EFFECTSOF FARMING ACTIVITIES ON BIRD DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE IN TRANS-MARA SUB COUNTY KENYA

Abstract

Forested habitats are severely threatened in Kenya.Despite their faunal endemism, they have received very little conservation attention.A study on effectsof farming activities on bird diversity and abundance was conducted in Trans Mara sub county, kenya from August 2014 to January 2015. Line transect sampling, point counts, time species counts, mist netting and opportunistic observations were used to carry out birds census to determine their abundance and diversity in the cultivated (tea and sugarcane farms) and indigenous forests. Shannon Wiener Diversity index was used to calculate diversity and species richness. Sorenson diversity index was used to determine how the various habitats compared in terms of diversity and abundance. A total of 3792 individuals were observed and recorded in the entire study area. The indigenous forest had the highest density of 6 birds/ha followed by tea farms with 4 birds/ha and sugarcane farms had the least density of 1 bird /ha .140 species of birds were cumulatively recorded in the three habitats. Out of these, 105 species were recorded in the indigenous forests, 64 in tea farms and 49 species in the sugarcane farms. There was a significant difference in bird density in the three habitats (df1=2, df2=199, F=7.598, P=0.001). Bird’s abundance was highest in the indigenous forest with a mean of 5.72±0.64birds per hectare, followed by tea farms that had a mean of 3.96±1.23 birds per hectare and lowest abundance was experienced in the sugarcane farms with a mean of 0.91±0.15 birds per hectareand N=119, 46 and 37 respectively. Indigenous forest had the highest diversity of 3.94 while tea farms and sugarcane farms recorded relatively lower diversity of 2.62 and 2.46 respectively. The results of this study demonstrate that human disturbances in natural ecosystems and intensified agricultural systems have adverse effects on birds’ diversity and abundance in Trans Mara ecosystem. There is need for frequent bird population monitoring and conservation interventions to ensure their survival in Trans Mara ecosystem.