Journal of Biodiversity & Endangered Species

Anthropogenic activities are putting increasing pressure on ecosystems and raising the need to assess environmental health quickly and accurately. Heterophile/lymphocyte index is accepted as a response to stress factors and the micronucleus test is used as a biomarker to estimate genotoxic damage. To evaluate a model of environmental quality, healthy Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) were sampled, and the heterophile/lymphocyte ratio was determined, as well as the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes and nuclear abnormalities, determined with the Wright-Giemsa and acridine orange technique. The sites with the greatest antropic disturbance recorded the highest frequencies of micronuclei and heterophile/lymphocyte index. The combination of both tests allows the detection of possible acute or chronic exposure to stressors and genotoxic contaminants, both in healthy or altered ecosystems.

Sandha River water regime is used as a nursery, feeding and breeding places by commercially important fish species due to the presence of unique environment. Therefore, the present study has been conducted to assess water quality parameters, fish species abundance, fish diversity indices, conservation issues and management policy to guard the valuable aquatic resources of Sandha River from March 2015 to February 2016. Among the water quality parameters, temperature and pH were found at a slight rising level which possessed insignificant negative correlation with fish species abundance (p<0.01). Fish diversity indices were calculated of which the value of Shannon-Wiener Index just above 3 which indicated the river ecosystem still approving good fish community structure where lower value of richness described short food webs. Garretts Ranking Technique was applied to identify the reasons behind the decline of Sandha River fish species over the periods. The study, therefore, concluded that the river has experienced with slight climate modifications and significant anthropogenic activities especially huge fishing pressure which in a feedback reduce the fisheries stock resources with time. Community-based fisheries management (CBFM) hence would be an appropriate tool to make the water resources sustainable.

Study of mammals outside protected area is limited in Nepal especially small patches of forest used by small carnivores and very less is known about current biodiversity status. With the importance of research in such area, this study was carried out in the Banpale forest using non-invasive method camera trapping and past records as a tool to monitor the mammals. A total of 20 mammal species were recorded in 36.33 ha patch of forest in between December, 2016 to March, 2017. Large Indian civet has been trapped in the camera for the most time during the entire survey. Common leopard was also sighted and camera trapped however the prey species were neither camera trapped nor any direct sighting was made. The forest has a wide diversity of least researched small mammals which have been trapped by the camera. The threats have been in the peak causing negative interaction between the wildlife and humans. Conservation action plan for the wildlife should be duly implemented with strict rules and regulations for the conservation of remaining wildlife present in the forest.

An investigation on abundance, distribution and population structure of endemic and endangered mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) was carried out in Hanto controlled hunting area between 2015 and 2016 for both wet and dry seasons. The objective of investigation was to compile baseline data on abundance, distribution and population structure of mountain nyala in the controlled hunting area. To achieve the objective, five major habitat types (Erica vegetation, Woodland, Bamboo forest, Reverine forest and Grassland habitat) were identified and 21% of each habitat was surveyed. Sample counts of mountain nyala was carried out using random line transect sampling method in an area of 39.9 km² from the total area of 190 km² to estimate the population size and to identify their distribution. The estimated populations of mountain nyala were 531.9 ± 49.3 individuals. Male mountain nyala comprised 37.5%, females were 50.9% and young’s of both sexes were 11.6% of the total population. The male to female sex ratio was 1:1.36. Age structure was dominated by adults, which constituted 61.2% of the total population. The animals were distributed in all the five habitat types. Hence, the study revealed that, the controlled hunting area harbors significant populations of endemic mountain nyala. As a result, it can serves not only as hunting concession but also as an important core protected area for the country's wildlife conservation and tourist attraction area in the future.

The population size and structure of Cycas wadei were assessed along with habitat traits to update the current level of knowledge for conserving this Critically Endangered endemic species. Direct measurements of plant density and size, chemical analyses of soil and leaf tissue samples, and surveys of sympatric plants were conducted. The adult population was calculated at 5,051, indicating historical population size estimates were inaccurately low. Highest densities in forested fragments were 800 plants per hectare, with adults comprising 34% of the population. Density in grasslands was as high as 1,100 plants per hectare, with adults comprising 31% of the population. The dominant grass was Themeda gigantea (Cav.) Hackel, not Imperata as previously reported. The prediction that the soils were ultramafic was rejected but opinions that the soils were extremely infertile were confirmed by soil analyses. Leaf stoichiometry revealed the cycad plants were primarily limited by potassium availability and secondarily limited by phosphorus availability. Habitat conversion is the acute threat that must be monitored in the near future, and an attempt to moderate or halt this conversion is the greatest conservation need. Poaching is a second threat that has not been acute to date, but has the potential to become a greater threat if the remote habitat becomes more connected to national trade routes. Fire damage is the third major threat, and has the potential to become a greater threat if historical fire frequency is altered

Phytochemicals are primary and secondary compounds naturally occurring in the plants and trees that have defensive and protection mechanism from various diseases. Plant chemistry has been an integral component for man service as evident from history, providing substantial, entho-botanical and chemical remedies for locals in any subject area. The phyto-chemical profile of five desert dwelling tree species i.e. Salvadora oleides, Acacia nilotica, Prosopis cineraria, Tamarix aphylla and Ziziphus mauritiana was analyzed in Cholistan desert, Punjab, Pakistan. Photochemical analysis of air dried leaves/twigs powder confirmed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids and saponins but no steroids during extraction. Moreover Chemical analyses revealed that crude fiber (CF) content was 16.67% and 6.67% in Prosopis cineraria and Acacia nilotica respectively, crude protein was found highest (2.62%) in Zizyphus mauritiana, slightly lower in Salvadora oleoides (2.36%) and minimum in Acacia nilotica (1.43%). Salvadora oleioides had highest (41.67%) ash content, while minimum in Prosopis cineraria (8%). Fat content (EE) was limiting as 5.33% in Acacia nilotica and lowest value in Salvadova oleoides (2.33%). Whereas, nitrogen free extract (NFE) was found maximum in Zizyphus mauritiana (72.22%). Results revealed species have high nutritional and medicinal values for livestock and local people.

Hyaena is one of the twenty seven mammals species protected by National Park and Wildlife conservation ACT- 1973 of Nepal. Study of hyaena is lacking in Nepal so less information is available about this species in country. A single den was recorded in Kalapani community forest of Deukhuri Valley in Dang District located at the elevation of 282m above sea level. Signs, camera trap images and video confirm the den of striped hyaena which is first confirmed record of Hyaena den in Nepal.

Rosa arabica is a threatened species of the family Rosaceae, endemic to Mount Catherine region in the South Sinai, Egypt. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of the R. arabica populations after a conservation program that has been started eighteen years ago. Fencing of the target species was applied in three main locations in Saint Katherine protectorate; Kahf El-Ghola, Wadi El-Arbaen and Shaq Mussa. Soil analysis and seed bank content were assessed for the three localities. Evaluation of the obtained results showed that R. arabica has negatively reacted to the fencing in enclosures of Kahf El-Ghola and Shaq Mussa, while the enclosure in Wadi El-Arbaen showed a significant increase in plant growth and cover. The soil seed bank of Rosa arabica reflected a reluctant of seed germination and no emergence of Rosa seedlings were observed, however, other important species (including endemic sp.) which was not in the standing vegetation were recorded. Thymus decussatus, Capparis sinaica, Mentha longifolia, Peganum harmala, Pulicaria crispa, Teucrium polium, and Verbascum sinaiticum, are examples of the emerged species out of the soil seed bank.

We estimated the distribution and abundance of the Central American River Turtle, Dermatemys mawii, in four aquatic systems in southern Quintana Roo, Mexico. Using nets and free diving we captured 52 individuals D. mawii among the winter, dry and rainy seasons. We recorded 12 variables to characterize the habitat and correlated these with the abundance of D. mawii. Using catching per unit effort, we evaluated the species’ relative abundance for each aquatic system. Using Maxent, we modeled the potential distribution of D. mawii using historical and present locality data. We recorded 81 D. mawii individuals using systematic sampling and casual observations. La Union was the site with the highest relative abundance (~4 ind.-net). We found a negative correlation between D. mawii abundance and salinity. The model of potential distribution identified sites with ecological conditions suitable for the species where it is undocumented. Information about the ecology of this species remains scarce, but we propose that identifying management units could improve conservation of the species at local and regional levels.