Community congruence between macroinvertebrates and wetland dependent birds in natural wetlands of southwest Ethiopia |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium;2. Department of Natural Resource Management, Jimma University, P.O. Box 370, Jimma, Ethiopia;3. Department of Environmental Health Science and Technology, Jimma University, P.O. Box 378, Jimma, Ethiopia;4. Provincial Centre of Environmental Research, Godshuizenlaan 95, 9000, Ghent, Belgium;5. Department of Horticulture and Plant Science, Jimma University, P.O. Box 370, Jimma, Ethiopia |
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| Abstract: | Assessment and monitoring of biodiversity is critical for conservation planning. Considering the cost and time associated to monitoring, selecting proper bio-indicators is important, particularly in countries where financial resources are limited. The objectives of this study were to investigate community congruence of macroinvertebrates and wetland birds in natural wetlands of southwest Ethiopia, exposed to different levels of human disturbance and to identify important environmental variables related to these bio-indicators. Data on macroinvertebrates, birds, physico-chemical water quality, human disturbance and vegetation cover were collected from 54 sampling sites distributed over 12 wetlands during dry and wet season of 2015. Procrustes analysis was used to quantify community congruence between the two assemblages across different disturbance levels. The congruence of macroinvertebrates and wetland dependent birds was higher for low disturbed wetlands (R2 = 0.60) than for moderately disturbed wetlands (R2 = 0.31). Moderately disturbed wetlands showed no significant congruence between macroinvertebrates and wetland birds and between wetland dependent and wetland associated birds. A significant and positive relation between richness of macroinvertebrates and wetland dependent birds was observed when the full data set was used, whereas no significant relation was observed when the data was split according to the different levels of human disturbance. Vegetation cover, dissolved oxygen, water depth, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and conductivity were significantly correlated with both macroinvertebrate and wetland bird occurrence. Based on our study we suggest to monitor both bio-indicators as they provide important complementary information on the status of the wetlands. |
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| Keywords: | Biodiversity hotspot Community congruence Ethiopia Human disturbance Macroinvertebrates Wetland dependent birds Wetland associated birds |
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