Research Projects

The mechanism of coexistence among the species for their survival in a habitat, the larger complexities of the animal community, and the importance of the habitat component (resource) in retaining the diversity are crucial for understanding their importance and management. Active association of individuals of one species with the other may be stimulated due to the potential of obtaining the benefit through mutualistic or commensalistic interactions. There are many such interspecific associations known in nature such associations are common when the benefit of protection from the predator is very high and there is a high efficiency of foraging by all the participating individuals of different species. Participation of individuals of many species is known as a polyspecific association which is defined as the presence of two or more species of animals that travel, rest or feed together in the same location at a greater rate than predicted by chance. However, the frequency and duration of such associations and the mechanism of co-existence vary with time and habitat. In India, the forests of the northeast are one of the biodiversity hotspots having the highest primate diversity and bird diversity that providing an opportunity to explore these mechanisms through niche partitioning and interspecific interaction among primates and select species of birds keeping the three objectives 1) To study the interspecific interactions among primates and birds, 2) To determine the food niche breadth of interacting species of primates and birds, and 3) To assess niche overlap and partitioning, for habitat use and food items, among primates and select species of birds. The study has been envisaged for three years.