Spatial and temporal patterns of waterbird abundance and species richness in a sewage fed wetland, Khodiyar, Gujarat, India. - J.I. Nirmal Kumar, M. Das, R.N. Kumar, Y. Verma. - Berkut. 19 (1-2). 2010. - P. 49-59.
The structure, composition and abundance pattern of species of waterbird assemblages in sewage fed wetlands has been poorly documented. The study explored censuses of twelve month from January to December, 2008. Overall, 71 waterbird species belonging to 48 genera and 15 families were registered, including 38 species year-round residents and 33 migratory species. Among these, 9 species were considered to be abundant, 38 species common and 24 species rare. The number of species varied among sites and showed seasonal pattern. Abundances were good in number during the winter period due to increased abundance of Anseriformes, Gruiformes and Ciconiiformes. Overall waterbird density was highest where resident species such as Greater Flamingo, Little Egret, Glossy Ibis and Black-winged Stilt were present; some migratory species such as Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Coot, Black-tailed Godwit and Ruff contributed to areas with high density during cooler days. The monthly data were pooled to compare various indices of species diversity, i.e. Shannon–Weaver (H’), Evenness (Hill’s) Index and Simpson’s Index. The Shannon–Weaver (H’) varied from 1.813 to 1.531, Evenness (Hill’s) Index from 34 to 65 and Simpson’s Index from 0.038 to 0.069. The local abundance and composition of waterbird assemblages seemed to be affected by the interplay of several environmental factors.
Key words: fauna, community, number, wetland.
Address: J.I. Nirmal Kumar, Dep. of Envir. Science and Technology, Inst. of Science and Technology for Advanced Studies and Research (ISTAR), Vallabh Vidyanagar, Anand 388120, Gujarat, India; email: istares2005@yahoo.com.