Avifauna diversity and anthropogenic threats of wetlands in South-Western Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate avifauna diversity and anthropogenic threats to wetlands in Sheka and Bench-Maji Zones. A total of 5 wetlands, 4 swamps and 1 ar- tificial lake, were purposely selected. Avian diversity data were collected using point count method. Household surveys were undertaken to collect data on anthropogenic threats of wetlands. A total of 1,130 individuals of birds belonging to 28 families and 61 species were recorded. Species richness and diversity were higher in the wet season (51 species, H = 3.65) than the dry season (40 species, H = 3.37). The Bray– Curtis Dissimilarity Index (BC) revealed the three study sites were 78.77% dissimilar in species composition (BCijk = 0.7877) with a total number of 18 shared species. Chega-Gawussi wetlands and Chonkie-Shinke wetlands have 70.89% similarity with BC Dissimilarity Index value of 0.291. The study identified that drainage for farming practices, grass overexploitation and Eucalyptus plantations were the main threats to Chonke-Shinkie wetlands, and Lake Dembi has been threatened by sedimentation from the adjacent farmlands, waste disposal from the Mizan-Aman Municipality, cof- fee washing plantations, whereas Chega-Gawussi wetlands were affected by grass overexploitation and deforestation. Therefore, due attention and conservation ac- tions are required from stakeholders for the protection of these ecosystems.