Biology subjects

Srivathsa, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Srivathsa, A..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Rationalizing the application of spatial capture-recapture versus space-to-event models for monitoring populations of an endangered social carnivore

Reliable estimates of population size are fundamental to understanding wildlife population status and informing conservation. Obtaining such estimates remains challenging for unmarked species, particularly in tropical countries where logistical and financial constraints limit intensive monitoring. The endangered dhole (Cuon alpinus), a highly social canid without natural markings, is one such species for which robust population estimates remain scarce. We estimated dhole density in the Valparai plateau, a human-dominated agroforest-forest mosaic in India's Western Ghats. We compared Spatially Explicit Capture-Recapture (SECR) models based on individual identification from fecal DNA and Space-to-Event (STE) models based on camera-trap detections. We additionally applied both approaches to individually identifiable leopards (Panthera pardus) to cross-validate STE versus SECR estimates. SECR estimated dhole density at 22 individuals per 100 sq.km, with STE estimates varying substantially depending on how the camera viewshed area was defined. STE estimates based on post hoc viewshed measurements, particularly after reducing the viewshed by 10%, were comparable to SECR estimates. In contrast, STE underestimated leopard density relative to SECR (7 versus 12 per 100 sq.km), although uncertainty intervals overlapped. Ecologically, our results indicate that human-use agroforest mosaics can support dhole densities comparable to, or exceeding, those reported from several Protected Areas, highlighting their potential importance for dhole conservation. More broadly, we argue that STE models may offer a practical and relatively inexpensive approach for baseline monitoring of dholes from camera-trap surveys, but their reliability depends strongly on accurate characterization of the effective viewshed and may vary across species and landscapes.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2026

Leveraging collaborations between researchers, wildlife managers and citizen-volunteers to monitor endangered carnivore populations across space and time

Monitoring populations is fundamental for conserving threatened carnivores, but can be difficult to sustain in the long term across large landscapes. We present a collaborative framework for monitoring dholes (Cuon alpinus) in India's Western Ghats, combining fecal DNA-based individual identification, Spatially Explicit Capture-Recapture (SECR) models, state Forest Department participation, and trained citizen-volunteers. We surveyed across six sites between 2019-2023, encompassing three Protected Areas (Wayanad, Parambikulam, Periyar) and their adjacent Territorial Divisions. Fecal samples were genotyped using a panel of 96 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, and detections were analyzed using SECR models to estimate densities. In Wayanad Sanctuary, densities remained stable across 2019, 2022 and 2023, increasing marginally from 15.67 to 19.01 individuals per 100 sq.km. In 2023, densities varied substantially among six sites, from 9.73/100 sq.km in Parambikulam to 29.23 in Nemmara Territorial Division. Field implementation involved an average of 46 Forest Department personnel co-collecting data per site-year. Among former citizen-volunteers who were surveyed for project feedback (N=29), 83% went on to either work or pursue higher education in wildlife-related or -adjacent fields. We demonstrate that molecular individual identification coupled with SECR can provide a practical basis for dhole population assessments while enabling multi-stakeholder participation in field monitoring. Sustained engagement with wildlife managers and locally recruited volunteers can strengthen institutional capacity, facilitate knowledge exchange, and improve continuity of monitoring programs. We argue that integrating molecular ecology with collaborative governance and democratizing field-science offers a scalable pathway for landscape-level monitoring required to guide dhole conservation.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2022

Prioritizing landscapes to reconcile biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and human well-being in India

Biodiversity conservation and human well-being are tightly interlinked; yet mismatches in the scale at which both priorities are planned and implemented have exacerbated biodiversity loss, erosion of ecosystem services, and declining human quality of life. India houses the second largest human population on the planet, while <5% of the countrys land area is effectively protected for conservation. This warrants landscape-level conservation planning through a judicious mix of land-sharing and land-sparing approaches, and co-production of ecosystem services. Through a multi-faceted assessment, we prioritize spatial extents of land parcels that, in the face of anthropogenic threats, can safeguard conservation landscapes across Indias biogeographic zones. We find that only a fraction (~15%) of such priority areas identified here are encompassed under Indias extant PA network, and several landscapes of high importance were omitted in all previous global-scale assessments. We then examined the spatial congruence of priority areas with administrative units earmarked for economic development by the Indian government, and propose management-zoning through state-driven and participatory approaches. Our spatially explicit insights can help meet the twin goals of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in India and other countries across the Global South.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2020

Opportunities for prioritizing and expanding conservation enterprise in India using carnivores as flagships

Conservation interventions in developing countries are frequently thwarted by socio-economic agendas, severely limiting the scope and rigor of biodiversity and habitat conservation. Very few ecological assessments incorporate human interests in conservation prioritization, creating asynchrony between planning and implementation. For conservation actions to be logistically feasible, multiple criteria including ecological, social, economic and administrative aspects must be considered. Understanding how these different dimensions interact spatially is also important for gauging the potential for conservation success. Here, we use a guild of select mammalian carnivores (wild canids and hyenas) in India to (i) generate distribution maps at the spatial scale of administrative sub-districts, that is relevant to management, (ii) examine ecological, social and biogeographic factors associated with their distribution, quantify key threats, and identify areas important for their conservation, (iii) use prioritization tools for balancing habitat conservation, human needs and economic growth, and (iv) evaluate the spatial congruence between areas with high conservation potential, and areas currently in focus for protection efforts, conservation investments, and infrastructure development. We find that the current Protected Area system does not adequately cover or represent diverse habitats, that there is immense potential for States to increase financial investments towards alternative conservation strategies, and, most infrastructure projects may be jeopardizing important carnivore habitats. Our framework allowed for identifying locations where conservation investments would lead to the highest dividends for flagship carnivores and associated species across habitats. We make a case for re-evaluating how large-scale prioritization assessments are made, and for broadening the purview of conservation policies in India and other developing countries.

ecology↗