Avifauna studies in co-relation with alteration in climatic patterns and hydrology of uchalli lake, Punjab, Pakistan

Mid-winter population count of bird species and hydrological analysis of surface water were carried out for Uchalli lake (ramsar site) in year 2010 and 2011. Eleven species visited the lake in 2010 and their total number was 1,139. Moreover, the number of species observed in 2011 was 34 with population of 18,606 birds in total. The species observed both in 2010 and 2011 were Greater Flamingo, Black-winged Stilt, Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Common Coot, Kentish Plover, Indian Courser, Great Bittern and Little Bittern which constituted about 29% of the total number of species present at the lake. The relative abundance was calculated for each species. Common Coot was the most abundant species in both years. The total area of lake was estimated to be 850 ha in 2010 and 943 ha in 2011. The Shannon-Weiner diversity index was also calculated. In year 2010, the diversity index was 1.47 while for year 2011 it was 1.88. In surface water analysis, Cu⁺², Cd⁺², Co ⁺², Fe⁺², Mn⁺², Pb⁺², Zn ⁺², Mg⁺², total hardness, Cland SO^-4 were found to be above the permissible limits. Parameters like EC, pH, temperature, transparency were also calculated. All parameters had varied values in different months of the year. However, less variation was seen in concentration of sulphates, nitrates, total phosphorous and chlorides.