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<p>Urbanisation, a key indicator of socioeconomic development, often comes at the cost of natural habitats, particularly in peri-urban wetlands. Human-influenced wetlands may provide refuges for avian species, but their long-term effectiveness remains uncertain. Ardeidae species are often considered effective bioindicators of wetland health due to their high mobility and dependence on wetlands for foraging. This study assessed the influence of land use patterns on the community structure of Ardeidae across four peri-urban wetlands in Kolkata, India. A total of 32 points (eight points per location), separated by at least 400&#xa0;m, were surveyed over two years. Environmental predictors within a 200-meter buffer of each counting station were derived using Landsat 8 imagery in Google Earth Engine. Two decades of Land Use and Land Cover analysis in Kolkata and its surrounding landscapes reveal rapid urban development, expansion of aquaculture farms, and substantial loss of tree cover. A total of 20,537 birds representing six commonly found Ardeidae species were observed. Aquaculture farms supported the highest abundance of Ardeidae (75.2%), emphasising their importance as a foraging ground, but also increased potential conflict with fish farmers. Generalist species showed dominance, indicating resilience to urbanisation, whereas marshland specialists declined. The statistical models highlight the importance of habitat heterogeneity in supporting a wide range of species. This study emphasises that urban sprawl has negative impacts on the Ardeidae community structure. Effective conservation in urbanising areas requires the protection of multifunctional wetlands, establishment of buffer zones, promotion of sustainable aquaculture, and involvement of local communities in conflict mitigation.</p>

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Urban expansion and habitat loss reshaped Ardeidae communities in peri-urban wetlands of India

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月2日

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  • Anindya Naskar,
  • Gopinathan Maheswaran

摘要

Urbanisation, a key indicator of socioeconomic development, often comes at the cost of natural habitats, particularly in peri-urban wetlands. Human-influenced wetlands may provide refuges for avian species, but their long-term effectiveness remains uncertain. Ardeidae species are often considered effective bioindicators of wetland health due to their high mobility and dependence on wetlands for foraging. This study assessed the influence of land use patterns on the community structure of Ardeidae across four peri-urban wetlands in Kolkata, India. A total of 32 points (eight points per location), separated by at least 400 m, were surveyed over two years. Environmental predictors within a 200-meter buffer of each counting station were derived using Landsat 8 imagery in Google Earth Engine. Two decades of Land Use and Land Cover analysis in Kolkata and its surrounding landscapes reveal rapid urban development, expansion of aquaculture farms, and substantial loss of tree cover. A total of 20,537 birds representing six commonly found Ardeidae species were observed. Aquaculture farms supported the highest abundance of Ardeidae (75.2%), emphasising their importance as a foraging ground, but also increased potential conflict with fish farmers. Generalist species showed dominance, indicating resilience to urbanisation, whereas marshland specialists declined. The statistical models highlight the importance of habitat heterogeneity in supporting a wide range of species. This study emphasises that urban sprawl has negative impacts on the Ardeidae community structure. Effective conservation in urbanising areas requires the protection of multifunctional wetlands, establishment of buffer zones, promotion of sustainable aquaculture, and involvement of local communities in conflict mitigation.