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Habitat characterizations and suitability analysis for conservation implications of Gymnosphaera gigantea (Wall. ex Hook.) S.Y.Dong: a threatened tree fern

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Abstract

Elucidating the relative importance of landscape composition including habitat structure, landscape features, and environmental factors can help prioritize management action for developing effective conservation measures. The present study aims to investigate the habitat characteristics, relative influence of key habitat environmental factors on the abundance of Gymnosphaera gigantea and to propose suitable habitats for conservation implications in the study area. Statistical modelling, habitat suitability analyses, and micro-level land use planning were done through the generalized linear models (GLMs), geostatistic interpolation based on Entropy Weighted Habitat Index (EWHI) and synthetic indicator (SI), and Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat (SWOT) analysis, respectively, using significant habitat environmental factors derived from principal component analysis (PCA). A total of 57 (28 juvenile and 29 adults) individuals of G. gigantea was recorded from 19 populations with altitude varying from 59–747 m asl. GLMs analysis revealed that the vegetation and water occurrence as well as their combination significantly affects the abundance of G. gigantea. Suitability analysis and micro-level land use planning resulted in two priority areas (priority area I and II) in Tripura having greater potential for future conservation planning and reintroduction of this threatened fern. Overall, considering the fragmented populations and smaller patch size, the conservation of study species will require an integrated landscape as well as local-scale geospatial habitat management strategies to protect the natural populations and enhance the distributional range.

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(Source: Prepared by the authors, 2022 using ArcMap v.10.8)

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Data Availability

The data supporting the findings of this study are presented in the published article and in the online supplementary files.

Abbreviations

AIC:

Akaike’s Information Criterion

ΔAICc:

Delta Akaike’s Information Criterion corrected

ASI:

Alternative synthetic indicator

BD:

Bulk density

DEM:

Digital elevation model

EWHI:

Entropy Weighted Habitat Index

GSI:

Generalized synthetic indicator

GIS:

Geographic information system

GLMs:

Generalized linear models

IDW:

Inverse distance weighted

IUCN:

International Union for Conservation of Nature

IVI:

Importance Value Index

LULC:

Land use and land cover

NDVI:

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index

NDWI:

Normalized Difference Water Index

SI:

Synthetic indicator

SOC%:

Soil organic carbon %

SWOT Analysis:

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis

TWI:

Topographic Wetness Index

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Acknowledgements

This paper is part of the doctoral research of the first author, who is grateful to the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India for financial support through DBT Network Project (BT/01/17/NE/TAX) and implementing Agency Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE). We are also thankful to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), Tripura Forest Department, Govt. of Tripura for cooperation. We would like to especially thank the local community people for sharing their knowledge and consistent support during the field survey. We would like to acknowledge the anonymous reviewers for their constructive criticism and important suggestions to improve the quality of the manuscript.

Funding

We gratefully acknowledge the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India (BT/01/17/NE/TAX) for its financial support in completing this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Taxonomy & Biodiversity Laboratory, Department of Botany, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, 799022, Tripura, India

    Biplab Banik, Suman Paul, Muktadhar Reang, Tuhin Das, Koushik Majumdar, Biswajit Baishnab, Dipan Sarma, Smita Debbarma & Badal Kumar Datta

  2. Regional Planning and Urban & Rural Development Laboratory, Department of Geography and Disaster Management, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, 799022, Tripura, India

    Stabak Roy & Saptarshi Mitra

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  1. Biplab Banik
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Banik, B., Roy, S., Paul, S. et al. Habitat characterizations and suitability analysis for conservation implications of Gymnosphaera gigantea (Wall. ex Hook.) S.Y.Dong: a threatened tree fern. Arab J Geosci 16, 414 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-023-11522-x

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