Using Macroinvertebrates and Birds to Assess the Environmental Status of Wetlands across Different Climatic Zones in Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

We investigated the variation in macroinvertebrate and bird fauna of 12 different freshwater wetlands located in three different climatic zones of southwestern Ethiopia. Data on macroinvertebrates, birds, physico-chemical water quality variables, human disturbance and vegetation cover were collected from 62 sampling sites during the dry and wet season of 2015. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used to identify the most important variables explaining the variation in macroinvertebrates and birds. Twenty four percent of the variation in macroinvertebrate richness was explained by a combination of vegetation cover and dissolved oxygen, whereas 34% of the variation in macroinvertebrate abundance was explained by a combination of dissolved oxygen saturation, electric conductivity, total phosphorus and vegetation cover. A combination of water depth, dissolved oxygen, human disturbance and macroinvertebrate abundance explained about 34% and 31% of variation in bird species richness and abundance, respectively. Richness and abundance of macroinvertebrate and wetland dependent birds were significantly (P < 0.05) different between wetlands. When investigating the ecological status of wetlands, local environmental conditions of wetland should be taken into account for the development of wetland conservation strategies.