Assessment of Wetland Faunal Diversity and Its Implications for Biodiversity Conservation
Author(s): Dr. N. Rajkumar
Publication #: 2603022
Date of Publication: 04.02.2026
Country: India
Pages: 1-12
Published In: Volume 12 Issue 1 February-2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.62970/IJIRCT.v12.i1.2603022
Abstract
Wetlands are among the most biologically productive ecosystems on earth, supporting extraordinarily rich assemblages of fauna that are critical to regional and global biodiversity. The present study undertook a systematic assessment of faunal diversity across selected freshwater wetlands of the Rangareddy–Ranga Reddy district, Telangana, India, encompassing six distinct wetland zones. Field surveys conducted over twelve months documented 286 species spanning seven major taxonomic groups: Aves, Pisces, Reptilia, Amphibia, Macroinvertebrates, Zooplankton, and aquatic Mammals. Shannon–Wiener diversity indices ranged from 1.62 (aquatic mammals) to 3.96 (macroinvertebrates), indicating high faunal complexity, especially in emergent macrophyte belts and littoral zones. Twenty-two species were listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List, including three species listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Habitat fragmentation, agricultural runoff, invasive aquatic weeds, and encroachment were identified as primary stressors. The study recommends urgent institutionalization of community-based wetland management, strengthening of the Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, and integration of biodiversity inventories into district conservation planning frameworks. These findings provide a baseline dataset of considerable value for conservation practitioners, environmental policymakers, and future long-term monitoring programmes in peninsular India.
Keywords: Wetland biodiversity; Faunal diversity indices; Shannon–Wiener index; Waterbirds; Macroinvertebrates; Freshwater fish; IUCN Red List; Wildlife Protection Act; Telangana; Conservation ecology.
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