DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF AVIFAUNA: IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION AND ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN SUBA FOREST, CENTRAL ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Birds are among essential taxa in various ecosystems where their presence/absence and status indicate conditions of the habitats. Hence, a detailed understanding of species biogeography, diversity, and abundance is critical ecological information to evaluate or develop conservation strategies. The present study was conducted during dry and wet seasons from March 2021 to April 2021 and June 2021 to July 2021, respectively, to assess species diversity and abundance of avifauna as potential implicationsof conservation and ecotourism development in the Suba forest, Central Ethiopia. The cross-sectional survey design involving opportunistic observation was used to gather avian data. Stratified random sampling technique was utilized to select sampling blocks from each habitat type. Data were collected using lines transect and points transect count methods.Diversity of the species wascomputed using the Simpson's and Shannon-Weiner diversity indices. A two-way ANOVA was applied to know habitat and seasonality effecton avian species richness and abundance. A total of 132 birds belonging to 51 families were identified during the study period. Among the recorded bird species, 124 were found to be residents. Four were endemic to Ethiopia, six were endemic to Ethiopia and Eritrea, and seven were globally threatened. The highest, H' = 4.569, and the lowest, H' = 3.935, bird species diversity was observed in natural forest and farmland habitats during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. Approximately half of the recorded species were considered to be common. The difference in habitat type and variation in the season had substantial effects on the species abundance and richness. Plantation forest and farmland habitats had more worth mentioningcommunity similarity. The forest has frequently been visited by domestic tourists in the last 10 years than by foreign non- resident and foreign resident tourists. The forest is abundant in avifaunal resources with high ecotourism potential but lacks functioning conservation efforts and research. Thus, effective conservation measures and further research in other aspects of the forest are required.