“Avifaunal diversity assessment andfecal matter screening for bacterial components from selected locations
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Date
2022-07
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Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University
Abstract
Avifaunal diversity assessment and fecal matter analysis for presence of bacterial micro biota was
carried out from July 2019 to February 2022 and samples were collected from selected locations of
Haryana. Line transacts point count and focal scan sampling methods adopted to record the avian
diversity and activity pattern of avian species. A total of 99 species were identified at farmlands of
CCSHAU Hisar. Agricultural crops at research farm area were found an ideal habitat for avian
community organization as 62, 55, 53 and 40 bird species were found inhabiting mustard, pearl millet,
wheat and cotton fields respectively. Some avian pests of agricultural crop were also identified, among
them Psittacula krameri was found as most notorious one. More damage was reported in grain/seed
bearing crops like pearl millet and mustard compared to cotton. Basai wetlands, an Important Bird Area
were inhabited by 119 avian species from October, 2019 to September, 2021. More diversity was
recorded during post COVID period which may be related to less anthropogenic activities in or around
the wetlands. Birds are considered as best bio indicators of microbial and heavy metal pollution in any
ecosystem. A total of 26 bacterial species of 14 genera were isolated from fecal matter of birds, many
among them, such as Aeromonas spp., Escherichia spp., Plesiomonas spp. are opportunistic human
pathogens. Heavy metal analysis of fecal matter showed significant spatial variations. Most of the
heavy metals were found in highest concentration in the samples collected from Basai wetlands that
may be attributed to the higher pollution level at the site due to urban developmental activities.