Responses of habitat suitability for migratory birds to increased water level during middle of dry season in the two largest freshwater lake wetlands of China

Abstract

Dongting Lake (DTL) and Poyang Lake (PYL), the China’s two largest freshwater lakes, are vital migration routes and wintering habitats for the migratory birds of East Asian – Australia. Due to damming and climate change, the water level during the middle of dry season (MDS) had a significant tendency of increasing in the two lakes. The habitat suitability for Anatidae, Charadriidae, Ardeidae and Laridae between the MDS with increasing of water level (DIW) and those with normal water level (DNW) were compared in this study, using geo-spatial overlay calculation, to reveal the responses of habitat suitability for migratory birds to increased water level during MDS in DTL and PYL. The results showed that the increased water level during MDS 1) had a negative influence on the habitat suitability for Anatidae and Charadriidae in DTL and PYL, and this influence in PYL was stronger than that of DTL; 2) had a neutral influence on the habitat suitability for Ardeidae in DTL and PYL, and this influence in PYL also was stronger than that of DTL; and 3) had a lesser negative influence on the habitat suitability for Laridae in DTL and had no influence on that of PYL.