Biology subjects

Paranjpe, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Paranjpe, D..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

What's next for Indian Ornithology? 101 key research questions

India has a rich history of ornithology, and bird research in this field has expanded considerably in recent decades, spurred by a growing number of birdwatchers and ornithologists. Despite this progress, critical gaps remain. This paper highlights key areas where further research is needed and identifies pressing questions that will shape Indian ornithology in the coming years. Drawing from diverse inputs, we present a curated list of 101 research questions spanning across the various disciplines in ornithology - Natural History, Physiology and Disease Ecology, Behaviour, Population and Community Ecology, Habitat Ecology, Macroecology and Biogeography, Population Genetics and Evolution, Applied/Economic Ornithology and Conservation. The list was compiled through a multi-stage process, starting with a public open call for questions, followed by review and curation by a smaller panel of subject specialists. Each question was independently scored by a panel of experts based on three criteria: generality, novelty, and relevance. To account for variation in scoring styles, scores were normalised using Z-scores. The top 101 research questions were then selected based on these standardised scores. Each question is accompanied by an annotation that describes the significance of the question, and highlights opportunities to address it. While our list of research questions highlights significant research priorities, it is not intended to be exhaustive. Rather, it reflects the perspectives of those involved in its curation, who deemed these questions particularly relevant and impactful towards advancing Indian ornithology. We expect these questions to spark new project ideas among students, researchers, and citizen scientists, while guiding funders, managers, and policymakers toward priority research areas.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2020

To Group or not to group: Group size dynamics and intestinal parasites in Indian peafowl populations

Animals can form groups for various reasons including safety from predators, access to potential mates and benefits of allo-parental care. However, there are costs associated with living in a group such as competition for food and/or mates with other members of the group, higher chances of disease transmission, etc. Group size dynamics can change with the biotic and abiotic environment around individuals. In the current study, we explored the links between group size dynamics and intestinal parasites of Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) in the context of seasons and food provisioning. Data for group size was collected across three seasons (Pre-Monsoon, Monsoon and Post-Monsoon) at three field sites (Morachi Chincholi, Nashik and Rajasthan). Individual and group sightings of peafowl were noted down along with group size and composition (no. of males, females, adults, juveniles, sub-adults). Faecal samples were collected from food provision and non-provision areas across the same three seasons at same field sites. Parasite load in the samples was quantified using microscopic examination. Group size was significantly higher in Pre-Monsoon season as compared to Monsoon and Post-Monsoon seasons. Monsoon and Post-Monsoon seasons had higher intestinal parasite prevalence and load as compared to Pre-Monsoon season. Thus, group size and intestinal parasites of Indian peafowl have an inverse relationship across seasons. Parasite load was significantly greater at food provision sites as compared to non-provision sites while parasite prevalence was comparable. Aggregation of individuals at the food provision sites may influence the parasite transmission and group-size dynamics in Indian peafowl. In conclusion, Indian peafowl are behaviourally plastic and fission-fusion of social groups may allow them to tackle ecological pressures such as predation and parasite transmission in different seasons.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2018

A tale of two species: Human perception influences outcome of human-wild life interactions

Wild life is increasingly coming in contact with humans in many parts of the world. Human perception of wild life may be an important factor in population management and conservation practices in urban and semi-urban areas. Human attitude towards bird species may vary from non-violent coexistence to a perception of birds as pests. Based on the data collected from survey interviews, we studied the perceptions of local communities in Rajasthan, India towards Indian Peafowl. Local communities in Rajasthan reported Indian Peafowl as crop pest and this perception varied across seasons. The crop loss incurred due to Indian Peafowl also varied across seasons according to the respondents. Despite reporting peafowls as a crop pest, locals regularly offered grains for them as a traditional practice. Thus, at our study sites locals have mostly positive perception about Indian peafowl around them.\n\nFood provisioning by local human population influenced diet composition and time-budget of Indian Peafowls at food provision and non-provision sites. Sites at which food provisioning was less or absent, peafowl spent more time in walking in search of food and more than half of their diet consisted of natural food. In contrast, the sites at which plenty of grains were available, time spent in walking was significantly less, while time spent in feeding was significantly more; and over 70% of their diet consisted of carbohydrate and protein-rich provisioned grains. Food provisioning changed the benefit: cost ratio (measured as time spent in feeding to time spent in all other behaviours) between provision and non-provision sites. Thus, food provisioning by humans can change feeding ecology of native Indian peafowl populations, while the presence of peafowl in human dominated landscape changes how humans interact with wild life around them.

ecology↗