A Strategy for Conserving the Biodiversity of the Uttara Kannada District in South India

1993 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Ranjit Daniels ◽  
M. D. Subash Chandran ◽  
Madhav Gadgil
Keyword(s):  
Rural Economy ◽  
South India ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Deciduous Forests ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Cultivated Plants ◽  
Mangrove Forests ◽  
Sacred Groves ◽  
Evergreen Forests

Taking the various values ascribed to biodiversity as its point of departure rather many years ago, the present study aims at deriving a conservation strategy for Uttara Kannada. This hilly district, with the highest proportion of its area under forests in South India, is divided into five ecological zones: coastal, northern evergreen, southern evergreen, moist deciduous, and dry deciduous. The heavily-populated coastal zone includes mangrove forests and estuarine wetlands. The evergreen forests are particularly rich in the diversity of plant species which they support — including wild relatives of a number of cultivated plants. They also serve a vital function in watershed conservation. The moist deciduous forests are rich in bird species; both moist and dry deciduous forests include a number of freshwater ponds and lakes that support a high diversity of aquatic birds.Reviewing the overall distribution of biodiversity, we identify specific localities — including estuaries, evergreen forests, and moist deciduous forests — which should be set aside as Nature reserves. These larger reserves must be complemented by a network of traditionally-protected sacred groves and sacred trees that are distributed throughout the district and that protect today, for instance, the finest surviving stand of dipterocarp trees.We also spell out the necessary policy-changes in overall development strategy that should stem the ongoing decimation of biodiversity. These include (1) revitalizing community-based systems of sustainable management of village forests and protection of sacred groves and trees; (2) reorienting the usage-pattern of reserve forests from production of a limited variety of timber and softwood species for industrial consumers, to production of a larger diversity of non-wood forest produce of commercial value to support the rural economy; (3) utilizing marginal lands under private ownership for generating industrial wood supplies; and (4) provision of incentives for in situ maintenance of land-races of cultivated plants — especially evergreen, fruit-yielding trees — by the local people.It is proposed that this broad framework be now taken to the local communities, and that an action-plan be developed on the basis of inputs provided — and initiatives taken — by them.

scholarly journals A flagship for Austral temperate forest conservation: an action plan for Darwin's frogs brings key stakeholders together

Oryx ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Claudio Azat ◽  
Andrés Valenzuela-Sánchez ◽  
Soledad Delgado ◽  
Andrew A. Cunningham ◽  
Mario Alvarado-Rybak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Planning Process ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Iucn Red List ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Amphibian Conservation ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Private Organizations ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Conservation Actions

Abstract Darwin's frogs Rhinoderma darwinii and Rhinoderma rufum are the only known species of amphibians in which males brood their offspring in their vocal sacs. We propose these frogs as flagship species for the conservation of the Austral temperate forests of Chile and Argentina. This recommendation forms part of the vision of the Binational Conservation Strategy for Darwin's Frogs, which was launched in 2018. The strategy is a conservation initiative led by the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, which in 2017 convened 30 governmental, non-profit and private organizations from Chile, Argentina and elsewhere. Darwin's frogs are iconic examples of the global amphibian conservation crisis: R. rufum is categorized as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) on the IUCN Red List, and R. darwinii as Endangered. Here we articulate the conservation planning process that led to the development of the conservation strategy for these species and present its main findings and recommendations. Using an evidence-based approach, the Binational Conservation Strategy for Darwin's Frogs contains a comprehensive status review of Rhinoderma spp., including critical threat analyses, and proposes 39 prioritized conservation actions. Its goal is that by 2028, key information gaps on Rhinoderma spp. will be filled, the main threats to these species will be reduced, and financial, legal and societal support will have been achieved. The strategy is a multi-disciplinary, transnational endeavour aimed at ensuring the long-term viability of these unique frogs and their particular habitat.

Stakeholder motivation for the conservation of sacred groves in south India: An analysis of environmental perceptions of rural and urban neighbourhood communities

2019 ◽  
Vol 89 ◽  
pp. 104213 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Prashanth Ballullaya ◽  
K.S. Reshmi ◽  
T.P. Rajesh ◽  
K. Manoj ◽  
Margaret Lowman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South India ◽  
Environmental Perceptions ◽  
Sacred Groves ◽  
Rural And Urban

scholarly journals Effects of logging and recruitment on community phylogenetic structure in 32 permanent forest plots of Kampong Thom, Cambodia

2015 ◽  
Vol 370 (1662) ◽  
pp. 20140008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hironori Toyama ◽  
Tsuyoshi Kajisa ◽  
Shuichiro Tagane ◽  
Keiko Mase ◽  
Phourin Chhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Diversity ◽  
Tropical Rainforest ◽  
Deciduous Forests ◽  
Ecological Communities ◽  
Illegal Logging ◽  
Phylogenetic Structure ◽  
Evergreen Forests ◽  
Phylogenetic Community Structure ◽  
Β Diversity ◽  
Made In

Ecological communities including tropical rainforest are rapidly changing under various disturbances caused by increasing human activities. Recently in Cambodia, illegal logging and clear-felling for agriculture have been increasing. Here, we study the effects of logging, mortality and recruitment of plot trees on phylogenetic community structure in 32 plots in Kampong Thom, Cambodia. Each plot was 0.25 ha; 28 plots were established in primary evergreen forests and four were established in secondary dry deciduous forests. Measurements were made in 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2010, and logging, recruitment and mortality of each tree were recorded. We estimated phylogeny using rbcL and matK gene sequences and quantified phylogenetic α and β diversity. Within communities, logging decreased phylogenetic diversity, and increased overall phylogenetic clustering and terminal phylogenetic evenness. Between communities, logging increased phylogenetic similarity between evergreen and deciduous plots. On the other hand, recruitment had opposite effects both within and between communities. The observed patterns can be explained by environmental homogenization under logging. Logging is biased to particular species and larger diameter at breast height, and forest patrol has been effective in decreasing logging.

Assessing the potential of labelling schemes for in situ landrace conservation: an example from India

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
VIJESH V. KRISHNA ◽  
UNAI PASCUAL ◽  
DAVID ZILBERMAN
Keyword(s):  
Opportunity Cost ◽  
South India ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Price Premium ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Wide Margin ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Agrobiodiversity Conservation ◽  
Labelling Schemes

ABSTRACTThis paper addresses the potential of in situ crop landrace conservation, employing market-based instruments, which pre-requires that (1) consumers hold positive use-value for the landrace attribute and (2) their willingness to pay covers both the transaction cost of implementing these instruments and the opportunity cost of landrace cultivation. The empirical examination is based on two closely related analyses of eggplant production and consumption sectors of India. At present, the vegetable markets of south India provide the landrace cultivators with a price premium adequate enough to cover the opportunity cost of not opting for high-yielding modern varieties. However, we detect an underutilized consumer demand for landrace products. The wide margin that exists between the price premium farmers currently obtain for the landrace attribute and what consumers are willing to pay for it is indicative of the unexploited potential of labelling and certification schemes as an emerging agrobiodiversity conservation strategy.

scholarly journals Using birds to set conservation priorities for Pantanal wetland forests, Brazil

2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOÃO BATISTA DE PINHO ◽  
MIGUEL ÂNGELO MARINI
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Evergreen Forest ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Dry Forests ◽  
Point Counts ◽  
Evergreen Forests ◽  
Local Species Richness ◽  
Bird Richness

SummaryThe Pantanal of Brazil, one of the largest wetlands in the world, is suffering severe threats, such as forest and grassland clearance on the surrounding plateau, conversion of forests and savannas for cattle ranching and effects of large development projects. We used richness, abundance and composition of bird species in four forest types to propose conservation priorities for the northern Pantanal. Birds from 11 sites (a total of 41 points) were sampled through point counts and mist-netting. In total 215 species were recorded in the forests. Two evergreen forest types (cambarazal and landi) had higher estimates of bird richness and abundance than two dry forest types (carvoeiro and cordilheira). The evergreen forests also had more species exclusive to them and were more similar to each other than the dry forests. Selection of forests to be conserved in the northern Pantanal should give priority to evergreen forests and secondarily to dry forests. Cambarazal should be the first forests to be conserved. If the Pantanal inundation cycle is altered by the construction of hydroelectric dams or the Paraguay-Paraná waterway, cambarazal and landi may no longer become flooded, decreasing local species richness. Before our recommendations are considered for conservation and management decisions, more studies on other groups of organisms should also be taken into consideration, and similar studies should be conducted in other regions of the Pantanal. Conservation of Pantanal forest birds depends on a deeper understanding of their use of several habitats, stronger protection of the forests with higher diversity, and public policies that guarantee the long term maintenance of natural flooding cycles.

Economic Change and Agrarian Organization in ‘Dry’ South India 1890–1940: A Reinterpretation

1983 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Robert
Keyword(s):  
Market Economy ◽  
Land Tenure ◽  
Rural Economy ◽  
South India ◽  
Economic Change ◽  
Rural Politics ◽  
Common Theme ◽  
Late Nineteenth ◽  
Agrarian Structure

Recent historiography of India has focused much needed attention on rural economy and society. The literature has dealt with a number of issues, such as merchants, credit, impact of communications, land-tenure (revenue), rural politics, rich peasants and general essays on the ‘agrarian structure’ of various regions of the sub-continent. In many of the studies a common theme emerges. It is suggested that with the establishment of an integrated market economy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries rural wealth and power tended to concentrate in the hands of relatively few rich peasants or a rural elite. In the case of south India, the contention of increased rural stratification on these lines is most convincingly put forth by David Washbrook and Christopher Baker in a series of articles and books. The present analysis will concentrate on Washbrooks' writings in reference to the agrarian structure of the ‘dry’ districts. His works provide the most comprehensive and coherent statement of the ‘rural magnate’ interpretation of agrarian organization.

Avifauna in three vegetation types on Mundanthurai Plateau, South India

1994 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. T. Johnsingh ◽  
Justus Joshua
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
South India ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Line Transect ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Secondary Vegetation ◽  
Dry Deciduous Forest ◽  
Bird Species Diversity

ABSTRACTPatterns of bird species diversity within three vegetation types were investigated by the line transect method on Mundanthurai Plateau, South India. Minimum numbers of species and individuals were seen in the study area during July and August. Such seasonal variation was more pronounced in riverine and dry deciduous forest than in the secondary vegetation which was avoided by most of the winter migrants. There was a greater species overlap between riverine and dry deciduous forest than between riverine and secondary vegetation.No relationship could be established between bird species diversity and tree species/foliage height diversity. The secondary vegetation had fewer specialized forest species and more generalists. Larger birds (>200 g) were rare but smaller ones (<50 g) were more common. The paper emphasizes that the conservation status of avifauna in managed forests in India needs to be assessed and monitored.

scholarly journals Status and socio-ecological dimensions of sacred groves in Northeast India

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 590-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keshav Kumar Upadhyay ◽  
Bakerbha Japang ◽  
Ngangbam Somen Singh ◽  
S.K. Tripathi
Keyword(s):  
Social Transformation ◽  
Northeast India ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Cultivated Plants ◽  
Sacred Groves ◽  
Fuel Wood ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Ecological Zones ◽  
The Social ◽  
Biodiversity And Ecosystem Function

Sacred groves are among one of the best practices of biodiversity conservation used by the ethnic societies which are deeply associated with the religion and culture that significantly nurture nature. As these practices play a vital role in conserving socio-ecologically important species and protect threatened flora and fauna from extinction in different ecological zones. In northeast India, sacred groves are well connected with culture and society through religious beliefs of the population and their associated myths. Sacred groves cover a total of > 40,000 hectares of natural forest area in the five northeastern states of India. These forests house some of the most important and highly threatened species of plants. Wild relatives of present-day cultivated plants are found in these forests and hence act as the gene pool for these species. Social transformation and urbanization have a large impact on the structure and health of these forests and responsible for their destruction. Developmental projects like railways, roads, hydro-electric projects etc. have reportedly destroyed many groves in the past. Due to social transformation, the rate of activities like grazing, encroachment, cutting and collection of fuel wood, fruits and leaves has been increasing and posing a threat to the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem function in the future. Creating awareness about the social and ecological benefits of maintaining sacred groves among local people, especially youth, can help in reviving these practices and conserving them as a natural heritage for future generations is the need of the hour.

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