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VOL. 1, ISSUE 2 (2025)
Environmental drivers of avian biodiversity change in semi-arid agricultural landscapes
Authors
Ishaan Bhattacharyya
Abstract
Semi-arid
agricultural regions face significant pressures from land-use intensification
and climate variability, yet the relative importance of environmental drivers
on avian community composition remains poorly understood. This study examined
how landscape structure, soil moisture, and agricultural management practices
influence bird diversity and abundance in the Rajasthan semi-arid region of
India. We conducted point-count surveys across 48 agricultural sites stratified
by farming intensity (conventional monoculture, integrated pest management, and
organic cultivation) during monsoon and post-monsoon seasons over two years
(2020–2022). Using generalized linear mixed models, we quantified relationships
between avian species richness, abundance, and environmental variables while
controlling for temporal and spatial autocorrelation. Bird species richness was
significantly higher in organic farming systems (mean ± SD: 18.3 ± 4.2 species
per site) compared to conventional agriculture (11.7 ± 3.8 species; p <
0.001). Landscape heterogeneity, measured as the number of habitat patches
within 500 m radius, explained 52% of variance in species richness (R² = 0.52,
p < 0.001). Soil moisture and vegetation cover were significant predictors
of abundance in granivorous and insectivorous guilds respectively. Our findings
demonstrate that landscape management practices favoring habitat diversity
substantially enhance avian conservation value in semi-arid agroecosystems.
Results suggest that transitioning to diversified farming systems could provide
dual benefits of ecosystem service provision and biodiversity enhancement
without compromising agricultural productivity. This research contributes
critical knowledge for developing evidence-based agro-conservation strategies
in water-stressed regions and provides a methodological framework applicable to
similar ecosystems globally.
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Pages:1-8
How to cite this article:
Ishaan Bhattacharyya "Environmental drivers of avian biodiversity change in semi-arid agricultural landscapes". World Journal of Environment, Vol 1, Issue 2, 2025, Pages 1-8
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