Ecology of Avian Settlements in Lake Tonga (Northern Algeria)

Abstract

is an integral reserve within the El-Kala National Park, Biosphere Reserve and Ramsar site. This study consists in determining the diversity and phenology status of waterbirds in this reserve over an entire annual cycle (2017-2018). The census was carried out from fixed observation points. Of the 35 species recorded, wintering birds dominate with 12 species (34 %), followed by breeding sedentary species with 11 species (32 %). The breeding water bird populations are dominated by the common coot Fulica atra, (with a maximum of 6,033 birds) followed by the Anatidae, Herons and Grebes. Lake Tonga is a breeding area for several avian species and a recruitment site for a multitude species bird during the wintering period. Three Anatidae nest at Lake Tonga: The Whiteheaded duck Oxyura leucocephala, The Ferruginous duck Aythya nyroca and Mallard Anas platyrhynchos.

Avifauna diversity and phenology in a Ramsar site: Lake Tonga (Northeastern Algeria)

“…This high amount of dense vegetation provides better conditions for nesting and shelter from predators, notably birds of prey (Rouibi et al, 2013;Gherib andLazli, 2016, 2017;Elafri et al, 2016). This variation in the pattern of waterbird abundance and richness between wintering and breeding seasons in Lake Tonga was also described by Elafri et al (2016) and Loucif et al (2020), but numbers were considerably lower than those reported in this study.…”

“…One particular pattern was that Shannon and equitability indexes were highest during autumn, displaying a perfect balance throughout this period and corresponding to the arrival of several wintering and migrating birds (such as tufted duck, greylag goose, marbled teal, common shelduck, pied avocet, and Northern lapwing). Values obtained during this autumnal season were close to those of studies in other coastal wetlands such as Garaet Hadj Tahar (Metallaoui and Houhamdi, 2010), Lake Beni-Belaid and El Kennar Marsh (Mayache, 2008) but higher compared to those of Elafri et al (2016) and Loucif et al (2020) in the same site. Through wintering period Shannon diversity index and Equitability were lower comparared with Simpson index which was due to the high abundance of coot in the two first wintering seasons as reported by Elafri et al (2016) and the Eurasian wigeon in the third one.…”

“…Through wintering period Shannon diversity index and Equitability were lower comparared with Simpson index which was due to the high abundance of coot in the two first wintering seasons as reported by Elafri et al (2016) and the Eurasian wigeon in the third one. These two species are recorded as the most abundant waterbirds in the Algerian wetlands Lazli et al, 2018;Bediaf et al, 2020;Chabou et al, 2020;Loucif et al, 2020). Diversity indexes (Shannon and Simpson indices) were lower during the spring-summer period, corresponding to a decrease in richness and abundance due to the departure of wintering and migrant waterbirds.…”

“…Peak numbers were observed in February 2014 and January 2015 and 2016. After these dates, the total number of birds gradually declined, reflecting the departure of wintering and migratory species towards the breeding grounds in the Palearctic and sub-Saharan Africa (Elafri et al, 2016;Loucif et al, 2020). In April, only sedentary and summer breeding species -such as little grebes, great crested grebes, little egrets, squacco herons, mallards, ferruginous ducks, coots, and common moorheen-remained on the lake.…”

“…Lake Tonga, one of the most famous wetlands within this complex, has been the subject of much research, mainly relating to the ecology and reproductive biology of many waterbirds species (Boumezbeur, 1993;Lazli et al, 2011aLazli et al, , 2011bLazli et al, , 2012Lazli et al, , 2014Athamnia et al, 2015;Gherib andLazli, 2016, 2017;Menasria and Lazli, 2017;Rizi et al, 2019;Mecif et al, 2020). However, documentation of the avifaunistic diversity of this Ramsar site is incomplete and the inventories require review (Elafri et al, 2016;Loucif et al, 2020).…”