EFFECT OF HABITAT FRAGMENTATION ON DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF NESTING BIRDS IN AN URBAN LANDSCAPE: THE CASE OF MWALIMUNYERERE CAMPUS THICKETS, UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA John D. Shirima and Chacha Werema Department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation, University of Dar es Salaam P.O. Box 35064, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Corresponding author: [email protected] ABSTRACT Little is known of the nesting bird species in most of urban areas of East Africa. An investigation was made of the occurrence of breeding bird species in the fragmented thickets found in the Mwalimu Nyerere Campus of the University of Dar es Salaam, in the City of Dar es Salaam. The study examined how habitat fragmentation affects nesting bird species richness and diversity in the thickets. Systematic physical nest searches of breeding birds were conducted in the fragmented thickets. Searches were conducted in transects and they included inspecting vegetation, bare ground, cavities, stream (river) banks and other suitable nesting locations for the presence of active nests. Numbers and diversity of nesting bird species increased with fragment size which suggest that most nesting birds avoid smaller fragments and that reductions in size of habitat might negatively affect majority of the nesting bird species. For continued conservation of birds, protection of the remaining thicket fragments on the campus is recommended. Keywords: fragmentation, nesting birds, thickets, campus of the University of Dar es Salaam, nest species diversity INTRODUCTION number of ways from the natural Habitat fragmentation, the process of environment: for example, in urban areas, subdividing continuous habitat into smaller wooded habitats are extensively fragmented, patches (Andren 1994), is the most vegetation cover is very sparse and some important threat to forested ecosystems vegetation layers are lacking (Gilbert 1989). (Bierregaard et al. 2001). It may occur naturally through fire (Picket and Thompson Habitat fragmentation can result in 1978) and gaps created by falling trees population declines of birds by reducing (Foster 1980) but the most important and adequate space for territories, nest sites, and large scale cause is anthropogenic through other critical resources (Rolstad 1991). It has clearing for agriculture, road construction, been shown to lead to extinction of some urbanisation and other human development species that are dependent on the forest (Andren 1994, Tewskbury et al. 2006, (Leck 1979, Newmark 1991, Kattanet al. Newmark and Stanley 2011). When a habitat 1994). Habitat fragmentation also can lead is lost, not only is the overall area reduced, to changes in predator densities or numbers, but the remaining habitat also becomes and has been shown to increase predation fragmented and there is an increase in pressure on forest birds and their nests distance between patches (Opdam et al. (Andrén 1985). 1995). Knowledge on the effects of habitat fragmentation due to urbanisation is Furthermore, habitat fragmentation also important because urban habitats differ in a appears to affect the availability of food Tanz. J. Sci. Vol. 43(1), 2017 resources which in turn can reduce bird assess whether habitat fragmentation has fecundity (Zanette and Jenkins 2000). affected breeding birds in this area since the Habitat fragmentation can therefore campus was constructed in the 1960’s, six dramatically impact avian reproduction fragments of different sizes were studied success, either directly through reduced food during the breeding season. In this study we availability, or indirectly through increases attempted to (1) assess which bird species in predation pressure. It also leads to an breed in the main campus thickets, and (2) increase in resistance to dispersal of birds ascertain whether habitat fragmentation has between fragments (Opdam et al. 1995, a negative effect on breeding bird species, Newmark et al. 2010). both in terms of number of breeding species and abundance of nesting birds. Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere campus (here after campus) is an area of MATERIALS AND METHODS about 500 hectares which presently has ca. Study area 180 hectares of woody vegetation in the The campus of the University of Dar es form of bush thickets. As a result of Salaam is situated about 10 km north-west construction of buildings (residential houses, of the Dar es Salaam city centre (6° 46′ S - lecture halls, offices and laboratories), roads, 6° 47′ S, 39° 12′ E - 39° 14′ E) and is electricity power lines and the Songo Songo roughly 40 – 100 m above sea level. Mean gas pipeline, the remaining thickets exist as annual temperature is about 24 °C and fragments of different sizes. The thickets are humidity is normally high reaching 100 % in currently surrounded by buildings, roads and January, February and March. It receives cleared land. over 1,100 mm of rainfall per year (Senzota 2012). Bird species present in the campus thickets are fairly well known (Harvey and Howell The original natural vegetation on the 1987, Mlingwa 1992). The thickets provide campus was closed forest, most of which a habitat which is not available in most of disappeared due to clearing for agriculture the city of Dar es Salaam City as the and building (Wingfield 1977). Construction majority of the other available thickets have of the first infrastructure on the campus was been cleared for building construction and conducted between the early 1960’s and mid other urban development. The campus 1970’s (Senzota 2012). The campus had thickets have been shown to be an important much of its natural vegetation removed in habitat for a number of bird species the early 1970’s and by mid 1970’smuch of including those which depend on the the vegetation in the form of large trees was existence of forest for their survival cleared (Harvey and Howell 1987). (Mlingwa 1992) as well as Palaearctic However, there has been a considerable migrants (Harvey and Howell 1987, recovery of indigenous vegetation at the Mlingwa 1992). While breeding is one of the campus over the last 20 years mainly due to crucial ecological aspects of bird population strict protection from fuel wood collection dynamics (Johnson 1979), systematic and cultivation (Senzota 2012). The woody breeding studies of the campus thickets are vegetation that has been in existence is now non-existent. The breeding records of birds fairly well protected and appears as a habitat that are available in these thickets are those island mostly vegetated by indigenous plants of Harvey and Howell (1987) and yet they surrounded by high density human are few. It is possible that with further settlements. Within the remaining clearing of the thickets, breeding of different indigenous woody vegetation (hereafter bird species may be negatively affected. To thicket fragments), large trees (up to 20 m 15 Shirima and Werema - Effect of habitat fragmentation on nesting birds … high) can now be observed particularly METHODS along the stream valleys (C.W. Pers. There are nine thicket fragments of different observ.) The fragments are not continuously sizes at the campus of the University of Dar connected due to construction of buildings, es Salaam of which six were surveyed roads, electricity power lines and the Songo (Figure 1). The six fragments; their Songo natural gas pipeline. The remaining respective approximate sizes (in parenthesis) thicket fragments are of different sizes and were Udasa thicket (101.62 ha), Septic with continuing construction of buildings thicket (12.88 ha), Mama Lishe thicket (5.42 and roads they are further cleared leading to ha), Msewe thicket (4.73 ha), Mosque additional habitat loss and fragmentation. thicket (3.34 ha) and Botany thicket (2.77 ha) (Figure 1). Figure 1: A map of the study area showing nine thicket fragments (patches). Map datum: Zone 37 M, World Global System (WGS) 84, May 2015. 16 Tanz. J. Sci. Vol. 43(1), 2017 In order to assess breeding bird species in the eggs were laid. Numbers of confirmed the area, we conducted systematic physical active nests for each species were recorded. searches of breeding individuals from November 2014 to the end of March 2015 We spent a total of 196.5 hours in all which is the breeding season for most birds thickets. The numbers of hours spent in each in East Africa (Moreau 1950) and coastal thicket fragment were as follows: 80 hours Tanzania in particular (Mlingwa 1996). at Udasa, 36 hours at Septic, 25 hours at Because of the variation in the size of the Msewe, 21 hours at Mamalishe,18 hours at fragments, transects of variable width up to Mosque and 16.5 hours at Botany (see 50 m ranging in length from 100 m at Figure 1). Sampling effort (the number of Mosque fragment to 1000 m in length at the hours spent in each fragment) was correlated Udasa fragment (see Figure 1) were with the size of the fragment (r2 = 0.979, p < selected. In each fragment the search for 0.05). nesting birds was carried out weekly. Shannon-Wiener index of diversity was used In each transect we observed bird activity to determine nesting bird species diversity. and behaviour, and then walked Regression analyses were used to determine systematically through the entire transect in whether there were relationships between (i) each fragment searching for nests. number of nests and fragment size and, (ii) Systematic searches included visually diversity of nest species and fragment size. inspecting vegetation, bare ground, cavities, In both cases, the areas of the fragments (ha) stream (river) banks, and other suitable were log transformed to lessen the skewness nesting locations. In addition, the following of the area data. Species order, taxonomy techniques were used: (i) birds carrying and common names follow Sinclair and nesting materials were followed, nest(s) Ryan (2010). observed and later monitored weekly, (ii) birds carrying other materials, such as food RESULTS were followed for possible detection of Nesting species richness and abundance nests, (iii) calling nestlings were followed, In total, 107 active nests of 27 different bird (iv) birds making repeated flights to species were located from all the six particular areas were followed for possible fragments (Tables 1 and 2).