<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Study of habitat segregation among the four species of cervids was conducted in the Chitwan National park of lowland Nepal. This study aimed to investigate the possible mechanisms of habitat partitioning among the four cervids - chital, sambar deer, hog deer and northern red muntjac using discriminant analysis and canonical correlation analysis. Present study considered four major niche dimensions - habitat, human disturbance, presence of predators and seasons. The data were collected by walking along the line transects that encompasses the different habitats, varying degree of human disturbances and frequency of predator’s presence. Results showed the significant effect of season on the habitat segregation among these cervids. There was higher niche overlap during summer season as compared to winter season. Habitat overlap between chital and muntjac was higher and unstable than others, which showed that they were the competitors of the same resources as enlightened by their generalist nature. Therefore, maintaining habitat heterogeneity and minimizing human disturbances will be better solutions for the coexistence of herbivores in the Chitwan National Park and can be an example for similar areas of lowland Nepal.</p></abstract>

Study of habitat segregation among the four species of cervids was conducted in the Chitwan National park of lowland Nepal. This study aimed to investigate the possible mechanisms of habitat partitioning among the four cervids - chital, sambar deer, hog deer and northern red muntjac using discriminant analysis and canonical correlation analysis. Present study considered four major niche dimensions - habitat, human disturbance, presence of predators and seasons. The data were collected by walking along the line transects that encompasses the different habitats, varying degree of human disturbances and frequency of predator’s presence. Results showed the significant effect of season on the habitat segregation among these cervids. There was higher niche overlap during summer season as compared to winter season. Habitat overlap between chital and muntjac was higher and unstable than others, which showed that they were the competitors of the same resources as enlightened by their generalist nature. Therefore, maintaining habitat heterogeneity and minimizing human disturbances will be better solutions for the coexistence of herbivores in the Chitwan National Park and can be an example for similar areas of lowland Nepal.

Factors Associated with Habitat Segregation Among the Four Species of Cervids in the Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Central Department of Zoology, Institute of Science and Technology

Ekológia (Bratislava)

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Study of habitat segregation among the four species of cervids was conducted in the Chitwan National park of lowland Nepal. This study aimed to investigate the...

Factors Associated with Habitat Segregation Among the Four Species of Cervids in the Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Published Online: Mar 16, 2019

Page range: 37 - 48

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/eko-2019-0004

Keywords
habitat segregation, Chitwan, deer, bengal tiger

© 2019 Bishnu Prasad Bhattarai, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Factors Associated with Habitat Segregation Among the Four Species of Cervids in the Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Published Online: Mar 16, 2019

Page range: 37 - 48

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/eko-2019-0004

Keywordshabitat segregation, Chitwan, deer, bengal tiger

© 2019 Bishnu Prasad Bhattarai, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
habitat segregation, Chitwan, deer, bengal tiger