Avian Diversity of Wetlands in and Around Jodhpur, Western Rajasthan - Aquatic Ecosystem: Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation - page 295

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

1992 1995 1999 2005 2010

Years

Fig. 17.3 Graph showing increase in avian diversity of Jodhpur in the recent past

Table 17.4 Betadiversityamongthestudysites(Sorenson 1948 )

Umed
Bhawan
pond

Kaylana
Lake

Umed
Sagar

Gudha
tank

Balsamand
Lake

Barli
pond

Khejarli
pond

Soor
Sagar

Akheraj pond 0.373 0.327 0.37 0.336 0.369 0.305 0.394 0.278

Kaylana 0.338 0.373 0.353 0.405 0.298 0.412 0.267

UmedSagar 0.339 0.317 0.363 0.36 0.339 0.272

Gudha tank 0.331 0.391 0.34 0.37 0.272

Balsamand Lake 0.336 0.337 0.38 0.298

Barli pond 0.337 0.368 0.26

Khejarli pond 0.349 0.261

SoorSagarpond 0.287

continuous water supply from Indira Gandhi
Canal. Kaylana Lake is illed with Indira Gandhi
Canal water regularly which has resulted in the
rise in groundwater level in the Jodhpur City
area(CentralGroundwaterDepartmentReports
2008 ). The increase in water table helped in
establishing good gardens which attracts thicket-
loving bird species.
Though the largest water body is Kaylana
Lake in Jodhpur, it has the highest species count
of about 170 species, yet its diversity was found
lower than that of Balsamand Lake in species
composition of both wetland and other surround-
ing birds because Balsamand Lake is associated
with a well-maintained garden also which
increases the diversity. It is interesting to note
that even the species count of Kaylana Lake is

high, yet the diversity was lower than Balsamand;
this may also be due to the distribution of indi-
vidual species numbers.
Out of the total records of 278 species belong-
ing to 63 families in and around Jodhpur, about
205 species of 58 families were recorded form 9
wetlands of Jodhpur, out which 111 were wetland
species.Whencomparedwithobservationsofthe
previous years, the diversity of wetlands was
found to be increased in the past decade. The
increase in the alpha diversity of the individual
pond might also be due to the shrinking of the
surrounding habitats. Akheraj and Soor Sagar
ponds are examples of such conditions where the
surrounding areas have been encroached.
It is also observed that muddy shallow banks
are more supportive to the wader community;