Influence of Land-Use and Landcover on the Nest Distribution and Breeding Success of Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica Regulorum) In Kiyanja- Kaku Wetland Ecosystem.
The Kiyanja-Kaku wetland ecosystem in central Uganda is home to a valuable population of endangered Grey-crowned cranes (Balearica regulorum). The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize current land use/cover patterns, as well as to assess their relationships with crane breeding succ...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Kabale University
2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12493/2240 |
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| Summary: | The Kiyanja-Kaku wetland ecosystem in central Uganda is home to a valuable population of endangered Grey-crowned cranes (Balearica regulorum). The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize current land use/cover patterns, as well as to assess their relationships with crane breeding success. Data was collected between June 2022 and April 2023, extending breeding and non-breeding seasons. To collect data, we used a combination of satellite imagery, GPS ground truthing, and field observations. Sentinel-2 imagery with a resolution of 10m was classified using supervised image classification methods in ArcGIS software for land use/cover characterization. Survey123 application was used to collect data on crane nesting, and non-probability sampling was used to search for nests. 38 nests/breeding pairs were monitored, with data on breeding attempts, hatching success, fledgling numbers, and potential threats related to land use/cover patterns collected. Within the wetland, the results revealed a diverse mosaic of land use/cover, including agriculture (48.2%), papyrus swamp (27.6%), open water (10.2%), settlements (8.5%), and other categories (5.5%). Grey-crowned cranes laid clutch sizes ranging from 0 to 4 eggs, with an average of 2.42 eggs per pair. A total of 38 nests were monitored, and breeding success was calculated by counting the number of chicks that fledged from each nest. The overall breeding success rate was 0.84, with 47.4% of nests successfully hatching all chicks. The most common clutch size (47.4%) was two eggs, with an average of 2.42 eggs per clutch. It was discovered that land use/cover activities significantly impacted breeding success. Breeding success was highest in permanent wetlands (1.00), followed by agriculturally transformed wetlands (0.53) and unaltered seasonal wetlands. As did crop agriculture (odds ratio = 174.784, p = 0.056), animal dairy farming had a positive relationship with breeding success (odds ratio = 25.338, p 0.001). According to the findings, human activities harm crane breeding in the Kiyanja-kaku wetland. Nests closer to settlements and agricultural areas had lower success rates, indicating the negative impact of human encroachment and associated disturbances. |
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