• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.708-714
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• 2023

This study reports a new record of freshwater fish Macrognathus aral (Bloch & Schneider) from Aiechu-Kalikhola tributary of the Maukhola river in Sarpang, Bhutan. The species was found in shoal of the tributary and was identified using its morphometric characters. It can be identified and distinguished from its congeners reported in Bhutan by dorsal fin rays XIX, 47, anal fin rays III, 52, rostral plates 28, pectoral fin rays 19, caudal fin rays 15, soft rayed part of dorsal and anal fin separated by a notch from rounded caudal fin, and presence of four ocelli at the base of dorsal fins. Further studies are needed to better understand its distribution, ecology, and population dynamics in the country. A key to species belonging to Mastacembelidae of Bhutan including the new record is provided.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.39-48
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to revitalize ESG tourism in Bhutan by comparing and analyzing the ESG tourism status in Bhutan and the ESG tourism status in Korea. Big data analysis using text mining was performed by selecting "Bhutan ESG Tourism" and "Korea ESG Tourism" as keywords. The top 30 keywords were extracted through word purification, and based on this, data visualization was conducted through network analysis and Concor analysis between each keyword. As a result of the analysis, it was confirmed that Bhutan, unlike Korea, did not utilize it even though it had elements to incorporate ESG and the tourism industry into the country itself. As a result, since it is necessary to combine ESG elements owned by Bhutan and combine them with the tourism industry, we would like to suggest the direction of combining ESG and the tourism industry through this study.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.521-525
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• 2018

Rodents are well-known reservoirs and vectors of many emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, but little is known about their role in zoonotic disease transmission in Bhutan. In this study, a cross-sectional investigation of zoonotic disease pathogens in rodents was performed in Chukha district, Bhutan, where a high incidence of scrub typhus and cases of acute undifferentiated febrile illness had been reported in people during the preceding 4-6 months. Twelve rodents were trapped alive using wire-mesh traps. Following euthanasia, liver and kidney tissues were removed and tested using PCR for Orientia tsutsugamushi and other bacterial and rickettsial pathogens causing bartonellosis, borreliosis, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, leptospirosis, and rickettsiosis. A phylogenetic analysis was performed on all rodent species captured and pathogens detected. Four out of the 12 rodents (33.3%) tested positive by PCR for zoonotic pathogens. Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella grahamii, and B. queenslandensis were identified for the first time in Bhutan. Leptospira interrogans was also detected for the first time from rodents in Bhutan. The findings demonstrate the presence of these zoonotic pathogens in rodents in Bhutan, which may pose a risk of disease transmission to humans.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.170-180
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• 2023

Discoveries and new records of plants specifically provide a basis for empirical data to enable in-depth studies of the ecology, distribution, conservation, applications, and threats to such plants. However, many unexplored regions of Bhutan exist in which several plants have yet to be described and documented. Several species reported elsewhere in the Himalayan region with similar climatic conditions are likely to occur in Bhutan as well, indicating a need to corroborate their presence. To explore this, an opportunistic survey was employed, and we provide nine new records of plant species for Bhutan. Of the nine species, three belonged to the Lauraceae family, with the rest from the Aristolochiaceae, Asparagaceae, Lamiaceae, Phyllanthaceae, Sapindaceae, and Urticaceae families. This paper adds nine additional species of plants to the flora of Bhutan. We also report here ethnobotanical applications of these species, providing insight into how communities interact with environmental resources and have the potential to integrate traditional knowledge into scientific understanding, ultimately to reinforce sustainable biocultural conservation at the local level.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.173-183
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• 2022

Through the collection of herbarium specimens in Bhutan over the years, new plant species are discovered nearly annually. Thus, this paper reports two new genera and 19 new records of flowering plant species from Bhutan. The new genera include Eurycorymbus of the family Sapindaceae and Homalium of the family Salicaceae. The new records of plant species are Eranthemum erythrochilum (Acanthaceae), Hemidesmus indicus (Apocynaceae), Ilex umbellulata (Aquifoliaceae), Canarium strictum (Burseraceae), Ehretia acuminate (Boraginaceae), Vaccinium sikkimense (Ericaceae), Nothapodytes foetida (Icacinaceae), Machilus edulis (Lauraceae), Grewia asiatica (Malvaceae), Hibiscus fragrans (Malvaceae), Cipadessa baccifera (Meliaceae), Baccaurea javanica (Phyllanthaceae), Canthiumera glabra (Rubiaceae), Homalium napaulense (Salicaceae), Eurycorymbus cavaleriei (Sapindaceae), Acmella radicans (Asteraceae), Silene latifolia (Caryophyllaceae), Cleome rutidosperma (Cleomaceae), and Cuphea carthagenensis (Lythraceae). Morphological determinations of the genera and species were carried out at the National Herbarium (THIM) of the National Biodiversity Centre of Bhutan. Brief descriptions of the species, phenology, and photo plates are provided in this annotated checklist.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.24-28
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• 2022

Pteris griffithii Hook., one of the rarest fern species on the Indian subcontinent, is reported from Bhutan for the first time. The identity of this species was confirmed through morphological determination at the National Herbarium (THIM) of the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC) of Bhutan. It was found only in one location, in Gyelpozhing in eastern Bhutan, at an elevation of 521 m a.s.l. on 10 January 2016. Given that a very limited study of this species was conducted, the knowledge baseline with regard to its distribution is poor. It is also reported that this species has not been found for several years. The species is also considered to be very rare or critically endangered in some countries; however, there are no assessments on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List for this particular species. This paper attempts to provide baseline information considering its rarity and data deficiency. This species is also reported from the adjacent neighboring Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as very rare, and also from Myanmar; however, confirmation of its presence in China is not clear at this time. Therefore, considering its data deficient status, we attempt to document it scientifically to create a knowledgebase pertaining to this particular species. Concurrently, this species merits further research to understand its distribution patterns in Bhutan and any related anthropogenic threats.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.235-245
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• 2022

Bhutan is endowed with rich biodiversity with several edible and useful fern species. Ferns have been used by local communities for centuries as vegetables, ethnobotanical artifacts, and as medicines. Owing to the limited study of edible and useful pteridophytes in the country, the knowledgebase remains poor. In this study, we attempt to document edible and useful fern species in the country scientifically while also providing an annotated checklist.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2023

We investigated Soil respiration in Bluepine forest of western Bhutan, in relation to soil temperature, moisture content and soil pH and it was aimed at establishing variability in space and time. The Bluepine forest thrives in the typical shallow dry valleys in the inter-montane Bhutan Himalaya, which is formed by ascending wind from the valley bottom, which carries moisture from the river away to the mountain ridges. Stratified random sampling was applied and the study site was classified into top, mid, low slope and further randomized sample of n=20 from 30 m×30 m from each altitude. The overall soil respiration mean for the forest was found 2248.17 CO₂ g yr^-1 and it is ~613.58 C g yr^-1. The RS from three sites showed a marginal variation amongst sites, lower slope (2,309 m) was 4.64 μ mol m^-2 s^-1, mid slope (2,631 m) was 6.78 μ mol m^-2 s^-1 and top slope (3,027 m) was 6.33 μ mol m^-2 s^-1 and mean of 5.92 μ mol m^-2 s^-1, SE=0.25 for the forest. Temporal distribution and variations were observed more pronounced than in the space variation. Soil respiration was found highest during March and lowest in September. Soil temperature had almost inverse trend against soil respiration and dropped a low in February and peak in July. The moisture in the soil changed across months with precipitation and pH remained almost consistent across the period. The soil respiration and soil temperature had significant relationship R²=-0.61, p=0.027 and other variables were found insignificant. Similar relationship are reported for dry season in a tropical forest soil respiration. Soil temperature was found to have most pronounced effect on the soil respiration of the forest under study.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.946-951
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• 2003

The Genetic diversity and relationship of native Siri (Bos indicus) cattle populations of Bhutan were evaluated using 20 microsatellite markers. A total of 120 Siri cattle were sampled and were grouped into four populations according to their geographical locations which were named Siri West, Siri South, Siri Central and Siri East cattle. For each, 30 individuals were sampled. In addition, 30 samples each of Indian Jaba (B. indicus), Tibetan Goleng (B. taurus), Nepal Hill cattle (B. indicus), Holstein Friesian (B.taurus) and Mithun (B. frontalis) were typed. The mean number of alleles per loci (MNA) and observed heterozygosity (Ho) were high in the Siri populations ($MNA=7.2{\pm}0.3$ to $8.9{\pm}0.5$ and $Ho=0.67{\pm}0.04$ to $0.73{\pm}0.03$). The smallest coefficient of genetic differentiation and genetic distance ($F_{ST}=0.015$ and $D_A=0.073$) were obtained between Siri West and Siri Central populations. Siri East population is genetically distinct from the other Siri populations being close to the Indian Jaba ($F_{ST}=0.024$ and $D_A=0.084$). A high bootstrap value of 96% supported the close relationship of Siri South, Siri Central and Siri West, while the relationship between Siri East and Jaba was also supported by a high bootstrap value (82%). Data from principal component analysis and individual assignment test were in concordance with the inference from genetic distance and differentiation. In conclusion we identified two separate Siri cattle populations in Bhutan at the genetic level. One population included Siri cattle sampled from the West, Central and South of the country and the other Siri cattle was sampled from the East of the country. We suggest that Siri cattle conservation program in Bhutan should focus on the former population as it has received less genetic influence from other cattle breeds.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.105-117
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• 2023

Climate change and invasive alien plant species (IAPs) are having a significant impact on mountain ecosystems. The combination of climate change and socio-economic development is exacerbating the invasion of IAPs, which are a major threat to biodiversity loss and ecosystem functioning. Species distribution modelling has become an important tool in predicting the invasion or suitability probability under climate change based on occurrence data and environmental variables. MaxEnt modelling was applied to predict the current suitable distribution of most noxious weed A. adenophora (Spreng) R. King and H. Robinson and analysed the changes in distribution with the use of current (year 2000) environmental variables and future (year 2050) climatic scenarios consisting of 3 representative concentration pathways (RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) in Bhutan. Species occurrence data was collected from the region of interest along the road side using GPS handset. The model performance of both current and future climatic scenario was moderate in performance with mean temperature of wettest quarter being the most important variable that contributed in model fit. The study shows that current climatic condition favours the A. adenophora for its invasion and RCP 2.6 climatic scenario would promote aggression of invasion as compared to RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 climatic scenarios. This can lead to characterization of the species as preferring moderate change in climatic conditions to be invasive, while extreme conditions can inhibit its invasiveness. This study can serve as reference point for the conservation and management strategies in control of this species and further research.