RESEARCH ARTICLE

Avifauna richness and abundance of Chhal Coal mining area under Dharamjaigarh Forest Division

Vijay Kumar Bhagat^1*, Manas Manohar Ujjaini¹, Mudit Kumar Singh^1*

State Forest Research and Training Institute Raipur, Near Vidhan Sabha, Baloda Bazar Road,                                     Raipur (C.G.) 493 111, India.

*Email-kumarvijaybhagat1@gmail.com

Introduction

Destruction of niche of avifauna is closely associated with mining and its harmful associated activities. With an increase in its demand with regards to commercial market and its role in the development of a nation its activity has also been continuously increased (Vishwakarma et al. 2018). Along with mining, major parts of forests and Avifauna habitats are being replaced by agriculture land, industries, roads-railways network, for human habitation, leading to the disruption of habitat and overall loss of biological diversity (Nikunj et al. 2013). This disturbance has resulted in an imbalance in ecological equilibrium. In India continuous human development and urbanization has changed most natural habitats and mining is one of them; birds are good indicators as they respond fast to threat and changing environmental conditions. Birds provide several ecological functions such as pest control, pollination, seed dispersal and plant reproduction in thousands of economically and culturally important plant species through its consumption of various terrestrial, aquatic and aerial resources (Whelan et al. 2018).

The bird population is an indication of environmental changes as they respond fast to threats and changing environment conditions (Barov, 2011). Indian birds, putting the number of species across the country are 1306. With that figure, India accounts for 12 percent of the total number of bird species in the world, amounting to 10,135 among the 1306 species. Taxonomically, the bird population in the country is divided into 26 orders, 111 families and 492 genera. Of these 72 species of birds are endemic to India, constituting about 5.5% of the country’s bird diversity (Praveen et al. 2018). Keeping safe the significant diversity of biotic community of this important region is therefore a high conservation priority, and detailed research is necessary to find out more precisely how habitat loss and change impacts biodiversity so that effective measures may be taken to slow these impacts. However, due to its isolation, less understanding of the ecological relations of avifaunal communities in this area remains poor (Martin and Blackburn, 2010).

Study Area

The study area is located within Raigarh District of Chhattisgarh state. The project is located south of village Chhal at an approximate distance of 2.5 km on Kharsia - Dharamjaigarh State Highway and 16 km from Kharsia town.

Figure 1: Showing location map of study area

The Block is bounded by latitude 22004’40” and 22006’27” and longitudes 83006’10” and 83009’10” and is included in the survey of India topological sheet no. 64 N/4 area of core boundary 185.155 hectare (EIA and EMP report). Study area divided into two parts in core and buffer. Study area surrounded by protected forest and revenue forest area in which Sal (Shorea robusta), Chhar (Buchanania lanzan) and Mahua (Madhuca indica) are dominant tree species.  

Materials and Methods

Major surveys for the estimation and counting of   avifauna were conducted between the month of May 2018 to March 2019 by using a transect line approach (Bibby et al. 1992) for extensive survey of whole mining area including core and buffer zones (Fig. 1); so as to assess the status of avifauna and to identify the habitats pattern used by the birds. For each line transect, three observers had walked along the path, and independently recorded the number of species and individual birds in the study area with the aid of binoculars. If possible, photographs had also taken to aid in the identification process. Total 26 line transect were taken up in study area. During the field surveys, we made a line transect of 1.20 km (mostly used a path/trail followed by the villagers to enter in the forest) in which distance sampling were taken in every 300 m in the transect to estimate the population of avifauna, its habit, habitat and nesting pattern including the floral diversity of the proposed mining area). A circular sample plot of 10 m radius had been taken in each transect at an interval of 300 m i.e. total 5 sample plots made in one transect in which vegetation composition (grass, herb, shrub and regeneration) and all tree species data had been taken including height and girth (using meter tape) along with the counting of avifauna. Birds were recorded from each transect line plotted in study site and prepared a checklist of availability of avifauna. Perch heights of individuals have also recorded to find out the utilization of vertical dimension by birds. Perch height class of all the birds has recorded in case of all direct sightings. All the birds were identified using the standard field guides (Grimmett et al. 2013).

Results and Discussion

Overall from three seasonal surveys, total numbers of 1653 individual species of avifauna were recorded from 106 different species belongs to 49 families. According to three seasonal surveys, the seasonal variations of avifauna populations have been recorded which are as; Summer season survey, total 405 individuals of 61 different avifauna species; Winter season survey, total 776 individuals of 89 different avifauna species; and in Autumn season survey, 472 individuals of 50 different avifauna species were recorded (Fig. 2).

Among all the three seasonal surveys, winter season surveys outputs highest populations of birds during the study. This study reveals that the most of the avifauna presence in the study site is in winter season. The aquatic avifauna species were observed and recorded during the winter season survey. Mostly, the birds found in the study were belongs to Columbidae and Anatidae family with 8 bird species each and Cuculidae and Muscicadidae family with 5 species each (Fig. 3).

Figure 2: Seasonal avifauna abundance in the study area

The avifaunal diversity population in the present study was found majorly the bird species of total 145 individuals of Indian Silver Bill, 98 of Purple Sunbird, 89 of Red Vented Bulbul and Jungle Babbler, 77 of Rose Ringed Parakeet and 77 of Green Bee-eater (Table 1 and Fig. 4).

Figure 3: Family wise checklist of Bird species

Table 1: Checklist of availability of avifauna in the OCP Chhal