Endozoochorous plant diversity in goat faeces from pens of South Gujarat
Research Type
Departmental Research
Experiment Background
India occupies first position in terms of goat population and milk production. Chevon (goat meat) is most preferred and widely consumed meat in the country. Commercial goat farming in India is becoming very popular day by day. As goat farming is a proven highly profitable business idea so, the popularity of this business is increasing rapidly in India. It is also one of the finest and established livestock management department in the country. Intensive livestock far¬ming within the forest remnants is considered one of the main causes of these degradation pro¬cesses. However, domestic ungulates could also be fulfilling the role of seed dispersal for some wild species. Herbivores can play an important role as seed dispersal vectors, ungulates constituting potential seed dispersal agents of Mediterranean grasses and shrubs. It has been documented that goats can disperse the seeds of shrub species in many parts of the world. There are reports on germination of defecated or regurgitated seeds of several species. However, reports on quantification of plant diversity in endozoochory process are meagre. Endozoochory is a process where animals disperse seeds by eating fruits that contain them. The seeds then pass through the animal's digestive system and are either defecated or regurgitated. This is a mutualistic relationship between the plant and the animal. Such studies would be helpful in quantifying the plant species available for browsing for goats as well as seed dispersal in the goat free ranging. Therefore, the present study is proposed with objectives cited in forgoing background information with the null hypothesis (H0) assuming that collections would not differ, while the alternative hypothesis (H1 or Ha) with assumption that collections would differ in endozoochorous plant diversity of goat feces.
Hypothesis
The present study is proposed with the null hypothesis (H0) that feces collections would not differ in endozoochorous plant diversity of goat feces
Experiment Group
Forestry
Unit Type
(02)EDUCATION UNIT
Unit
(61)COLLEGE OF FORESTRY (NAU, NAVSARI)
Department
(2360)SILVICULTURE AND AGROFORESTRY, COF, NAU, NAVSARI
BudgetHead
(352/12952/00)352/03/REG/04039
Objective
1. To assess the endozoochorous plant diversity in goat feces
2. To quantify the browsable plant species for goats
Season
Not season specific
Location Unit Type
(02)EDUCATION UNIT
Location Unit
(61)COLLEGE OF FORESTRY (NAU, NAVSARI)
Location Department
(2361)SILVICULTURE AND AGROFORESTRY, COF, NAU, NAVSARI
Nursery experiment (Details will be submitted at the time of periodic report
Plot History Last Three Year
NA
Initial Soil Sample Analysis Report
NA
Initial Soil Sample Analysis Report Attachment
Attachment Not Available!
Layout Plan
descritptive statistics will be used during data analysis
Layout Plan Attachment
Attachment Not Available!
Treatment
Treatments (Goat Pens)
T1=Captive (Navsari, LRS)
T2=Navsari
T3=Nanapondha
T4= Waghai
T5=Sagai
T6=Devmogra
T7=Narmada-1
T8=Narmada-2
Plot size 2 m2 (sand beds)
rate of sample collection: 10 kg goat faeces/plot
Observations to be recorded:
Plant diversity (numbers)
Annuals
Perennials
Climbers
Diversity Indices
1. Importance Value Index
2. Simpson’s Index
3. Shannon-Weiner Index
4. Evenness Index
The goat feces shall be collected as per treatments/goat. Goat feces of each repetition shall be course grounded and applied @10 kg/2 m2 sand beds in green house beds. Sterilized sand (heating process or pre-emergence weedicide treatment) shall be used to ensure any prior presence of plant seeds