Research

Ecology and conservation of tropical birds

1.

Information on the life-history traits are essential for estimating the population growth rates, evaluating various hypotheses regarding life-history evolution, predicting the response of species to future environmental change and developing conservation management of rare species. About 80% of all passerines breed in tropics. However, the life-history strategies of most tropical birds and the factors determining the evolution of the traits are poorly known. (see: Balakrishnan, 2009; Balakrishnan, 2010a; Balakrishnan, 2010b; Balakrishnan, 2010c; Balakrishnan, 2011) In these backgrounds, a study was started to identify and assess how the climatic and biotic factors affect the life-history and demography of tropical rainforest birds. The specific aims are to document the variation in major life-history traits such as breeding season, nest size, clutch size, egg mass, re-nesting rates, developmental rates (incubation period, nestling growth rate), age of first reproduction and parental care behaviours (incubation, brooding, feeding young) of passerines along altitudinal gradients; and to establish the relative importance of food, competition, predation, weather, habitat and individual quality as determinants of life- history variation.

Funding: SERB, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.

2.

In recent decades anthropogenic impacts have resulted in devastating biodiversity loss throughout the world. Urbanization and pollution are the most damaging and rapid form of anthropogenic pressure. Many rare species are known to be affected by urbanization and pollution. Several widely distributed and common species like House Sparrow Passer domesticus are also facing massive decline across several countries due to anthropogenic pressures. It is important to understand the status and habitat relationships of a species in decline in order to allow the suggestion of effective conservation measures. At present our monitoring is restricted to the malabar region of Kerala.

Funding: Wildlife Research & Conservation Trust

Engaging public and policy makers in conservation and ecological research

There is a huge gap between the scientists, policy makers and general public in their perceptions about biodiversity and conservation. Our lab collate the information from scientific research, experiences of the conservation practitioners and the general public and use this to advice conservation practice. People's participation in scientific research and conservation is a key element in our work. Current projects include:

Direct human killing has been identified as an important cause of population decline in snakes. Majority of such malicious kills of snakes occur in the rural areas because the envenomings and deaths resulting from snake bites are a particularly important public health problem throughout the rural tropics. India top in the number of deaths due to snakebite in the world with nearly 11,000 estimated deaths annually. The Spectacled Cobra Naja naja, Common Indian Krait Bungarus caeruleus, Russell's Viper Daboia russelii and Saw-scaled Viper Echis carinatus are considered as the ‘big four' venomous snakes in this region which cause majority of the deaths from snake-bites. The fear and resentment arouse from the high mortality rates due to snake-bites result malicious killing of several non-venomous snakes on sight throughout the region. However, relatively little attention has been devoted to understand the patterns of the direct killing and impact of such mortality on natural population of snakes. There are very few long-term individual based population studies of them which ultimately hinder the formulation of effective conservation strategies.

In 2003, we initiated Snake Sense -a public education programme with the aim to understand the patterns of snake kills and to mitigate the malicious killing of non-venomous snakes especially Travancore Wolf Snake which is a mimic of the Common Indian Krait using a citizen scientist network in south India. Apart from improving the public attitude towards the conservation of snakes, we also aim to test the predictions of ‘vulnerability during dispersal' hypothesis and realize the patterns of snake mortality with respect to season, age and sex.

The great diversity of habitats and variety of climates has resulted in the Indian subcontinent being extremely rich in birds which contains about 1,300 species. Many of these species and their habitats are under threat. Despite large numbers of studies have been made in avian conservation science, we lack an integrated strategy and comprehensive research priorities. Setting clear priorities can assist bird conservation initiatives by attracting funding, awareness and flag opportunities for students and researchers, and help inform policy makers.

The purpose of this project is to survey the ornithologists to know their perspectives on research and conservation priorities, conservation strategies and roles of organizations in Indian ornithology. Read more

5.

The status of biodiversity is declining globally, and there is a subsequent need for conservation action to be informed by solid science. However, lack of systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of conservation decision making or practices has been highlighted as a key problem in inhibiting advances in scientific conservation management. Recent research have shown that in the absence of easily accessible evidence, conservation managers are obliged to rely on limited and often largely experience based information on traditional land/forest or wildlife management practices. The recent approach in support of decision-making in conservation management is the use of an ‘evidence-based framework' of the kind established in the health services. The aim of this research is to develop and promote an evidence-based approach to conservation planning and wildlife management in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, south India.

Funding: PERii, INASP, UK.

Collaborator: Wildlife Research & Conservation Trust

Threatened species and habitats

Tropical biodiversity is increasingly being lost through direct drivers such as habitat loss and land use changes, climate change, invasive species, over-exploitation and pollution, and underlying causes such as poor governance and legal and institutional frameworks with respect to its conservation. Expanding our understanding of biodiversity in ecosystem processes or the value of biodiversity to humans requires urgent attention. Identification and maintenance of ecosystem conditions that safeguard healthy populations are important prerequisites for conserving biodiversity. We are interested in the identification and characterisation of ecosystems and species at high extinction risk.

• Distribution and habitat requirements of Nilgiri marten Martes gwatkinsii in Western Ghats. more

• Search for Chalcides pentadactylus in Kadalundy, Kerala, India.

• An assessment of the faunal biodiversity in the Muthikkulam Reserved Forest, Western Ghats, India.