Impact of Urbanization on Avian Species Diversity in Southern Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Urbanization in many parts of the world including Southern Punjab, Pakistan is one of the biggest contributors to habitat changes and loss of biodiversity, but the impact on the avian species diversity has not been well studied in most of the areas. This paper explores the effect of urbanization on bird communities in terms of species richness, abundance, and community structure of urban, peri-urban, and rural landscapes. The point count and transect techniques were used to collect data in the breeding and non-breeding seasons to ensure that the temporal variation was captured in field surveys. Analyses of data was done to compare the indices of species diversity, population dynamics, and association with the habitat. Findings show that there has been a severe reduction in species richness and evenness in regions with high human populations and that in urban regions, generalist and synanthropic species are predominant in the urban avifauna. Conversely, rural and semi natural habitats favored more species of specialists and sensitive species. The results highlight the need to incorporate green spaces in urban planning, habitat corridors as well as conservation measures to reduce the adverse effects of urbanization on avian diversity. This work will give the baseline information on biodiversity conservation in the region and create the necessity of the policies of sustainable urban development.