Abstract
Abstract Waterbirds constitute a prominent biota and reflect the ecosystem health and functionality of the freshwater wetlands. Documentation of the bird species assemblages of wetlands is therefore carried out as a part of monitoring of wetlands from a sustainability viewpoint. Using the emerging wetland of Purbasthali, West Bengal, India, as a model study area, the diversity of the associated bird species was estimated to supplement necessary information for conservation management of birds and ecosystems. The point count method was applied to count the waterbirds from each sighting location with a 25 m radius covering 360° arc and the counting period lasted 10 min for each site, and counts were made in the winter of 2016/2017. The data on the waterbirds encountered were recorded and subjected to diversity analysis, including the residential status, global population trend and feeding guilds. Apparently, the wetland was considered as suitable habitat for 27 waterbird species, which could be grouped under 24 genera, 10 families and 5 orders. Among these, the family Anatidae with maximum relative density and abundance dominated in the wetland. Out of the 27 recorded species, 5 species were widespread winter visitors, 3 species widespread resident, as well as, widespread winter visitors and 2 species were sparse local winter visitors. A globally near threatened species, the Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) was very common in the sampling sites. The waterbird assemblage in the wetland was dominated by carnivores followed by omnivores and herbivores. The abundance of the waterbirds with considerable variations in the foraging guild reflects availability and exploitation of multiple resources of the Purbasthali wetlands. Prominence in the differences in relative abundance of the different waterbirds could be linked with the heterogeneity in the habitat quality. The present information on waterbird assemblage calls for appropriate measures for conservation of the species and appropriate management of Purbasthali wetlands.
Highlights
Wetland ecosystems are the most productive and diversified aquatic ecosystems with higher economic, as well as, ecological values representing a balance between the environment and the life in it (Aynalem & Bekele 2008, Khan 2010)
Sampling efficiency was measured based on the number of waterbird species encountered during the study period which reached in more or less stable form on or after 10th sampling day (Figure 2)
During the course of this study, it was recorded that this emerging wetland providing a habitat of 27 waterbird species belongs to 24 genera, 10 families and 5 orders (Table 1)
Summary
Wetland ecosystems are the most productive and diversified aquatic ecosystems with higher economic, as well as, ecological values representing a balance between the environment and the life in it (Aynalem & Bekele 2008, Khan 2010). They use certain wetlands as a microhabitat for their reproduction, nesting and feeding activities (Weller 1999, Hazra et al 2012) Many of these waterbirds spend a certain period of time in one wetland and the rest of the time to another showing seasonal migratory behaviour (Gatto et al 2005). In addition to 37 wetlands with international importance under Ramsar convention, India has more than five hundred thousand other natural or artificial wetlands containing inland deltas, freshwater ponds, permanent or intermittent freshwater or brackish lakes extended in an area of 2.25 ha (Panigrahy et al 2012) All of these wetlands providing a suitable
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