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Diversity and Threats of Avifauna in Cheleleka Wetland, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

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Diversity and Threats of Avifauna in Cheleleka Wetland, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia Research in Ecology | Volume 02 | Issue 04 | December 2020 Research in Ecology https://ojs.bilpublishing.com/index.php/re ARTICLE Diversity and Threats of Avifauna in Cheleleka Wetland, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia Amare Gibru* Zelalem Temesgen Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Ethiopia ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history This study was conducted in Cheleleka Wetland, Central Rift Valley of Received: 27 November 2020 Ethiopia to assess Species diversity and threats of aviafuana from August to February 2019. Data were analysed by using Simpson’s and Shannon-Wein- Accepted: 16 December 2020 er Index in analysing biodiversity indices. One way ANOVA was applied Published Online: 30 December 2020 for analysis of the effect of season on the composition and abundance of species. Questionnaire surveys, key informant interviews and focus group Keywords: discussion were also used to determine the threats of avifauna in the study Species richness area. The result indicated that 49 avian species record under 21 families and 10 orders during both the wet and dry seasons. The Shannon-Weiner diver- Cheleleka wetland sity index shown that highest bird species diversity (H’=3.42) was recorded Bird during wet season. Over grazing, agricultural expansion, settlement and Threats sand extraction were the major avifaunal threats in the wetland. The result suggests that the need to conserve the avifauna through the conservation of their habitats by creating awareness to the local people and it will enable to decrease biodiversity threats. 1. Introduction provide enormous benefits for ecotourism activities[27] . The (IUCN) “Red List” document shown that amount vian species play a significant role in enriching of extinction are getting worse among species restricted to the biological diversity of wetlands. Wetlands lesser islands to inland level [7]. This damage is mostly in habitats are considered one of the most fruitful line for their gradually intolerance to the lowest ecosystem [14,22] A [19] environments in the glob . They are homes for wide disruption which is related to pollution , habitat type range of biodiversity including the assemblages of birds, and bird distribution [3], wetland patch size [17], farming reptiles, amphibians, mammals, fish and invertebrate spe- system and town expansion within the wetland ecosystem [2,25] cies . These habitats are also vital stores of plant ge- [20] and habitat destruction [26]. [8,9] netic material . This is an indication for the recognition These anthropogenic factors at the landscape scale, has by Ramsar International in 1971 as a haven for waterfowl structured the diversity and the abundance of bird species [12] habitats . In line for to their immense biodiversity and due to their highly specific habitat requirements [15]. Sym- ecological features, wetlands are also destinations for pathetic overall bird reactions to disturbances also require recreational and ecotourism opportunities [10,23]. Where the assessment of the different disturbance consequences wetlands habitats are developed as ecotourism sites, they on a seasonal basis, because of the impacts of environ- *Corresponding Author: Amare Gibru, Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Ethiopia; Email: [email protected] Distributed under creative commons license 4.0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v2i4.2621 53 Research in Ecology | Volume 02 | Issue 04 | December 2020 mental factors are many and differ along seasonal tenden- cies. The country harbors 864 avian species of which 19 are endemics, 35 are globally threatened and 1 introduced species and a further 13 are shared only with Eritrea [29]. Although these findings were recorded from parts of Ethiopia, the phenomenon suggests that some birds may be under threat or at risk of extinction, giving current un- documented, but observed ecological disturbances on the wetlands. Environmental variations and land use activities within Cheleleka wetland like urbanization, change of shrub by woodland and bush land in to cultivated land and change of Lake Cheleleka in to a swamp are found to be the major changes [28]. And this can possibly disturb bird Figure 1. Location map of the study area species diversity and habitat preference. Systematic studies on bird ecosystem, richness and abundance is inadequate in Cheleleka wetland. There is 3. Materials and Methods a vital need for collecting appropriate information on the Ornithological Data were collected from 6:30 a.m. to diversity of the water bird communities to fill gaps on the 10:00 a.m. in the morning and from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. overall bird list from this habitat types to the country list. in the afternoon while bird activity was highest and on The preparation of a list of species is essential to the study days with worthy weather conditions [11]. Avian population of avifauna of an area, because a list indicates species was assessed using total count method [21]. In this method, [4,5] diversity in a common sense . Thus, the absence of a representative wetlands were identified and birds in the scientific exploration makes it impossible to determine areas were counted. Weekly visits to the site were made the current state of bird diversity and habitat preference for six months during both wet and dry seasons and an av- on the study area. The result of this study will help pro- erage of 2 weeks was accounted for a month around total vide biodiversity managers with first-hand information of 80 recording hours. During counting of birds the start on the types of anthropogenic disturbances and how these and end geographical coordinates of each blocks were disturbances could possibly change bird abundance in the saved in Garmin 72 GPS unit to ensure same blocks were future and the selection of proper management method for repeated during the dry season. Date including starting improving the sustainability of bird abundance. and finishing time, bird species, number and survey site were recorded. Bird identification was carried out on their 2. Description of the Study Area [34] morphological features and calls and using field guides [34,37] Cheleleka wetland comprises parts of Oromya Regional , and observations were assisted by Nikon (8x40mm) State, and Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples’ binoculars. On each sampling transect line and in each Regional State (Figure 1). Cheleleka Wetland is locat- counting session, a species heard without being seen was ed in the upper side of Lake Hawassa and at the exit of recorded once to escape overestimation of species abun- [37] the Tikur Wuha River. The geographical co-ordinates of dance due to repeated vocal by the similar individual . Cheleleka wetland lies on 07˚ 00' 13'' - 07˚6' 37''N and Finally, birds’ checklist was prepared on the basis of their [7] 38˚30' 51''-38˚ 34' 44''E. It is located around 265 km scientific names, common names and IUCN status as per [34] far from Addis Ababa the capital city of Ethiopia with and . altitudes ranging from 1670-2000m a.s.l. in a total area Secondary and primary data collection methods like of 56.6 km2. The major vegetation varieties found in the Key informants, focus group discussion, and interview studied wetland are Typha (cattail), which is emergent and were used to identify threats of bird species. Personal herbaceous, and Nymphaea odorata (water lily), which is observation also used to find out information related to of the floating-leaved type. Mean annual temperature is threats on bird species within the wetland habitat. The around 19 ℃ . The rainfall is much higher (around1250 questions contain a group with closed style items requir- mm annually) in Cheleleka wetland and the surrounding ing the respondents to rank their percentage of agreement highlands. with a particular item such as “yes” or “no”; “increas- ing”, “decreasing” and unchanged (where 1=disagree; 2= neutral; and 3=agree) depend on a particular question 54 Distributed under creative commons license 4.0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v2i4.2621 Research in Ecology | Volume 02 | Issue 04 | December 2020 as used by [35]. Detailed interviews were conducted using Accipitriformes, Charadriiformes, Columbiformes and structured and semi structured questions. In doing so the Piciformes one species each (Table 1). Out of the species participants for the detailed interview were selected pur- recorded in the study area, Wattled Ibis (Bostrychia carun- posively based on their tasks they have, knowledge, and culata) was endemic to both Ethiopia and Eritrea (Table 1). relevance to subjects understudy. The species composition of birds during the wet and Three FGD were accompanied. The contributors were dry seasons was not significantly different (ANOVA p = selected purposively based on their duties they had knowl- 0.23) but there was a significant difference in the abun- edgeable, and the importance to the problems under study. dance of bird species (t=-1.13, P <0.05) The first two FGD was held with experts (4 from agricul- ture, 2 tourism experts, 3 natural resources management Table 1. Systematic list of bird species at Cheleleka wet- expert, 3 plant sciences, 2 animal science, and 4 wildlife land (August. 2018 to February. 2019) experts). The third FGD was carried out with local com- 2018 Biological Family/ IUCN munities, (2 from religious leaders, 4 from diverse types Common Name Order MS of community members and 4 village administrators). Name sub family Red List category Determined, methodical and careful observation and Ciconia Ciconiinae recording of information based on the threats of birds was abdimii Ciconi- AM LC Abdim’s Stork Accipitri- Polyboroi- formes R LC carrying out by using surveillance checklists. Camera was dae des typus used to take the pictures of bird species and anthropogenic African pygmy Nettapus Anseri- Anatinae NM LC practices in and around the wetland. Goose auritus formes Amauromis Grui- Black Crake Rallinae R LC 4. Data analysis flavirostris formes Corvus Passeri- Black Crow Corvidae R LC Statistical Product Services and Solutions (SPSS) Version capensis formes Egretta Pelecani- Black Heron Ardeidae NM LC 20 software was used to do the statistical analysis.
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