Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://hdl.handle.net/2440/94861
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Type: | Journal article |
Title: | Drivers of reptile and amphibian assemblages outside the protected areas of Western Ghats, India |
Author: | Balaji, D. Rachakonda, S. Rao, S. |
Citation: | Journal for Nature Conservation, 2014; 22(4):337-341 |
Publisher: | Urban & Fischer |
Issue Date: | 2014 |
ISSN: | 1617-1381 1618-1093 |
Statement of Responsibility: | Divya Balaji, Rachakonda Sreekar, Siddharth Rao |
Abstract: | Biodiversity conservation in forested landscapes outside protected areas is important to sustain populations of species with restricted ranges. However, such habitats face many anthropogenic threats, including logging, extraction of firewood and leaf-litter for mulch in plantations. In this study, we determined the effects of forest degradation on amphibians and reptiles in forests outside protected areas by measuring their species richness and community composition across a disturbance gradient from near pristine to highly degraded forests in Agumbe, Western Ghats, India. Twenty-one strip 15. m. ×. 150. m transects were laid across the disturbance gradient and diurnal visual encounter surveys were conducted. Sampling was repeated three times per transect covering the dry, intermediate and wet seasons. Amphibian and reptile communities were affected by the decrease in canopy cover and leaf litter volume, respectively. Our results indicate that the collection of firewood and leaf-litter can severely affect amphibian and reptile populations. Structured conservation planning outside of protected areas is therefore imperative. © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. |
Keywords: | Asia; canopy cover; community composition; Firewood; herpetofauna; leaf litter; species richness |
Rights: | © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.jnc.2014.03.004 |
Published version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2014.03.004 |
Appears in Collections: | Aurora harvest 3 Ecology, Evolution and Landscape Science publications |
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hdl_94861.pdf | Accepted version | 908.6 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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