Devika M Anilkumar Madathil
Other projects
15 Jun 2022
IUCN Status Assessment, Niche Modelling and Niche Profiling of Endemic Tree Species for Effective Species Recovery and Ecorestoration
An ecosystem-level perspective combined with a habitat-specific micro-level understanding of species composition is imperative for the successful implementation of ecorestoration practices. Current tree planting and ecorestoration initiatives lack a robust scientific protocol for niche and ecosystem adaptability, primarily due to an absence of regionally contextualised ecological methodologies and studies. The proposed bioclimatic prediction of potential habitats through niche modelling and profiling of threatened species across various ecosystems aims to ensure conservation and restoration sites are identified ecologically up to landscape and administrative unit levels.
Syzygium palghatense, Sub Montane habitat.
Here we plan to develop niche-specific and ecoregion-level conservation and ecorestoration plans for 10 threatened species, suitable to adopt into the management plans of the Kerala Forest Departments and BMCs of local self-governments. Also, local community-involved pilot ecorestoration of five threatened trees Syzygium palghatense, Ochna gamblei, Diospyros crumenata, Syzygium occidentale and Aporosa bourdillonii. The species are selected based on their risk of extinction. The work also aims to have a comprehensive global IUCN Red List assessment of selected 15 tree species of the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka Biodiversity hotspot by providing field-based ecological data.
Header image: Field data collection.