Dataset Information

Long-term occupancy trends in a data-poor dugong population in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.

ABSTRACT: Prioritizing efforts for conserving rare and threatened species with limited past data and lacking population estimates is predicated on robust assessments of their occupancy rates. This is particularly challenging for elusive, long-lived and wide-ranging marine mammals. In this paper we estimate trends in long-term (over 50 years) occupancy, persistence and extinction of a vulnerable and data-poor dugong (Dugong dugon) population across multiple seagrass meadows in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago (India). For this we use hierarchical Bayesian dynamic occupancy models accounting for false negatives (detection probability<1), persistence and extinction, to two datasets: a) fragmentary long-term occurrence records from multiple sources (1959-2004, n = 40 locations), and b) systematic detection/non-detection data from current surveys (2010-2012, n = 57). Dugong occupancy across the archipelago declined by 60% (from 0.45 to 0.18) over the last 20 years and present distribution was largely restricted to sheltered bays and channels with seagrass meadows dominated by Halophila and Halodule sp. Dugongs were not found in patchy meadows with low seagrass cover. In general, seagrass habitat availability was not limiting for dugong occupancy, suggesting that anthropogenic factors such as entanglement in gillnets and direct hunting may have led to local extinction of dugongs from locations where extensive seagrass meadows still thrive. Effective management of these remnant dugong populations will require a multi-pronged approach, involving 1) protection of areas where dugongs still persist, 2) monitoring of seagrass habitats that dugongs could recolonize, 3) reducing gillnet use in areas used by dugongs, and 4) engaging with indigenous/settler communities to reduce impacts of hunting.

SUBMITTER: D'Souza E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3797053 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Long-term occupancy trends in a data-poor dugong population in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.

D'Souza Elrika E Patankar Vardhan V Arthur Rohan R Alcoverro Teresa T Kelkar Nachiket N

PloS one 20131015 10

Prioritizing efforts for conserving rare and threatened species with limited past data and lacking population estimates is predicated on robust assessments of their occupancy rates. This is particularly challenging for elusive, long-lived and wide-ranging marine mammals. In this paper we estimate trends in long-term (over 50 years) occupancy, persistence and extinction of a vulnerable and data-poor dugong (Dugong dugon) population across multiple seagrass meadows in the Andaman and Nicobar archi ...[more]

PMID: 24143180

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Project description:BackgroundPools of salt water and puddles created by giant waves from the sea due to the tsunami that occurred on 26th December 2004 would facilitate increased breeding of brackish water malaria vector, Anopheles sundaicus. Land uplifts in North Andaman and subsidence in South Andaman have been reported and subsidence may lead to environmental disturbances and vector proliferation. This warrants a situation analysis and vector surveillance in the tsunami hit areas endemic for malaria transmitted by brackish water mosquito, An. sundaicus to predict the risk of outbreak.MethodsAn extensive survey was carried out in the tsunami-affected areas in Andaman district of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India to assess the extent of breeding of malaria vectors in the habitats created by seawater flooding. Types of habitats in relation to source of seawater inundation and frequency were identified. The salinity of the water samples and the mosquito species present in the larval samples collected from these habitats were recorded. The malaria situation in the area was also analysed.ResultsSouth Andaman, covering Port Blair and Ferrargunj sub districts, is still under the recurring phenomenon of seawater intrusion either directly from the sea or through a network of creeks. Both daily cycles of high tides and periodical spring tides continue to cause flooding. Low-lying paddy fields and fallow land, with a salinity ranging from 3,000 to 42,505 ppm, were found to support profuse breeding of An. sundaicus, the local malaria vector, and Anopheles subpictus, a vector implicated elsewhere. This area is endemic for both vivax and falciparum malaria. Malaria slide positivity rate has started increasing during post-tsunami period, which can be considered as an indication of risk of malaria outbreak.ConclusionPaddy fields and fallow land with freshwater, hitherto not considered as potential sites for An. sundaicus, are now major breeding sites due to saline water. Consequently, there is a risk of vector abundance with enhanced malaria transmission potential, due to the vastness of these tsunami-created breeding grounds and likelihood of them becoming permanent due to continued flooding in view of land subsidence. The close proximity of the houses and paucity of cattle may lead to a higher degree of man/vector contact causing a threat of malaria outbreak in this densely populated area. Measures to prevent the possible outbreak of malaria in this tsunami-affected area are discussed.

Project description:Limited gene flow between populations due to geographic distance, presence of barriers or inherent low dispersal ability leads to the formation of genetically structured populations. Strong population structure indicates lowered levels or absence of gene flow which might lead to inbreeding and loss of genetic capacity to recuperate from anthropogenic stress and natural calamities. Terrestrial reptiles are generally known to have low dispersal abilities and few studies have explored drivers of their population structure on continental islands, where both anthropogenic stress and natural calamities are relatively common. We investigated the population structure and drivers of diversification of the Andaman keelback (Xenochrophis tytleri), an endemic, terrestrial and freshwater snake species in the Andaman archipelago, a continental group of islands in the Bay of Bengal. Data was collected from 86 individuals from seven islands and 78 individuals were sequenced for the gene Nuclear Dehydrogenase subunit 4 to identify the number of populations and distribution of genetic diversity across populations. We found 11 haplotypes on seven islands and observed high genetic differentiation between seven populations defined island-wise (F ST = 0.82). We further tested the number of populations by incorporating spatial data into Bayesian Clustering Analysis (GENELAND) and identified six populations of the Andaman keelback. We tested for the influence of Isolation-by-distance on these populations. While the overall trend showed a positive correlation between geographic and genetic distance, a correlogram revealed that the positive correlation disappears beyond ∼20-40 km. We also tested for the presence of geographical barriers to gene flow using Monmonier's algorithm (SPADS), which identified five barriers to dispersal confirming that there are oceanic barriers to dispersal for some island populations of the Andaman keelback. As the Andaman Islands are arranged almost in a straight line from North to South, our data are insufficient to tease apart the roles of geographical distance and barriers to gene flow. We conclude that salt waters between near islands are weak barriers and as the geographical distance between islands increases, so does the strength of the barrier.

Dataset Information

Long-term occupancy trends in a data-poor dugong population in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.

Publications

Long-term occupancy trends in a data-poor dugong population in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.

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