemble by creating and utilizing the validated and spatially thinned species presence information(n=69)and related ecological variables(aridity,NDVI,precipitation seasonality,temperature seasonality,terrain ruggedness),filtered with anthropological variable(nightlight).Results:Out of eight spatial prediction models,the two most parsimonious models,Random Forest(AUC 0.91)and MaxEnt(AUC 0.89)were weighted and ensembled.The ensemble model indicated several clustered habitats,covering 1207.83 km^(2)areas in Kachchh(Gujarat),Aravalli mountains(Rajasthan),Malwa plateau(Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh),and Bundelkhand region(Madhya Pradesh)as potentially suitable habitats for caracals.Output probabilities of pixels were further regressed with converted vegetation height data within selected highly potential habitats,i.e.,Ranthambore Kuno Landscape(RKL)(suitability~0.44+0.03(vegetation height)^(**),R^(2)=0.27).The regression model inferred a significant positive relation between vegetation height and habitat suitability,hence the lowest ordinal class out of three classes of converted vegetation height was masked out from the RKL,which yielded in an area of 567 km^(2) as potentially highly suitable habitats for caracals,which can be further proposed as survey areas and conservation priority areas for caracals.Conclusion:The study charts out the small pockets of landscape in and around dryland protected areas,suitable for caracal in the Indian context,which need attention for landscape conservation.

Epizootic, Endemic and Pandemic Zoonotic Viral Infections

More than 60% human infectious diseases have zoonotic origin. Cross species transmission of pathogens is a continuous, dynamic process that occurs throughout the world, giving rise to epizootic (temporary, limited infection), endemic (on-going infection limited to a defined geographic region) and pandemic viral infections (infection spreading to every part of the world) like the current COVID-19 pandemic, which depends on the existing conditions on the ground. In Nov 2021, sudden mortality of numerous migrating demoiselle cranes was reported from their resting site near Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The symptomatic cranes became gradually weak and were unable to fly. They eventually fell dead which caused concern locally, given the current prevailing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic situation the world over. By the end of Dec 2021, the number of cranes with mortality and morbidity reduced, making it a temporary “epizootic infection”. Molecular diagnosis carried out at a specialized laboratory identified the etiological agent to be the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus H5N1 (HPAIV), which has been responsible for morbidity of avian species from different parts of the world. There was no report of spreading the H5N1 AIV infection from the infected migratory cranes to nearby chicken farms or pig farms for now. In the absence of vaccines against the highly pathogenic H5N1 AIVs, and the inherent ability of influenza viruses, both avian AIV and human IAVs to constantly mutate its envelope gene or the surface antigens, resulting from the error-prone nature of the viral RNA Polymerase enzyme are the roadblocks for development of a universal, broad-spectrum influenza vaccine. Even when such a universal vaccine against H5N1 is available, vaccinating a large number of wild migratory cranes would be difficult. However, it is possible and indeed necessary to vaccinate chickens in poultry farms and pigs in farms that raise pigs for human consumption.

Changes in plant community and soil ecological indicators in response to Prosopis juliflora and Acacia mearnsii invasion and removal in two biodiversity hotspots in Southern India

Invasion of alien plant species can alter local plant diversity and ecosystem processes closely linked to soil organic carbon(SOC)and nutrient dynamics.Soil ecosystem processes such as microbial respiration and enzyme activity have been poorly explored under alien plant invasion and especially following invasive plant species removal.We studied the impact of Prosopis juliflora and Acacia mearnsii invasion and subsequent removal on local plant community composition and diversity and on soil microbial respiration and enzyme activity in two biodiversity hotspots in Southern India.Removal of Prosopis promoted recolonisation of local vegetation as indicated by a 38% and 28% increase in species richness and ground vegetation cover,respectively,compared to an unremoved site.Prosopis and Acacia removal led to a significant reduction in soil microbial biomass C(MBC),respiration,dehydrogenase and urease activity due to increased microbial respiration and N mineralisation rate.Higher metabolic quotients qCO_(2) in soil at Prosopis and Acacia removed sites indicate that MBC pools declined at a faster rate than SOC,resulting decreased MBC/SOC ratios compared to their respective removed sites.Natural and undisturbed ecosystems maintain more SOC through increased belowground and aboveground C input in the soil,resulting in a higher MBC content per unit SOC.Our results indicate that the interaction between above-and below-ground communities is a critical factor determining the structure and dynamics of local plant communities,especially in ecosystems affected by plant invasions.