Impacts of Riparian Vegetation Degradation on Microclimate, Soil Properties, and Avian Faunal Diversity: A Case Study in a Subtropical Ecosystem

Musharraf Ahmed Ghori; Mansoor Akram; Hammad Ahsan; Abbasi Hoosh Muhammad; Muhammad Zakir Khan; Amir Tanveer; Adnan Altaf; Ahmed Raza

doi:10.62497/irabcs.250

Authors

Musharraf Ahmed Ghori College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, China Author https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6956-5539
Mansoor Akram State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, College of Energy Resources, Chengdu University of Technology, 610059 Chengdu, China Author https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3160-229X
Hammad Ahsan College of Materials and Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan 610059, PR China Author https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0945-2978
Abbasi Hoosh Muhammad College of Geography and Planning, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan 610059, PR China Author https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5601-0710
Muhammad Zakir Khan College of Humanities and Law, Chengdu University of Technology, PR China Author https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5422-827X
Amir Tanveer College of Civil and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, China Author https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9204-8510
Adnan Altaf College of Civil and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, China Author https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8798-5907
Ahmed Raza College of Civil and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, China Author https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2939-2673

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62497/irabcs.250

Keywords:

riparian ecology, habitat degradation, microclimate alteration, soil organic matter, avian biodiversity

Abstract

Riparian zones are major ecological transition areas between dry land and water environments, and are associated with a disproportionate amount of biodiversity and provide important ecosystem services. Worldwide however anthropogenic factors such as deforestation, overgrazing by livestock and land conversion are rapidly destroying these habitats. There is a critical knowledge gap about the combined integrated effects that riparian degradation can have on micro climate, soils and faunal communities. The hypothesis was tested in this study that vegetation degradation in riparian areas results in significant degradation of all three ecological domains. This comparative field study was carried out on a stretch of 5 km of a subtropical river. Two sites were chosen: one undisturbed and having a dense cover of native vegetation; and one degraded site with low vegetation and with livestock grazing and bank erosion occurring. Vegetation cover (1 m2 quadrats), microclimate parameters (air temperature, relative humidity, light intensity using digital sensors), soil properties (pH, organic matter by loss on ignition, gravimetric moisture) and avian diversity (fixed-radius point counts during breeding season) were quantified using stratified random sampling (five transects; 50 points per site). Independent t-tests and Pearson correlation were used to analyze data. Results indicated that there were significant impacts on degradation. Total vegetation cover was 63% lower at the degraded site (32.6% compared to 87.3%, p < 0.001) and bare soil was 5-fold higher at the degraded site. It resulted in a significant change of the microclimate, with an increase in air temperature of 8.4°C (p < 0.001), a decrease in relative humidity of 19.2% (p < 0.001), and a light increase of nearly eight times (p < 0.001). Soil quality deteriorated markedly with higher pH (7.9 vs. 6.8), 68% reduction in organic matter (1.8% vs. 5.6%), and 55% reduction in moisture (12.7% vs. 28.4%; all p < 0.01). The diversity of birds was lower at the degraded area than at the intact area, dropping from 28 species (H′ = 3.12) to 12 species (H′ = 1.54); and the insectivorous specialists were absent. There was a strong correlation between vegetation cover and bird species richness (r = 0.87, p < 0.001). We believe that degradation of riparian vegetation is connected and cascading in its negative impacts to microclimate, soil health and avian communities. There is a need for urgent strategies of integrated restoration.

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