Influence of seasonal habitat variation and agriculture on abundance, diversity and breeding of birds in Serengeti national park and surrounding areas, Tanzania.
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Date
2017
Authors
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
Assessment of how bird communities differ in abundance, diversity and breeding patterns as a result of variation in habitat structure inside the park and in agricultural areas was conducted between February 2010 and April 2012. Environmental factors like rainfall, food and nesting materials were used to investigate whether they affect the breeding seasons of bird species in the study area. With increasing human populations surrounding the protected area it is necessary to understand their impacts on the ecosystem by studying habitat modification caused by agriculture. To document this, it was necessary to examine first the impacts of natural changes such as those from current seasonal variation in habitat present within the Serengeti National Park and surrounding areas as a baseline to compare with changes imposed by humans in areas adjacent to the park. A total of 40 plots of 100 m x 100 m and six transects were established, total counts were used to collect birds’ data inside and outside Serengeti National Park. The results show that Acacia tortilis woodland had higher bird species richness with 102 species compared to Commiphora habitat with 66 species and A. robusta habitat with 59 species. Ground feeding birds were more abundant and diverse in Commiphora dominated habitat, indicating that vegetation was the determinant of the physical structure of the environment influencing distributions and abundance of bird species. On the other hand, rainfall determined the peak of breeding of birds except for frugivores which bred throughout the year. In addition, availability of food, nesting material and nesting location also determined the breeding seasons of birds in the Serengeti National Park. Birds in high trophic level especially birds of prey were affected by agricultural activities outside the Serengeti National Park, whereas insectivorous and herbivorous birds were not affected by agricultural activities, indicating that bird species that fed on vertebrates were less able to tolerate human disturbances. Habitat structure, environmental factors and human activities contribute to a great deal on the composition, distribution and abundance of birds.
Description
Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF QL692.T34N558)
Keywords
Birds, Serengeti National Park (Tanzania), Tanzania
Citation
Nkwabi, A. K. (2017) Influence of seasonal habitat variation and agriculture on abundance, diversity and breeding of birds in Serengeti national park and surrounding areas, Tanzania, Doctoral dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam.