Avifauna Diversity and Status of Some Wetlands in Adamawa State, Nigeria
Keywords:
Avifauna, diversity, wetland.
Abstract
The Diversity and Status of the Avifauna of some Wetlands in Adamawa State, Nigeria, was Investigated to identify the major wetland sites within the Upper Benue River Basin. Following the identification of the four major wetland sites in the area, census of avifauna was conducted in each site over a period of six months (three months in the dry season and the other three months in wet season). Using point-count method, data were collected five times in a month, and two times a day, morning and evening per site. In each of the study sites, avifauna diversity and status as well as the relationship between avifauna species diversity and precipitation, relative humidity and temperature were assessed. Results obtained showed that 36 Avifauna species occurred in the study sites during the dry season, while 39 avifauna species were sighted at the study sites during the wet season. A total of 42 avifauna species were listed from the four wetland sites studied. Avifauna species diversity varied among months (P < 0.05) in the dry season but remained relatively constant in the months of wet season. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between dry and wet seasons diversity in each of the sites, and when the results were pooled, no significant difference (P > 0.05) existed between the bird diversity during the wet and dry seasons, for all the sites. When the four sites were compared for avian species diversity, no significant difference (P > 0.05) existed in the dry season among sites, while significant variability (P = 0.05) existed among sites in the wet season. The results also showed that Egretta ardesiaca, Egretta garzetta, Scopus umbretta, Vanellus spinosus, Bubulcus ibis, Dendrocygna viduata, Actophilornis africanus, Casmerodius alba and Columba guinea were common and abundant in the study sites, in both dry and wet seasons. An analysis of the relationship between avian species diversity and precipitation, temperature and relative humidity indicated that precipitation and relative humidity contributed more to avian species diversity at the study sites. In view of the importance of the study sites to the diversity of bird species, it is recommended that the sites should be given conservation status, so that the resources can be managed and perpetuated for the purpose of tourism and education in natural history.References
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Bibby, C.J. Buagess N.D., Hail D.A. 1992 Birds census techniques 1st edition. Academic press London. 1 - 8
DFID. Department for International Development 2000,. A Biodiversity survey of the Upper River Benue. A report submitted to Nigerian Conservation Foundation 1-4.
Frank, H., Althoen, S.C. 1994. Statistics, concepts and applications. 1st edition Cambridge University Press. 127-131.
IWBRB. International Water Birds Research Bureau, 1990. African Waterfowl Census. IWBRB, Shimbridge, UK: 20 – 22
Jaensch, R. 1997. An overview of the wetlands in oceania. In: The role of the convention on wetlands in the conservation and wise use of Biodiversity. Edited by A.J. Hails. Ramsar convention Bureau, Gland, Switzerland. 126-131
McNeely, J.A., Miller, K.R., Reid, W.V.; Mittermeier, R.A., Werner, T.B. 1990. Conserving the world’s Biological diversity. First edition Gland Press Ltd., 1-193.
Neave, H.M. Cunningham, R.B, Norton, T.W., Nix,H.A. 1996. Biological inventory for conservation evaluation iii. Relationships between Birds, Vegetations and environmental attributers in southern Australia. Forest Ecology and management 85.197-218.
Safra, J.E. 1998. The New Encyclopedia Britannica vol. 15. 18th ed. Chicago 1-112.
Smart, M. 1997. The Ramsar Convention: Its role and wise use of wetland Biodiversity. In: the convention on wetlands in the conservation and wise use of Biodiversity. Hails, A. J.(ed): Publishes; Ramsar Convention Bureau 20 – 21
Sutherland, J.W. 1999. Ecological census Techniques: A handbook. 4th Edition. Cambridge University Press. U.K.1 – 336
Usher, M.B. 1986. Wildlife Conservation evaluation: attributes, criteria and values. Wildlife Conservation Evaluation (Ed M.B. Usher). Chapman and Hall. 3-44.
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