Avifaunal Diversity and Conservation Assessment of Shivapur Wetland, Umrer, Nagpur (M.S.), India
Keywords:
Shivapur, Biodiversity, Avifauna, conservation, climate changeAbstract
The recent biodiversity assessment at Shivapur Lake and its surrounding area has identified 33 avifauna species from 14 families, each utilizing distinct ecological zones for survival and reproduction amidst global climate shifts. Birds predominantly exploit shoreline vegetation for nesting, employing "green curtain" and "brown curtain" camouflage to evade predation. The wetland, as a dynamic ecosystem, supports unispecies and multispecies congregations of migratory, resident, and vagrant wading birds. Conservation strategies proposed by local communities, NGOs, and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) aim to preserve beta-diversity across ecosystems. Urbanization and metropolitan expansion have fragmented habitats and introduced persistent noise pollution, negatively affecting bird assemblages and disrupting chronobiologically regulated breeding cycles. Additionally, agrochemical contaminants and parasite-laden food sources impact avian health, causing observable physiological changes that serve as bioindicators of wetland pollution. Regular bioremediation, guided by systematic water quality assessments, is essential to mitigate toxin accumulation and biomagnification. Shivapur Lake, located 4 km from the Nagpur-Umrer Highway, is a vital junction for wintering and resident wetland birds, enabling movement across a network of directionally distributed water bodies. Its ecological importance necessitates its designation as a protected avian heritage site to safeguard species survival, enhance conservation efforts, and preserve habitat integrity for both unispecies and multispecies assemblages.
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