Research Projects

Understanding the principles and processes that govern the geographic distribution and genetic lineages of closely related species is essential, especially for those with declining populations, poorly studied, and significant taxonomic ambiguities (Avise, 2000). India hosts approximately 16 mountain ungulates, among which the populations of musk deer, goral (red goral), and serow have experienced rapid declines and now listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List due to various threats, including habitat loss and illegal hunting of musk deer for their musk pods and other species for meat and skins. These species are poorly studied for their ecology and genetics at both local and global levels due to their elusive nature, adaptation to harsh climates, and habitation in complex terrain. Consequently, significant taxonomic ambiguities persist, and limited knowledge available on species’ genetic makeup, phylogeography, and ecological dynamics, which hampers effective conservation planning. This project aims to evaluate the phylogeography, assess genetic diversity, resolve taxonomic ambiguities, and understand how biogeography influences the distribution and conservation of these sympatric ungulates in Arunachal Pradesh. Northeast India, particularly Arunachal Pradesh, is recognized as one of 200 globally significant ecoregions and acts as a transition zone between the Indian, Indo-Malayan, and Indo-Chinese regions. Its complex topography and landscape heterogeneity, combined with small-scale climatic variations, support a variety of ecological niches, making it a biodiversity hotspot that shares borders with three countries (Körner et al., 2017; Körner, 2021). Such climatic variations have led to significant variation in external morphology and coat color among species, which can result in the overestimation of species diversity. Studies have shown that intense morphological variations do not always correspond with genetic divergence, and many morphologically distinct species have been merged into single species. This study will use a cross-cutting widely accepted approaches to address taxonomic ambiguities, evaluate phylogeography, and assess genetic diversity through non-invasive genetic sampling (utilizing mitochondrial and nuclear markers), camera trapping (to record species presence, coat color variation, and morphological traits), and geospatial modeling (to analyze biogeography, identify landscape barriers, and map species distributions) in Arunachal Pradesh. Field surveys will be conducted by dividing the study area into 10×10 km grids to identify intensive sampling sites, followed by sampling in 5×5 km grids. This research will enhance understanding of endemism, evolutionary patterns, and the impact of climate change on these species and help identify crucial habitat corridors, inform conservation policies, and guide resource management efforts in Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India.