Work

Effect of invasive plant species coverage on the occurrence of wild ungulates

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The spread of invasive plant species (IPS) is widely recognized as one of the major threats to biodiversity. However, the impact of IPS on wildlife habitat utilization remains poorly understood. This study investigated the impact of IPS on the habitat utilization of wild ungulates in Parsa National Park (PNP) of Nepal. We used camera traps and sign survey methods to detect wild ungulates between December 2022 and October 2023. In each survey plot, we also recorded the occurrence and coverage of IPS, tree canopy cover, and the distances to the nearest settlement, road, and water source. Twenty IPS were recorded in the PNP during this study. Our results revealed that the barking deer were more prevalent at sites with lower IPS coverage (β = -0.065; p = 0.009), while the sambar deer were more prevalent at sies with higher IPS coverage (β = 0.053; p = 0.019) and at low tree canopy cover (β = -0.078; p = 0.008). The habitat use of barking deer was found to be higher at nearer road (β = -0.641; p = 0.004), while the sambar deer were found near settlement (β = -0.953; p = 0.021). These results highlight the importance of managing wild ungulate habitats by controlling IPS in the PNP to conserve wild ungulate species.

Source: Global Ecology and Conservation

DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03623

Authors: Basudha Rawal, Bharat Babu Shrestha, Chandu Paneru, Hari Prasad Sharma

Institution: Tribhuvan University

Language: English

Topic: Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,980