Developed and validated a transferable dual-model SDM framework that separates fundamental environmental suitability from realized habitat under anthropogenic constraints—applied to Asian elephants across a 2,607 km² protected forest–agricultural frontier in south-central Bhutan. The Full Model (incorporating anthropogenic variables) substantially outperformed the environment-only Ideal Model (AUC 0.896 vs. 0.848), with anthropogenic pressure excluding ~57 km² (~10%) of highly suitable habitat. Human–elephant conflict clustered in high-quality core habitat (mean suitability 0.733 vs. 0.197 landscape-wide), demonstrating that conflict reflects niche overlap rather than displacement into marginal areas. The framework generates a three-category conservation triage map applicable to any megafauna system with occurrence data and anthropogenic predictor layers.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Climate-driven Habitat Changes and Refugia Dynamics for Asian Elephants in Bhutan under CMIP6 Scenarios","authors":"Wangdi & Laxmi Sagar","venue":"Ecology & Evolution","category":"Research Publication","status":"Under Review","year":"2026","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/climate-refugia-asian-elephants-main.pdf","linkLabel":null,"links":[{"label":"View Main","url":"/publications/climate-refugia-asian-elephants-main.pdf"},{"label":"View Supplement","url":"/publications/climate-refugia-asian-elephants-supplementary.pdf"}],"tags":["CMIP6","Climate refugia","Asian elephants","Ensemble SDM"]},"html":"Modelled present and future habitat suitability for Asian elephants across Bhutan using an ensemble of four algorithms calibrated with 252 verified presences, 837 verified absences, and 17 predictors. The manuscript identifies 4,670 km² of suitable habitat, with 57.1% outside protected areas, and 4,160 km² of climate-stable refugia, 53.6% of which also lies outside the protected-area network. The card links the main manuscript and supplementary file together.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Integrating Biodiversity, Structural Complexity, and Canopy Dynamics Across a National Forest Gradient in Bhutan: Implications for Monitoring and Management","authors":"Wangdi, Laxmi Sagar, Sangay Chedup, Sangay Dorjee & Tashi Waiba Norbu","venue":"Forest Ecology and Management","category":"Research Publication","status":"Under Review","year":"2026","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/forest-gradient-bhutan-main.pdf","linkLabel":null,"links":[{"label":"View Main","url":"/publications/forest-gradient-bhutan-main.pdf"},{"label":"View Supplement","url":"/publications/forest-gradient-bhutan-supplementary.pdf"}],"tags":["National Forest Inventory","Structural complexity","MODIS EVI","Mountain forests"]},"html":"Integrated 107,876 vegetation records across 2,185 species from 1,942 National Forest Inventory plots with environmental rasters and MODIS EVI trends from 2000-2024. The manuscript shows that biodiversity, structural complexity, and canopy greenness are only weakly coupled across Bhutan's mountain forest gradient, making satellite greenness an incomplete proxy for floristic or structural change. The main manuscript and supplementary file are linked together here.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptive Capacity of Rural Communities in South Central Bhutan","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Manuscript in preparation","category":"Research Publication","status":"In Preparation","year":"2026","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/climate-vulnerability-adaptive-capacity-bhutan.pdf","linkLabel":null,"links":null,"tags":["Climate vulnerability","Adaptive capacity","Rural communities","Bhutan"]},"html":"Assesses climate change vulnerability and adaptive capacity among rural communities in south-central Bhutan, linking exposure, sensitivity, and institutional response capacity to climate-adaptive planning and community resilience.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Movement Ecology and Habitat Selection of Asian Elephants in the Gelephu-Sarpang Region","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Manuscript in preparation","category":"Research Publication","status":"In Preparation","year":"2026","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/elephant-movement-habitat-selection.pdf","linkLabel":null,"links":null,"tags":["Asian elephants","Movement ecology","Habitat selection","Gelephu-Sarpang"]},"html":"Examines movement ecology and habitat selection by Asian elephants in the Gelephu-Sarpang region, linking field evidence and spatial analysis to elephant habitat use, movement behavior, and conservation planning.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Movement States and Seasonal Search Dynamics of Asian Elephants","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Manuscript in preparation","category":"Research Publication","status":"In Preparation","year":"2026","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/elephant-seasonal-search-dynamics.pdf","linkLabel":null,"links":null,"tags":["Asian elephants","Movement states","Seasonal dynamics"]},"html":"Investigates seasonal search dynamics and movement states of Asian elephants, focusing on how movement behavior shifts across seasonal resource availability, landscape constraints, and human-dominated areas.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Forest Carbon Sequestration Potential under CMIP6 Scenarios","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Manuscript in preparation","category":"Research Publication","status":"In Preparation","year":"2026","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/forest-carbon-sequestration-cmip6.pdf","linkLabel":null,"links":null,"tags":["Forest carbon","CMIP6","Climate scenarios","Carbon sequestration"]},"html":"Evaluates forest carbon sequestration potential under CMIP6 climate scenarios, connecting projected climate change, forest condition, and carbon storage implications for climate-responsive forest management.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Manuscript in preparation","category":"Research Publication","status":"In Preparation","year":"2026","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/wild-edible-medicinal-plants.pdf","linkLabel":null,"links":null,"tags":["Wild edible plants","Medicinal plants","Non-wood forest products","Bhutan"]},"html":"Documents wild edible and medicinal plants, highlighting species use, conservation relevance, and the importance of botanical knowledge for community-linked forest stewardship and non-wood forest product management.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Vegetation Community Composition and Species–Environment Relationships Along an Elevational Gradient in South-Central Bhutan","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Journal of Vegetation Science","category":"Research Publication","status":"Under Review","year":"2026","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/vegetation-community-main.pdf","linkLabel":null,"links":[{"label":"View Main","url":"/publications/vegetation-community-main.pdf"}],"tags":["Elevational gradient","Community ecology","Canonical correspondence analysis","Regeneration dynamics"]},"html":"Analysed vegetation data across 220 plots spanning four strata (trees, shrubs, herbs, regeneration) in unmanaged subtropical to cool broadleaved forests (260–1,964 m a.s.l.) in south-central Bhutan. Community composition differed significantly among forest types across all strata (PERMANOVA R² 0.017–0.050; p = 0.001), while environmental predictors (temperature–elevation and precipitation gradients) explained 3.2–3.8% of variation in trees and shrubs. Trees showed the highest Shannon diversity (1.391 ± 0.595); herbs the lowest (0.325 ± 0.451). Random forest models for regeneration richness showed modest cross-validated performance (RMSE 1.165 ± 0.182; R² 0.142 ± 0.040). Results demonstrate that fine-scale heterogeneity and vertical decoupling dominate community assembly along this gradient, with implications for monitoring climate-driven compositional shifts in Himalayan broadleaved forests.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Ecosystem Integrity in Bhutan's Protected Area Network: A Spatial Assessment Using the Ecosystem Integrity Index","authors":"Wangdi Wangdi & Tashi Choden","venue":"Manuscript under review","category":"Research Publication","status":"Under Review","year":"2026","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/Manuscript_revised_MAIN.pdf","linkLabel":null,"links":null,"tags":["Ecosystem Integrity Index","Protected areas","Remote sensing","KM-GBF Target 3"]},"html":"Applied the globally standardised Ecosystem Integrity Index (EII) to all 19 protected areas and biological corridors in Bhutan's Eastern Himalayan network (19,750 km² at 300 m resolution via Google Earth Engine). Network-wide area-weighted mean EII was 0.679 (SD = 0.102), with 14 of 19 protected areas maintaining mean values above 0.60. Structural and compositional integrity were consistently high (means > 0.950), while functional integrity showed greater heterogeneity (mean = 0.655). Biological corridors exhibited the widest integrity range (0.478–0.821), with direct implications for landscape connectivity management. Provides the first national-scale test of EII-based monitoring as a KM-GBF Target 3 compliance tool in a Himalayan biodiversity hotspot.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Spatiotemporal Risk Partitioning Among Tigers, Prey, and Human Activity in South-Central Bhutan","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Manuscript in preparation","category":"Research Publication","status":"In Preparation","year":"2026","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/tiger-risk-partitioning.pdf","linkLabel":null,"links":null,"tags":["Spatiotemporal ecology","Risk partitioning","Tiger","Camera trapping"]},"html":"Examines how tigers, prey species, and human activity partition space and time in a shared multi-use landscape in south-central Bhutan. Uses occupancy and activity pattern analysis from systematic camera trap data to quantify temporal overlap, avoidance, and co-occurrence dynamics among apex predators, ungulate prey, and human disturbance—revealing how wildlife and people navigate shared landscapes under varying pressure gradients.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Community Assembly and Environmental Filtering Along a Disturbance-Climate Gradient in a Himalayan Tiger Landscape","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Manuscript in preparation","category":"Research Publication","status":"In Preparation","year":"2026","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/community-assembly-disturbance-climate-gradient.pdf","linkLabel":null,"links":null,"tags":["Community assembly","Environmental filtering","Disturbance gradient","Himalaya"]},"html":"Investigates how plant community assembly and environmental filtering operate along a combined disturbance–climate gradient within a Himalayan tiger conservation landscape. Examines the relative roles of abiotic filtering, dispersal limitation, and disturbance history in structuring vegetation communities across a gradient from low-disturbance forest interior to high-disturbance edge and human-influenced zones, with implications for monitoring vegetation change in multi-use protected landscapes.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Conflict to Co-existence Strategy: Dekiling","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Management plan and strategy","category":"C2C Strategy","status":"C2C Strategy","year":"2025","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/coexistence-strategy-dekiling.pdf","linkLabel":"View Strategy","links":null,"tags":["Human-elephant conflict","Coexistence strategy","Dekiling"]},"html":"Human-wildlife conflict management strategy for Dekiling Gewog covering 2026-2030. Prepared through Divisional Forest Office, Sarpang, the document translates conflict evidence, field realities, and management priorities into practical mitigation and coexistence actions.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Conflict to Co-existence Strategy: Gakiling","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Management plan and strategy","category":"C2C Strategy","status":"C2C Strategy","year":"2025","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/coexistence-strategy-gakiling.pdf","linkLabel":"View Strategy","links":null,"tags":["Human-elephant conflict","Coexistence strategy","Gakiling"]},"html":"Human-wildlife conflict management strategy for Gakiling Gewog covering 2026-2030. The strategy supports structured mitigation planning and long-term coexistence in a priority human-elephant conflict landscape under Divisional Forest Office, Sarpang.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Sarpang Forest Division Management Plan","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Management plan and strategy","category":"Management Plan","status":"Management Plan","year":"2024","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/sarpang-forest-division-management-plan.pdf","linkLabel":"View Management Plan","links":null,"tags":["Sarpang Forest Division","Forest management","Conservation planning"]},"html":"Divisional Forest Office Management Plan for Sarpang covering January 2026 to December 2036. The plan supports long-term forest governance, divisional conservation programming, landscape management priorities, and field implementation under the Department of Forests and Park Services.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Conservation Management Plan for Biological Corridor 03","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Management plan and strategy","category":"Management Plan","status":"Management Plan","year":"2023","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/bc03-conservation-management-plan.pdf","linkLabel":"View Management Plan","links":null,"tags":["Biological Corridor 03","Conservation management","Corridor planning"]},"html":"Conservation Management Plan for Biological Corridor 03, covering the 2023-2033 planning period for the corridor connecting Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary, and Royal Manas National Park. The plan frames ecological connectivity and species persistence as the core management objective for this landscape connector.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Analysis of Physical and Chemical Properties of Natural Salt Licks and Determination of Animal Presence","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Journal of Renewable Natural Resources Bhutan","category":"Research Publication","status":"Published","year":"2021","external":"https://www.bjnrd.org/index.php/bjnrd/article/view/80/77","pdf":"/publications/salt-licks.pdf","linkLabel":"View Article","links":null,"tags":["Salt licks","Wildlife ecology","Mineral nutrition","Bhutan"]},"html":"Characterised the physical and chemical properties of natural salt licks and quantified wildlife visitation patterns across Bhutan's forests. Found significant variation in mineral composition across lick types and documented multi-species use including large ungulates and carnivores. Established baseline data on a critical mineral resource that shapes large mammal space use and habitat selection in the Eastern Himalayan region.
"}},{"node":{"frontmatter":{"title":"Diversity of Aquatic Beetles Along Altitudinal Gradients and Water Quality Parameters","authors":"Wangdi et al.","venue":"Journal of Renewable Natural Resources Bhutan","category":"Research Publication","status":"Published","year":"2021","external":null,"pdf":"/publications/aquatic-beetles.pdf","linkLabel":"View Article","links":null,"tags":["Aquatic beetles","Altitudinal gradient","Water quality","Macroinvertebrates"]},"html":"Quantified aquatic beetle (Coleoptera) diversity across an altitudinal gradient and assessed relationships with water-quality parameters in Bhutanese waterways. Documented how elevation and physicochemical conditions structure macroinvertebrate communities in Himalayan streams. Findings contribute baseline biodiversity data for freshwater conservation planning in a globally significant mountain biodiversity hotspot.
"}}]}}}