Effects of Fragmentation on Avifaunal Composition

Fragmentation and its effects on avifauna is a study that was conducted in upper River Njoro watershed covering about 280km2. The watershed is under threat from increasing human activities that have led to rapid changes in land cover and deterioration of environmental and habitat conditions for birds. These include replacement of indigenous trees with exotic types, clearing of riparian vegetation, cultivation of river banks, deforestation and forest fragmentation. The study's main objective was examination of effects of forest fragmentation and environmental degradation on composition, diversity and fluctuating asymmetry of avifauna in natural and plantation forest fragments in the River Njoro watershed. Mist netting was used as the method of data collection. Length of sampling time per station depended on rate of capture. Captured birds were ringed and studied with detailed data recorded in Ringing Book. Statistical and descriptive analyses were performed using windows based MINITAB (Version 13.1) software. Diversity Indices were calculated for different forest fragments and data subjected to Analysis of Variance and F-test.

Autorentext

Ngugi Faith Milkah Wakonyo - Maestría en Ciencias Ambientales de la Universidad de Egerton.