Species and Functional Diversity of Bird Communities in Different Habitats in Shiquan River National Wetland Park, Tibet

Abstract

The Shiquan River National Wetland Park in Tibet is an integrated high-elevation wetland ecosystem. This wetland park also serves as a demonstration site for international river conservation and the ‘conservation–utilization–sustainable enhancement’ of wetland resources in alpine desert zones. This study supplements the research on bird community structure and ecological function to fill the gap in basic data on birds in the Shiquan River National Wetland Park. From May 2023 to October 2024, a sampling point method was used to conduct four systematic surveys during the breeding and non-breeding periods of birds in four habitats—grass land, marsh land, bare land, and water bodies—in the Shiquan River National Wetland Park to explore the effects of different habitat types on bird communities from the perspective of species and functional diversity. A total of 56 bird species, representing 23 families and 11 orders, were documented in this survey. Species diversity was highest in the marsh habitat during the breeding season, followed sequentially by grassland, bare land, and water bodies, with consistent results in the non-breeding period. The functional richness (FRic) results revealed a pattern of marsh land > grass land > bare land > water bodies, indicating that birds utilized the ecological space within the marsh habitat to the greatest extent. The functional differentiation (FDiv) results followed a pattern of bare land > water bodies > grass land > marsh land, suggesting stronger niche complementarity and weaker competition in bare ground habitats. Finally, the functional dispersion (FDis) results demonstrated a pattern of grass land > marsh land > bare land > water bodies, indicating a greater number of species with similar functional traits in grass habitats. This study addresses the research gap concerning bird communities in the Shiquan River National Wetland Park through the lens of both species and functional diversity, thereby providing a scientific foundation and critical support for the conservation of avian biodiversity in the Shiquan River Basin and high-elevation regions.