Water Quality, Waterfowl Diversity and Threats Identification: A Case from Jagadishpur Reservoir

Abstract

Nepal's wetland birds are declining due to wetland habitat degradation. Wetland habitats are under tremendous pressure due to habitat quality and human induced disturbances which causes temporal and spatial displacement of migratory and wintering waterfowl. Water quality analysis was carried out in Jagadispur Reservoir in three seasons involving three field visits. Water quality analysis revealed that the reservoir can support diverse aquatic flora and fauna. Avifaunal survey was conducted in two seasons i.e. winter and summer. A total of 35 bird species belonging to 7 orders, 10 families and 22 genera were recorded during the investigation period from the reservoir which are listed with their updated nomenclature and systematic position according to the classification after Howard and Moore (1994). A total of 4264 birds were enumerated with high species richness in open water habitat. Anseriformes was the most representive order and Anatidae, the most representive family in terms of species composition. Species diversity was found to be greater in winter (i.e. Shannon- Weiner diversity index: 2.790) in comparision to that of summer (i.e. Shannon- Weiner diversity index: 2.438). Siltation, dependency of local population on wetland resources, invasion by aquatic weeds, poaching and draining of wetland are identified as the major threats to the bird species.