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Raman S, Shameer TT, Pooja U, Hughes AC. Identifying priority areas for bat conservation in the Western Ghats mountain range, peninsular India. J Mammal 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyac060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Understanding patterns of species distribution and diversity plays a vital role in biodiversity conservation. Such documentation is frequently lacking for bats, which are relatively little studied and often threatened. The Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in peninsular India is a bat hotspot with 63 species. We conducted a comprehensive bat survey across the southern Western Ghats and used maximum entropy modeling (MaxEnt) to model the potential distribution of 37 bat species for which sufficient data were available. We generated binary maps of each species using species-specific thresholds to estimate suitable habitat areas and overlaid binary maps of species to produce bat hotspots (we use the term “bat hotspot” for regions that were suitable for more than 25 bat species). We also estimated species richness across protected area networks in the southern Western Ghats to assess the level of protection. The highest levels of species richness were found mainly along the southmost Periyar–Agastyamalai landscape. The study also identified a 1,683 km2 area of potential bat hotspot and 726 km2 (43%) of the total bat hotspots are currently within the protected area network. However, more than 50% of suitable habitats for each of the 37 species remain unprotected. Therefore, conservation decisions are needed to take into account both bat hotspots and species with restricted distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreehari Raman
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan Province 666303 , PR China
- International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , PR China
- Department of Wildlife Sciences, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University , KAU P.O., Vellanikkara, Thrissur, Kerala 680656 , India
| | - Thekke Thumbath Shameer
- Molecular Biodiversity Lab, Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology, Government Arts College , Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu 643002 , India
| | - Ushakumari Pooja
- College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University , Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673576 , India
| | - Alice C Hughes
- Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong , Pok Fu Lam , Hong Kong
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Supriya Surachita, Palita SK. Freshwater fish diversity in hill streams of Saberi River in Eastern Ghats of Odisha, India. JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2022. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.7341.14.4.20828-20839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Freshwater fish diversity of the hill streams of Saberi River (a major tributary of the Godavari River system) in Koraput district in Eastern Ghats of southern Odisha was studied from September 2017 to August 2019. Sites for the present study were located between Gupteswar Proposed Reserve Forest (PRF) of Odisha on the eastern side, and Kanger Valley National Park of Chhattisgarh on the western side. A total of 36 species of freshwater fish belonging to 24 genera, 13 families and six orders were recorded from the study sites, of which two species are exotic. Family Cyprinidae dominated with 14 species. Species richness and diversity is greater during the pre-monsoon months followed by post-monsoon and monsoon months respectively. The physico-chemical parameters of water in the study sites during all seasons are within prescribed limits for fish culture. Among the four major types of fish habitats identified in the study sites (riffles, runs, pools and logs), pools were the most preferred, and logs the least preferred habitat for the fishes. Habitat analysis indicated that deep pools and runs are the primary habitats contributing to the maximum species diversity, and therefore, protection of these particular habitats is recommended for conservation and management of ichthyodiversity.
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