Executive Summary : | Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) is one of the greatest challenges to mankind with their recent, human-mediated proliferation through introduced species and climate change. In a community with such diseases, major outstanding questions concern the contrasting roles of evolutionary history and ecology. Of particular significance are vector-borne diseases such as avian malaria (AM), which is caused by Haemosporidian parasite genera (e.g. Plasmodium, Haemoprotesis and Leucocytozoon). AM has been associated with large-scale mortality when introduced into naive bird communities on isolated communities like islands. Continental habitat islands, such as montane sky islands, including the Western Ghats (WG) Shola Sky Islands, have different levels of isolation and several similarities with oceanic islands (Gillespie Roderick 2002). Isolated communities like those on islands go through contractions and expansions of ranges, with local extinctions (taxon cycling). Some of these are possibly due to AM or other pathogens, that can severely impact insular communities.
Avian Malaria infects only birds of ancient divergence from mammal lineage but birds don't get malaria-hosts immuno compromised. Avian Malaria has caused 7 extinction events and severe decline in population in insular/island populations. Wooded habitats increasing which may spread infections.
The present study is on some of the bird species found on the mountain-tops or Sky Islands of Western Ghats. The invasive species like Eucalyptus, Acacia are increasing in project area there are 3 Acacia species. Birds are having symptoms of Malaria, which has caused extinction of many bird species in other parts of the world. Seven extinction events have been observed leading to severe population decline in insular populations. It was stated that avian malaria infects only birds, but the birds don't get malaria as the host is immuno compromised. In an earlier study, about 1200 individual birds were screened for avian malaria and 42% overall have infection of avian malaria. Grassland birds don't have this. Avian malaria are caused by two parasite eg. Plasmodium mosquitoes and Haemoproteus biting midges. It is field-lab-desk research. The Desk work will be Map landscape, invasive in detail (3m, 5m resolution). Fieldwork is to capture the bird & collect blood samples ~400/year. Pl proposed to create 5 sq. km grids covering 3000 sq/km under the study. Lab generated data Next Gen Seq data to examine relationships between hosts & parasites. The study will: 1) Map the extent of Alien Invasive timber plantations in the Sky Island system 21 Examine Emerging Infectious Disease in an avian system, across multiple Protected Areas that can serve as a baseline database 3) Examine interactions of Emerging Infectious Disease with the increasing spread of Alien Invasive species. Coverage of Protected Areas A network of Protected Areas and reserve forests covers the Shola Sky Island landscape. The study is to also look into altitudinal gradient of the Invasive Alien species along with land use change gradient in the proposed study area.
The impact of alien invasive species (exotic timber trees like Acacia, Eucalyptus and Pinel on the spread of disease (Avian Malaria - infects only birds) across the Shola Sky Island system would be studied. Detailed maps with high-resolution Remote Sensing, and establish plots will be generated which will capture birds (for 10 minutes) and blood samples collected to understand bird and parasite genetics with advanced Next Generation Sequencing techniques. The coverage of area includes nine National Parks, twenty Wildlife Sanctuaries and twenty-seven Reserve Forest Divisions of the Shola Sky Islands. There has been no systematic examination of avian malaria in these landscapes. A better understanding of the Spatio-temporal dynamics of vector-borne disease requires a more nuanced understanding of how the dynamics and distribution of parasites, vectors, and hosts interact in space and time (Lambin et. al 2010). The results will be utilised to develop a model to assess the sensitivity of avian malaria dynamics to alterations in bird community structure, within a GIS framework, and thus identify key species (or functional groups) that critically impact disease dynamics. The identification of such key species (or functional groups) will improve the understanding of disease dynamics in natural communities, and such species (or functional species groups) could also be used as indicators of ecosystem health in the future. Objective:
i. To map the extent of Alien Invasive timber plantations (exotic timber trees such as Acacia Eucalyptus and Pine) on the spread of disease (Avian Malaria - infects only birds) across in the Sky Island system/Landscape consisting of a network of nine National Parks, twenty Wildlife Sanctuaries and twenty-seven Reserve Forest Divisions of the Shola Sky Islands Protected Areas and Reserve Forests.
ii. Examine emerging Infectious Disease in an avian system, across multiple Protected Areas that can serve as a baseline database. Sampling birds and malaria across PAs & landscape change.
iii. Examine interactions of Emerging Infectious Disease with the increasing spread of Alien. Invasive species. Identify indicator species.
iv. Study the impact of alien invasive species (exotic timber trees like Acacia, Eucalyptus and Pine) on the spread of disease (Avian Malaria infects only birds) across the Shola Sky Island system. |