Habitat Attributes and Waterbird-Use of Four Wetlands in Manas National Park,Assam, India

We studied the relationship between habitat characteristics and the use of wetlands by the waterbirds over 5 years in Manas National Park, Assam. Patterns of temporal and spatial variation in waterbird diversity, abundance and community composition were quantified in relation to eight wetland attributes. There were significant declines in majority of the waterbird species during the course of this study; carnivorous and omnivorous birds being the major sufferers. The waterbird communities exhibited both spatial and temporal shifts in distribution and community composition along with the shifts in their major food resources, and primary productivity of the wetlands did not appear to play a major role in these shifts. Our study also demonstrates that the observed declines in waterbird abundances were associated with declines in zooplankton and macroinvertebrate densities. Temporal changes in wetland size also played some roles in the waterbird decline and community composition.