Seasonal variation of spirurian nematode Mastophorus muris in water voles (Arvicola amphibius) in southern Sweden

Master in applied ecology. Evenstad 2015I studied the spirurian nematode (Mastophorus muris) in water voles (Arvicola amphibius) in southern Sweden. Limited information is known about this nematode particularly in water voles. Trapping was done using topcats in the spring and fall of 2013 in three regions of Sweden: Uddevalla, Katrineholm and Gnesta/Nyköping. Rodents were frozen and stomach content and feces were examined after thawing for presence of M. muris. Prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity of infection of M. muris were calculated. A GLM model was used to examine the effect of sex, functional group, season, and region on the numbers of M. muris and presence or absence of M. muris in each vole. Forty-seven of 181 (26%) voles were infected with M. muris. Infected voles had up to 74 worms. The overall mean intensity [worms per infected vole, 95% CI] was 15, 10-21 and mean abundance [average numbers of worms in all voles, 95% CI] was 4, 2-6. Mean abundance was also calculated for sex [females 5, 2-7; males 3, 1-6], functional group [adults 5, 2-9; subadults/juveniles 4, 1-6; unknown 3, -1-8], season [spring 7, 3-12; fall 3, 1-5], and region [Gnesta/Nyköping 6, 1-11; Uddevalla 4, 1-6; Katrineholm 4, 1-6]. Model output indicated a significant effect of season (p<0.05) and tendency effect of region (p=0.053). Altogether, 10 different categories of parasite eggs were found in fecal samples. Typical M. muris eggs were present in only 7 (4%) out of 178 total samples, whereas Trichuris like eggs were the most abundant egg type and present in 66 (37%) samples. This is the first report of M. muris in water voles in Sweden. My results indicate a significant seasonal effect and a tendency for a regional effect of M. muris infection, which was independent of sex and functional group of the investigated voles

Niche breadth and overlap of spotted deer and domestic cattle with swamp deer in tropical region of Nepal

Background Knowledge about the niche overlap among wild species and domestic cattle is helpful to conserve and manage wildlife. We assessed the habitat niche breadth and overlap of sympatrically living spotted deer (Axis axis) and domestic cattle with swamp deer (Cervus duvaucelii) in Shuklaphanta National Park, Nepal during the dry season to explore the possibility of interspecific competition by studying the habitat use by these species. The assumption was made that the presence of pellets is proof of habitat used by species. Methods Grids of 2 km x 2 km have four subgrids, each with four sample plots, making a total of 16 plots (20 m x 20 m) in each grid. The size of each sub-grid was 200 m x 200 m and they were placed randomly inside the grid but at least 1 km apart from one another. The data was collected in a 96 plots in total. Levin's niche breadth and Morisita's overlap index were calculated to determine the niche breadth and the habitat overlap, respectively. Results The Levin's measure of niche breadth suggested that spotted deer had the highest acclimatization with an index value of 0.94, followed by domestic cattle at 0.50, and swamp deer at 0.33 in our study area. Thus, our findings supported the evidence that spotted deer are habitat generalists, whereas swamp deer are habitat specialists. The swamp deer had lower niche breadth and more overlap with domestic cattle. Conclusion Our study showed the least niche breadth of swamp deer in comparison to spotted deer and domestic cattle. The domestic cattle had the highest and least niche overlap with spotted deer and swamp deer, respectively, in terms of habitat use. Our study suggests that domestic cattle grazing should be stopped, and grassland management should be carried out for the benefit of ungulates. Similar studies should be conducted, including different seasons and places, prior to appropriate habitat management. In addition, further studies are needed to quantify the extent of interspecific competition by incorporating more species.Peer reviewe

Forest Management Practice Influences Bird Diversity in the Mid-Hills of Nepal

Forest management practice plays a critical role in conserving biodiversity. However, there are few studies on how forest management practice affects bird communities. Here, we compare the effectiveness of the Panchase Protection Forest (PPF; protected forest with government administration) and the Tibrekot Community Forest (TCF; community forest with community forest users’ group administration) in hosting bird diversity in the mid-hills of Nepal. We examined 96 point count stations during summer and winter in 2019 and recorded 160 species of birds with three globally threatened vultures (red-headed vulture Sarcogyps calvus, slender-billed vulture Gyps tenuirostris, and white-rumped vulture Gyps bengalensis). Forest management practice, season, and elevation all influenced the richness and abundance of birds. The diversity, richness, and abundance of birds and the most common feeding guilds (insectivore, omnivore, and carnivore) were higher in TCF than in PPF; however, globally threatened species were only recorded in PPF. We also recorded a higher bird species turnover (beta diversity) in TCF than in PPF. Our study indicates that community-managed forests can also provide quality habitats similar to those of protected forests managed by the government, and provide refuge to various bird species and guilds. However, we recommend more comparative studies in other tropical and sub-tropical areas to understand how different forest management practices influence bird diversity

Forest Management Practice Influences Bird Diversity in the Mid-Hills of Nepal

Forest management practice plays a critical role in conserving biodiversity. However, there are few studies on how forest management practice affects bird communities. Here, we compare the effectiveness of the Panchase Protection Forest (PPF; protected forest with government administration) and the Tibrekot Community Forest (TCF; community forest with community forest users’ group administration) in hosting bird diversity in the mid-hills of Nepal. We examined 96 point count stations during summer and winter in 2019 and recorded 160 species of birds with three globally threatened vultures (red-headed vulture Sarcogyps calvus, slender-billed vulture Gyps tenuirostris, and white-rumped vulture Gyps bengalensis). Forest management practice, season, and elevation all influenced the richness and abundance of birds. The diversity, richness, and abundance of birds and the most common feeding guilds (insectivore, omnivore, and carnivore) were higher in TCF than in PPF; however, globally threatened species were only recorded in PPF. We also recorded a higher bird species turnover (beta diversity) in TCF than in PPF. Our study indicates that community-managed forests can also provide quality habitats similar to those of protected forests managed by the government, and provide refuge to various bird species and guilds. However, we recommend more comparative studies in other tropical and sub-tropical areas to understand how different forest management practices influence bird diversity

Butterfly species diversity and their floral preferences in the Rupa Wetland of Nepal

Floral attributes often influence the foraging choices of nectar-feeding butterflies, given the close association between plants and these butterfly pollinators. The diversity of butterflies is known to a large extent in Nepal, but little information is available on the feeding habits of butterflies. This study was conducted along the periphery of Rupa Wetland from January to December 2019 to assess butterfly species diversity and to identify the factors influencing their foraging choices. In total, we recorded 1535 individuals of 138 species representing all six families. For our examination of butterfly-nectar plant interactions, we recorded a total of 298 individuals belonging to 31 species of butterfly visiting a total of 28 nectar plant species. Overall, total butterfly visitation was found to be significantly influenced by plant category (herbaceous preferred over woody), floral color (yellow white and purple preferred over pink), and corolla type (tubular preferred over nontubular). Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between the proboscis length of butterflies and the corolla tube length of flowers. Examining each butterfly family separately revealed that, for four of the families (Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, and Pieridae), none of the tested factors (flower color, plant category, and corolla type) were shown to significantly influence butterfly abundance at flowers. However, Hesperidae abundance was found to be significantly influenced by both flower color (with more butterflies observed at yellow flowers than purple) and flower type (with more butterflies observed at tubular flowers than nontubular flowers). Our results reveal that Rupa Lake is a suitable habitat for butterflies, providing valuable floral resources. Hence, further detailed studies encompassing all seasons, a greater variety of plants, and other influential factors in different ecological regions are fundamental for creating favorable environments to sustain important butterfly pollinators and help create balanced wetland ecosystems.Peer reviewe

Ecological Factors Determining Barking Deer Distribution and Habitat Use in the Mid-Hills of Nepal

Barking deer is found in dense tropical and subtropical forests of Asia. It is listed as “least concerned” by the International Union of Conservation of Nature and as “vulnerable” in Nepal, where it is also protected. Due to the habitat loss and fragmentation by human activities, barking deer abundance is decreasing, which may even ultimately lead to its extinction. This in turn might negatively affect local ecosystem such as the abundance of the endangered common leopard, for which barking deer is the main prey species in the mid-hills of Nepal. We therefore need to know factors affecting barking deer abundance and its habitat preferences. To determine these factors, we recorded barking deer either by direct sighting or by any evidence of its indirect presence observed through transect surveys in January and February, 2019. To analyze habitat preference, the presence of barking deer was set to 1 if the barking deer or any sign of its presence were observed “used plots,” or to 0 if the barking deer or any sign of its presence were not observed (“habitat availability plot”). We measured main four ecological drivers such as forest management regime, microclimate, disturbance and food resources, which include 11 habitat characteristics in spots where barking deer was present, and in randomly selected spots. We found that elevation, slope, distance from settlement, presence of tree species, depth of leaf litter and percentage cover of leaf litter were most significantly affecting its presence. These results can serve as guidelines for local authorities to prevent decline in abundance of barking deer.Peer reviewe

Habitat Suitability and Conflict Zone Mapping for the Blue Bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus) across Nepal

Rapidly changing environmental conditions (bioclimatic, anthropogenic, topographic, and vegetation-related variables) are likely to alter the spatial distribution of flora and fauna. To understand the influence of environmental variables on the Blue bull’s distribution and to identify potential conflict zones, the habitat suitability analysis of the Blue bull was performed using ensemble modeling. We modelled the distribution of the Blue bull using an extensive database on the current distribution of the Blue bull and selected 15 ecologically significant environmental variables. We used ten species distribution modeling algorithms available in the BIOMOD2 R package. Among the ten algorithms, the Random Forest, Maxent, and Generalized linear model had the highest mean true skill statistics scores, ensuring better model performance, and were considered for further analysis. We found that 22,462.57 km2 (15.26%) of Nepal is suitable for the Blue bull. Slope, precipitation seasonality, and distance to the road are the environmental variables contributing the most to the distribution of Blue bull. Of the total predicted suitable habitats, 86% lies outside protected areas and 55% overlaps with agricultural land. Thus, we recommend that the future conservation initiatives including appropriate conflict mitigation measures should be prioritized equally in both protected areas and outside protected areas to ensure the species’ survival in the region

Causes of Infertility amongst Couples Visited at Infertility Centre Kathmandu, Nepal

Introduction: Infertility is being a common global problem affecting one couple in six.  Approximately 167 million ever-married women aged 15-49 years in developing countries were infertile. The problem of infertility has not given attention considering the fact that it is not life-threatening, but, it has substantial community health problems such as depression, anxiety domestic violence and social isolation. The purpose of the study was to explore the causes of infertility among couples who visited the infertility centre. Methodology: Hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study had been carried out in infertility centre Kathmandu Nepal. One hundred and sixty-five married couple with infertility problem availing the infertility treatment was selected on first come first serve basic sampling method from the infertility treatment centre. Result: The infertility problem varied with the age. The problem was highest among the females of age group 26-30 years (51%), similarly, in males, it was predominant at the age of 31-35 years (45%). The most common causes of female infertility were ovarian cyst (37%) and heavy bleeding (18.7%), uterine fibroids (9%), Pelvic inflammation (9%), Thyroid disease (21.8%), whereas in males the infertility was mostly due to Oligospermia (17.5%), Azoospermia (5.5%), Hydrocele (7.8), Mumps orchids (6%).  Conclusion: Infertility was due to various causes in the male or/and the female partner, however, infertility among couples were mostly due to the problem in females. Infertility is a complex problem that should be considered carefully by the individual, community peoples, government and stakeholders in each country. Keywords: Male Fertility, Female Fertility, Causes, Couple, Infertility, Ovarian Cyst DOI: http://doi.org/10.3126/jkahs.v2i2.2518

Ecological Factors Determining Barking Deer Distribution and Habitat Use in the Mid-Hills of Nepal

Barking deer is found in dense tropical and subtropical forests of Asia. It is listed as “least concerned” by the International Union of Conservation of Nature and as “vulnerable” in Nepal, where it is also protected. Due to the habitat loss and fragmentation by human activities, barking deer abundance is decreasing, which may even ultimately lead to its extinction. This in turn might negatively affect local ecosystem such as the abundance of the endangered common leopard, for which barking deer is the main prey species in the mid-hills of Nepal. We therefore need to know factors affecting barking deer abundance and its habitat preferences. To determine these factors, we recorded barking deer either by direct sighting or by any evidence of its indirect presence observed through transect surveys in January and February, 2019. To analyze habitat preference, the presence of barking deer was set to 1 if the barking deer or any sign of its presence were observed “used plots,” or to 0 if the barking deer or any sign of its presence were not observed (“habitat availability plot”). We measured main four ecological drivers such as forest management regime, microclimate, disturbance and food resources, which include 11 habitat characteristics in spots where barking deer was present, and in randomly selected spots. We found that elevation, slope, distance from settlement, presence of tree species, depth of leaf litter and percentage cover of leaf litter were most significantly affecting its presence. These results can serve as guidelines for local authorities to prevent decline in abundance of barking deer

Seasonal variation of spirurian nematode Mastophorus muris in water voles (Arvicola amphibius) in southern Sweden

Master in applied ecology. Evenstad 2015I studied the spirurian nematode (Mastophorus muris) in water voles (Arvicola amphibius) in southern Sweden. Limited information is known about this nematode particularly in water voles. Trapping was done using topcats in the spring and fall of 2013 in three regions of Sweden: Uddevalla, Katrineholm and Gnesta/Nyköping. Rodents were frozen and stomach content and feces were examined after thawing for presence of M. muris. Prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity of infection of M. muris were calculated. A GLM model was used to examine the effect of sex, functional group, season, and region on the numbers of M. muris and presence or absence of M. muris in each vole. Forty-seven of 181 (26%) voles were infected with M. muris. Infected voles had up to 74 worms. The overall mean intensity [worms per infected vole, 95% CI] was 15, 10-21 and mean abundance [average numbers of worms in all voles, 95% CI] was 4, 2-6. Mean abundance was also calculated for sex [females 5, 2-7; males 3, 1-6], functional group [adults 5, 2-9; subadults/juveniles 4, 1-6; unknown 3, -1-8], season [spring 7, 3-12; fall 3, 1-5], and region [Gnesta/Nyköping 6, 1-11; Uddevalla 4, 1-6; Katrineholm 4, 1-6]. Model output indicated a significant effect of season (p<0.05) and tendency effect of region (p=0.053). Altogether, 10 different categories of parasite eggs were found in fecal samples. Typical M. muris eggs were present in only 7 (4%) out of 178 total samples, whereas Trichuris like eggs were the most abundant egg type and present in 66 (37%) samples. This is the first report of M. muris in water voles in Sweden. My results indicate a significant seasonal effect and a tendency for a regional effect of M. muris infection, which was independent of sex and functional group of the investigated voles