Avifaunal diversity in Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Campus, Assam, India

Abstract

Indian Institute of Technology - Guwahati (IITG), Assam, is an ecologically rich campus hosting different species of birds, butterflies and mammals. It accommodates several migratory and resident species of birds across different seasons. However, information is scanty on avian diversity with respect to the different habitats of the campus. Therefore, the present study attempts to gain insight into avian diversity with respect to habitat heterogeneity by considering the species presence-absence dataset collected for three years (2017–2020). A multivariate Beta (β) diversity analysis is carried out for the IITG campus constituted of five primary habitats, viz., secondary growth, eco–forest, water bodies, swampy-marshy area, and constructions. Of 152 bird species observed in the IITG campus, the highest number is reported from secondary growth, followed by eco-forest. The multivariate analysis shows that the average β–diversity for the IITG campus is approximately equal to 79%, which is in accordance with another published study. These observations are examined in light of hypotheses and phenomena documented in the literature, such as habitat heterogeneity hypothesis, niche-based hypothesis and anthropogenic impact on habitats. The study also establishes that the IITG is among the educational institutes and campuses that host many migratory bird species. Lastly, based on the outcomes of β–diversity analysis, it is suggested that the conservation effort for avian species in the campus should be directed towards individual habitats uniformly.