Avifaunal changes in the Indian Thar Desert

The Indian Thar Desert is one of the smallest and most densely populated deserts of the world but due to its geographical location it has high avian and plant diversity. Nearly 300 bird species have been identified. A 649-km long irrigation canal, the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project (IGNP), is changing...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of arid environments Vol. 36; no. 4; pp. 687 - 703
Main Authors:	Rahmani, Asad R, Soni, R.G
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-08-1997 Elsevier
Subjects:	agriculture Animal, plant and microbial ecology Applied ecology Biological and medical sciences changes in avifauna Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife cropping systems deserts endangered species Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology habitats India introduced species irrigation canal irrigation canals livestock natural resource management overgrazing Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking population density species diversity Thar Desert vegetation water availability wetlands wild birds wild plants India Asia Rajasthan irrigation canal changes in avifauna Thar Desert India Subtropical zone Species diversity Vertebrata Arid region Population dynamics Desert Aves Animal conservation Afforestation Irrigation canal Plant introduction
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	The Indian Thar Desert is one of the smallest and most densely populated deserts of the world but due to its geographical location it has high avian and plant diversity. Nearly 300 bird species have been identified. A 649-km long irrigation canal, the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project (IGNP), is changing the ecology of the Thar by bringing water to arid areas. Beside the main canal, nearly 8000 km of distribution channels have been built. A massive afforestation scheme along the canal has attracted many new animal and bird species. Expansion of agriculture, overgrazing by livestock, change in cropping pattern, development of seepage wetlands and introduction of exotic plants have greatly affected desert birds such as the endangered Great Indian BustardArdoetis nigriceps, the migratory Houbara BustardChlamydotis undulataand the endemic White-browed BushchatSaxicola macrorhyncha, while some species such as Common CraneGrus grusand Demoiselle CraneGrus virgoare spreading along the canal. This paper discusses the change brought about in the birdlife of the Thar by the development of IGNP and recommends urgent conservation measures.
ISSN:	0140-1963 1095-922X
DOI:	10.1006/jare.1996.0242