Response of waterbird species to fluctuating water levels in tropical coastal wetlands

Francis Gbogbo, William Oduro, Samuel Kingsley Oppong

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Recent upsurges in the incidence of dam construction over rivers for farming and hydro electric power in the West African sub-region is a known promoter of fluctuating water levels on tropical coastal wetlands. Waterbirds, being one of the dominant fauna on wetlands, are key species that can be affected by fluctuating water levels. Waterbird census and water level monitoring at four coastal wetlands in Ghana revealed that different guilds (species assemblages) of waterbirds responded differently to fluctuating water levels. The populations density of birds in guilds 1 (ducks and cormorants), 3 (tactile surface foraging waders), 4 (pelagic foraging waders) and 5 (stalking herons and egrets) significantly (P < 0.05) increased linearly with decreasing water levels. The population density of birds in guilds 2 (visual surface foraging waders) and 7 (fishing terns) responded significantly (P < 0.05) in a second order polynomial function with optimum numbers occurring when water levels were neither too high nor too low. As far as farming and energy requirement are met from these dams, it is important that the ecological needs of waterbirds on wetlands are incorporated into the management of these dams so as to maintain appropriate water levels beneficial to waterbird populations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)637-643
Number of pages7
JournalAfrican Journal of Ecology
Volume48
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sep 2010

Keywords

  • Density
  • Fluctuation
  • Guilds
  • Water levels
  • Waterbird

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Response of waterbird species to fluctuating water levels in tropical coastal wetlands'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this