Niche breadth and overlap of spotted deer and domestic cattle with swamp deer in tropical region of Nepal
Ecological Processes - 2022
Tóm tắt
Knowledge about the niche overlap among wild species and domestic cattle is helpful to conserve and manage wildlife. We assessed the habitat niche breadth and overlap of sympatrically living spotted deer (Axis axis) and domestic cattle with swamp deer (Cervus duvaucelii) in Shuklaphanta National Park, Nepal during the dry season to explore the possibility of interspecific competition by studying the habitat use by these species. The assumption was made that the presence of pellets is proof of habitat used by species. Grids of 2 km × 2 km have four subgrids, each with four sample plots, making a total of 16 plots (20 m × 20 m) in each grid. The size of each sub-grid was 200 m × 200 m and they were placed randomly inside the grid but at least 1 km apart from one another. The data was collected in a 96 plots in total. Levin’s niche breadth and Morisita’s overlap index were calculated to determine the niche breadth and the habitat overlap, respectively. The Levin’s measure of niche breadth suggested that spotted deer had the highest acclimatization with an index value of 0.94, followed by domestic cattle at 0.50, and swamp deer at 0.33 in our study area. Thus, our findings supported the evidence that spotted deer are habitat generalists, whereas swamp deer are habitat specialists. The swamp deer had lower niche breadth and more overlap with domestic cattle. Our study showed the least niche breadth of swamp deer in comparison to spotted deer and domestic cattle. The domestic cattle had the highest and least niche overlap with spotted deer and swamp deer, respectively, in terms of habitat use. Our study suggests that domestic cattle grazing should be stopped, and grassland management should be carried out for the benefit of ungulates. Similar studies should be conducted, including different seasons and places, prior to appropriate habitat management. In addition, further studies are needed to quantify the extent of interspecific competition by incorporating more species.
Từ khóa
Tài liệu tham khảo
Adhikari P, Thapa TB (2013) Estimating abundance of large mammalian prey in Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve, Nepal. J Inst Sci Technol 18(2):84–89
Arsenault R, Owen-Smith N (2002) Facilitation versus competition in grazing herbivore assemblages. Oikos 97(3):313–318. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0706.2002.970301.x
Bagchi S (2001) Resource selection and resource partitioning among wild ungulates in the tropical semiarid forest of Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan. M.Sc. Thesis
Bailey RE, Putman RJ (1981) Estimation of fallow deer (Dama dama) populations from faecal accumulation. J Appl Ecol 18:697–702. https://doi.org/10.2307/2402361
Bhatta B (2008) Daily activities, distribution, and food preference of swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli duvauceli). M.Sc. Thesis. Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University, Pokhara, Nepal
Bhattarai P (2012) Threats on grassland ecosystem services: a case from Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve, Nepal. J Sci Tech 13(2):159–166. https://doi.org/10.3126/njst.v13i2.7729
Bhattarai BP (2019) Factors associated with habitat segregation among the four species of cervids in the Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Ekologia Bratislava 38(1):37–48. https://doi.org/10.2478/eko-2019-0004
Chase JM, Leibold MA (2003) Ecological niche: linking classical and contemporary approaches. Pant Syst Evol 250:259–270. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-004-0254-8
CITES (2019) Appendices I, II and III, convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora.
Crawford HS (1984) Habitat management. In: Halls LK (ed) White-tailed deer ecology and management. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, pp 629–646
Dave CV (2008) Ecology of chital (Axis axis) in Gir. Saurashtra University. http://etheses.saurashtrauniversity.edu/id/902
DNPWC (2016) Annual Report (July 2015–June 2016). Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation, Kathmandu, Nepal
DNPWC (2019) Annual Report (July 2018–June 2019). Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation, Kathmandu, Nepal
Duckworth JW, Kumar NS, Anwarul IM, Baral HS, Timmins R (2015a) Axis axis. The IUCN red list of threatened species 2015. e.T41783A22158006. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T41783A22158006.en
Duckworth JW, Kumar NS, Pokharel CP, Baral HS, Timmins R (2015b) Rucervus duvaucelii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. e.T4257A22167675. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T4257A22167675.en
Eisenberg JF (1981) The mammalian radiations: an analysis of trends in evolution, adaptation, and behaviour. The Atholone, London, pp 509–599
Evans PGH (1979) Habitat preferences of ungulates in closed savanna of central Africa. Mammal Rev 9(1):19–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2907.1979.tb00229.x
Hardin G (1960) The competitive exclusion principle. Science. Science 131:1292–1297. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.131.3409.1292
Hemami MR, Watkinson AR, Dolman PM (2005) Population densities and habitat associations of introduced muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) and native roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in a lowland pine forest. For Ecol Manage 215:224–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2005.05.013
Holt R (1987) On the relation between niche overlap and competition: the effect of incommensurable niche dimensions. Oikos 48:110–114. https://doi.org/10.2307/3565696
Jenks JA, Leslie DM Jr, Lochmiller RL, Melchiors MA, McCollum I (1996) Competition in sympatric white-tailed deer and cattle populations in southern pine forests of Oklahoma and Arkansas, USA. Acta Theriol 41(3):287–306
Julander O (1958) Techniques in studying competition between big game and livestock. J Range Manag 11(1):18–21
Jung TS, Kukka PM (2016) Influence of habitat type on the decay and disappearance of elk Cervus canadensis pellets in boreal forest of northwestern Canada. Wildl Biol 22(4):160–166. https://doi.org/10.2981/wlb.00186
Jung TS, Stotyn SA, Czetwertynski SM (2015) Dietary overlap and potential competition in a dynamic ungulate community in northwestern Canada. J Wildl Manag 79(8):1277–1285. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.946
Karki JB, Barber-Meyer SM, Jhala YV, Pandav B, Jnawali SR, Shrestha R, Thapa K, Thapa G, Pradhan NMB, Lamichane BR, Dhakal M (2015) Estimating the abundance of tigers and their prey in Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve of Terai Arc Landscape, Nepal. In: Biodiversity Conservation efforts in Nepal: a special issue published on the occasion of 20th Wildlife Week, pp 41–56
Krebs C (1999) Ecological methodology, 2nd edn. Addison Wesley, Menlo Park, California, p 620
Kushwaha PK (2016) Wild ecology of spotted deer (Axis axis). Acad Voices 6(1):21–23. https://doi.org/10.3126/av.v6i0.20103
Lamichhane S, Khanal G, Karki JB, Aryal C, Acharya S (2020) Natural and anthropogenic correlates of habitat use by wild ungulates in Shuklaphanta National Park, Nepal. Glob Ecol Conserv 24:e01338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01338
Moe SR, Wegge P (1997) The effects of cutting and burning on grass quality and axis deer (Axis axis) use of grassland in lowland Nepal. J Trop Ecol 13(2):279–292. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467400010452
NTNC (2017) Annual Report. Downloaded from https://ntnc.org.np/publication/annual-report-2017
Ottichilo WK, De LJ, Skidmore AK, Prins HH, Said MY (2000) Population trends of large non-migratory wild herbivores and livestock in the Masai Mara ecosystem, Kenya, between 1977 and 1997. Afr J Ecol 38(3):202–216
Pearson RG, Dawson TP (2003) Predicting the impacts of climate change on the distribution of species: are bioclimate envelope models useful? Glob Ecol Biogeogr 12(5):361–371. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1466-822X.2003.00042.x
Pfister RD, Arno SF (1980) Classifying forest habitat types based on potential climax vegetation. For Sci 26(1):52–70. https://doi.org/10.1093/forestscience/26.1.52
Pianka ER (1974) Niche overlap and diffuse competition. Proc Natl Acad Sci 71(5):2141–2145. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.71.5.2141
Pokharel KP, Storch I (2016) Habitat niche relationships within an assemblage of ungulates in Bardia National Park, Nepal. Acta Oecol 70:29–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2015.11.004
Pokhrel S, Thapa TB (2008) Relative abundance and distribution of wild ungulates in Sukhaphata Wildlife Reserve, Nepal. In: Proceedings of Ecocity World Summit, p 12
Poudel BS (2007) Thirty years of managing Shuklaphanta, the swamp deer and the tiger: issues and strategies. Initiation 1:72–76
Prins H, de Boer W (1990) Large herbivores that strive mightily but eat and drink as friends. Oecologia 82:264–274. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00323544
Putman RJ (1984) Facts from feces. Mammal Rev 14:79–97. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2907.1984.tb00341.x
Putman RJ (1996) Competition and resource partitioning in temperate ungulate assemblies. https://doi.org/10.2307/5954
Qureshi Q, Sawarkar VB, Mathur PK (1994) Ecology and management of Swamp Deer project report. Wildlife Institute of India
Qureshi Q, Sawarkar VB, Rahmani AR, Mathur PK (2004) Swamp deer or barasingha (Cervus duvauceli Cuvier, 1823). Envis Bull 7:181–192
Raman TRS (2013) The Chital (Axis axis Erxleben). The University of Chicago Press, Chicago
Rivero K, Rumiz DI, Taber AB (2005) Differential habitat use by two sympatric brocket deer species (Mazama americana and M. gouazoubira) in a seasonal Chiquitano forest of Bolivia. Mammalia 69(2):169–183. https://doi.org/10.1515/mamm.2005.015
Rosenzweig ML (1981) A theory of habitat selection. Ecology 62(2):327–335. https://doi.org/10.2307/1936707
Sankar K (1994) The ecology of three large sympatric herbivores (chital, sambar, nilgai) with special reference for reserve management in Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan. PhD Thesis. University of Rajasthan
Sankar K, Acharya B (2004) Spotted deer or chital (Axis axis Erxleben). Ungulates of India. ENVIS Bull Wildl Protect Areas 7(1):171–180
Schaller GB (1967) Indian wildlife. Book reviews: the deer and the tiger. A study of wildlife in India. Science 155:1093
Schaller GB (1977) Mountain monarchs. Wild sheep and goats of the Himalaya. University of Chicago Press, Chicago
Schoener TW (1974) Resource partitioning in ecological communities. Science 185(4145):27–39. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.185.4145.27
Schoener TW (1983) Field experiments on interspecific competition. Am Nat 122(2):240–285. https://doi.org/10.1086/284133
Schoener TW (1989) The ecological niche. In: Cherret JM (ed) Ecological concepts. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 79–113
Sharma G, Chalise MK (2014) Habitat preference of Spotted Deer (Axis axis) in Ghailaghari Buffer Zone Community Forest, Chitwan, Nepal. Special issue DNPWC-2071
Sharma P, Panthi S, Yadav SK, Bhatta M, Karki A, Duncan T et al (2020) Suitable habitat of wild Asian elephant in Western Terai of Nepal. Ecol Evol 10(12):6112–6119. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6356
SNP (2017) Site specific grassland management guideline for Shuklaphanta National Park. https://doi.org/10.11164/jjsps.8.5_598_3
Tewari R, Rawat GS (2013) Studies on the food and feeding habits of swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii duvaucelii) in Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserve, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India. International Scholarly Research Notices
Toft CA (1985) Resource partitioning in amphibians and reptiles. Copeia 1:1–21. https://doi.org/10.2307/1444785
Traba J, Morales MB, Carmona CP, Delgado MP (2015) Resource partitioning and niche segregation in a steppe bird assemblage. Community Ecol 16(2):178–188. https://doi.org/10.1556/168.2015.16.2.5
Upadhyaya SK, Musters CJM, Lamichhane BR, de Snoo GR, Thapa P, Dhakal M, de Iongh HH (2018) An insight into the diet and prey preference of tigers in Bardia National Park, Nepal. Trop Conserv Sci 11:1–9
Voeten MM, Prins HH (1999) Resource partitioning between sympatric wild and domestic herbivores in the Tarangire region of Tanzania. Oecologia 120(2):287–294
Warren DL, Glor RE, Turelli M (2010) ENMTools: a toolbox for comparative studies of environmental niche models. Ecography 33:607–611. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0587.2009.06142.x
Wegge P, Shrestha AK, Moe SR (2006) Dry season diets of sympatric ungulates in lowland Nepal: competition and facilitation in alluvial tall grasslands. Ecol Res 21(5):698–706. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-006-0177-7