Seasonal population density and winter survival strategies of endangered Kashmir gray langur (Semnopithecus ajax) in Dachigam National Park, Kashmir, India

Population assessment of the Endangered Kashmir Gray Langur (Semnopithecus ajax, Pocock 1928) using the double-observer method

Primates are among the most threatened taxa globally, therefore, there is a need to estimate and monitor their populations. Kashmir Gray Langur Semnopithecus ajax is an endangered species for which there is no population estimate. We used double-observer method to estimate its population size in the Kashmir region of North-Western Himalaya. We walked 1284 km across 31 survey blocks spanning all three divisions of Kashmir viz., North, Central, and South Kashmir, covering an area of 411 km2. We counted a minimum of 1367 individual langurs from 27 groups. The detection probability for observer 1 (0.719) and observer 2 (0.656) resulted in a population estimate of 1496 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1367-1899) across 30 groups (with a mean group size of 51), giving a density estimate of 3.64 (3.33-4.62) langurs/km². We found double-observer surveys to be suitable for the population estimation of langurs, and we make recommendations on how to effectively conduct primate surveys, especially in mountainous ecosystems. Our records extend the species distribution range beyond stated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Our findings also highlight that the Kashmir Himalaya is a stronghold of the species, where conservation efforts should focus.

Exploring soil bacterial diversity in different micro-vegetational habitats of Dachigam National Park in North-western Himalaya

Dachigam National Park (DNP), in Zabarwan mountains of north-western Himalaya constitutes a region of high biodiversity with greater endemism. DNP is known for its unique micro-climate together with distinct vegetational zones providing home to variety of threatened and endemic plant, animal, and bird species. However, studies on soil microbial diversity in fragile ecosystems of north-western Himalaya in general and DNP in particular are lacking. This was thus a maiden attempt to study variations in soil bacterial diversity of DNP with respect to changing soil physico-chemical properties, vegetation, and altitude. Soil parameters depicted significant variations among different sites with highest values for temperature, OC, OM and TN being 22.2 ± 0.75 °C, 6.53 ± 0.32%, 11.25 ± 0.54%, 0.545 ± 0.04% from site-2 (low altitudinal grassland site) in summer and lowest of 5.1 ± 0.65 °C, 1.24 ± 0.26%, 2.14 ± 0.45% and 0.132 ± 0.04% at site-9 (high altitudinal mixed pine site) in winter. Bacterial CFU showed significant correlations with soil physico-chemical attributes. This study led to the isolation and identification of 92 morphologically varied bacteria with the highest (15) from site-2 and lowest (04) from site-9 which post BLAST analysis (via 16S rRNA analysis) depicted presence of only 57 distinct bacterial species under taxonomic phylum, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Nine species were widely spread (i.e., isolated from > 3 sites), however, most bacteria (37) were restricted to a particular site. Diversity indices ranged between 1.380 to 2.631 (Shannon-Weiner's index); 0.747 to 0.923 (Simpson's index) with highest values for site-2 and lowest for site-9. Index of similarity was highest (47.1%) between riverine sites (site-3 and site-4) whereas two mixed pine sites (site-9 and site-10) showed no similarity.

Feeding ecology of the endangered Himalayan Gray Langur Semnopithecus ajax in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, India

This study on the feeding ecology of Himalayan Gray Langur or the Chamba Sacred Langur Semnopithecus ajax is a crucial baseline step as very little is known about this species due to its long taxonomic uncertainty and limited distribution range. This study was done in Kalatop-Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh using scan sampling method. A total of 71 scan samples were collected in the study area from September 2020 to November 2020 focusing on the autumn diet of the species. Group size, group composition, and distribution of the langurs were also recorded. Totally, 20 species of plants belonging to 15 different botanical families were recorded which contribute to the diet. Hedera nepalensis, Quercus oblongata, and Ilex dipyrena formed the major components of the diet. The langurs consumed a substantial portion of leaves (84.32%), followed by fruits and flowers. Mature leaves being a part of the diet of langurs has proven the broaden repertoires of langurs inhabiting the Himalayan landscape. Also, a difference in the diet composition of two study groups was recorded which might be the result of varying distribution with respect to elevation.

Biochemical Characterization and Functional Analysis of Heat Stable High Potential Protease of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Strain HM48 from Soils of Dachigam National Park in Kashmir Himalaya

A novel temperature stable alkaline protease yielding bacteria was isolated from the soils of Dachigam National Park, which is known to be inhabited by a wide variety of endemic plant and animal species of Western Himalaya. This high-potential protease producing isolate was characterized and identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain HM48 by morphological, Gram’s staining and biochemical techniques followed by molecular characterization using 16S rRNA approach. The extracellular protease of B. amyloliquefaciens HM48 was purified by precipitating with ammonium sulfate (80%), followed by dialysis and Gel filtration chromatography increasing its purity by 5.8-fold. The SDS–PAGE analysis of the purified enzyme confirmed a molecular weight of about ≈25 kDa. The enzyme displayed exceptional activity in a broad temperature range (10–90 °C) at pH 8.0, retaining its maximum at 70 °C, being the highest reported for this proteolytic Bacillus sp., with K_M and V_max of 11.71 mg/mL and 357.14 µmol/mL/min, respectively. The enzyme exhibited remarkable activity and stability against various metal ions, surfactants, oxidizing agent (H₂O₂), organic solvents and displayed outstanding compatibility with widely used detergents. This protease showed effective wash performance by exemplifying complete blood and egg-yolk stains removal at 70 °C and efficiently disintegrated chicken feathers making it of vital importance for laundry purpose and waste management. For functional analysis, protease gene amplification of strain HM48 yielded a nucleotide sequence of about 700 bp, which, when checked against the available sequences in NCBI, displayed similarity with subtilisin-like serine protease of B. amyloliquefaciens. The structure of this protease and its highest-priority substrate β-casein was generated through protein modeling. These protein models were validated through futuristic algorithms following which protein–protein (protease from HM48 and β-casein) docking was performed. The interaction profile of these proteins in the docked state with each other was also generated, shedding light on their finer details. Such attributes make this thermally stable protease novel and suitable for high-temperature industrial and environmental applications.