Birds as Biodiversity and Environmental Indicator

Abstract

Ecosystem monitoring can be carried out by ecological indicators to preserve and manage the natural environment. Since it is impractical to monitor all ecosystem components, a few individual species or groups of species can be used as indicators of wider conditions. Biological components chosen with this aim are called bioindicators. Bioindicators are organisms that are used to monitor the health of the environment, the presence of pollution and its effect on the ecosystem, the progress of environmental cleanup and test substances, and to detect changes in the natural environment,. Bioindicators are also the best tools to measure the progress made on biodiversity conservation, to assess the impacts and threats on biodiversity, to evaluate sustainability use of biodiversity. Birds are excellent bioindicators for the health of the environment and ecological/ environmental change. Generally, birds have been used as indicator species for a range of environmental parameters. They act as biodiversity indicators with a number of reasons. The cause-and-effect link between an environmental change and birds are direct and simple one.

Keywords: Biodiversity, Bioindicators, Birds, Environmental change, Environmental health