Multidimensional diversity of birds in different habitats of the wetland complex in Huaibei Plain, Eastern China

Wetlands are amongst the most productive ecosystems around the globe, with lots of ecological and social-economic services provided. Better understanding of the spatial distribution of biotic communities in wetlands is not only an important question in ecology, but also critical for biodiversity conservation. From March 2022 to February 2023, 12 monthly surveys were conducted on 10 provincially significant wetlands in the Huaibei Plain using transect and point-count methods. In this study, a two-way ANOVA was used to compare the differences in species, taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of birds across the four seasons and the six habitats. A total of 129,916 individuals, 218 bird species belonging to 54 families and 18 orders were identified during the survey. During spring, species richness was significantly higher in rivers (55.67 ± 4.93), shelterbelts (47.67 ± 6.51) and gardens (44.67 ± 5.29) compared to farmlands, lakes and ponds. In contrast, farmland in summer exhibited greater species richness (SR) (46.67 ± 7.00), Shannon-Wiener (3.13 ± 0.10), Pielou index (0.82 ± 0.02) and phylogenetic diversity (PD) (1431.31 ± 129.92) than shelterbelts, gardens and lakes. River, lake and pond habitats showed notably higher taxonomic diversity (TD), functional diversity (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD) during autumn, while the highest functional diversity (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD) levels were observed in rivers, lakes and ponds in winter. There were no significant differences in bird diversity within habitats across different seasons, but the species richness (SR) and abundance of ecotypes were significantly different amongst the four seasons, indicating notable seasonal fluctuations in the species composition of the community in this area. Aquatic habitats such as the lakes, rivers and ponds are the most abundant areas of bird diversity in the wetland complex in the Huaibei Plain, providing stop-overs and wintering places for migrants on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Meanwhile, the autumn and winter are the key periods for waterbird protection in this area. Our study provides important baseline data on the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of bird communities in the Huaibei Plain and may help in developing scientifically effective management and conservation plans. ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ © Li Y et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Author-formatted, not peer-reviewed document posted on 01/04/2025. DOI:   https://doi.org/10.3897/arphapreprints.e154390

wetland, habitat, bird, multidimensional, diversity

Wetlands are one of the world's most productive ecosystems, with rich biodiversity and habitats for many endangered species ( Getzner 2002, Ntongani and Andrew 2013 ). Wetland biodiversity not only contributes to the stability of ecosystems, but also plays an important role in sustainable human development ( Garcia et al. 2021 ). Wetlands with significant habitat heterogeneity have abundant bird communities, often including rare and endemic species ( Rajpar and Zakaria 2011 , Mereta et al. 2021 ). Many studies have shown that there are significant differences in bird communities in different types of wetlands such as rivers, lakes, ponds, paddy fields and swamp forests ( Derebe et al. 2023, He et al. 2023 , Prajapati et al. 2023 ). There are other studies that show the composition and diversity of wetland bird communities vary significantly in different seasons due to the influence of bird migration and water level fluctuation ( Ferrarini et al. 2023). The above studies mainly focused on the analysis of community species composition, diversity and evenness, usually using traditional diversity indicators such as species richness and taxonomic diversity. However, species richness is susceptible to sampling intensity and density of individuals ( Gotelli and Colwell 2001 ). In light of this, Clarke and Warwick proposed a taxonomic diversity method, comprehensively assessing diversity levels by calculating the average taxonomic distinctness index and the variation in taxonomic distinctness index ( Warwick and Clarke 2003 ). Despite the advantages of this method, its limitations are obvious, such as the inability to reflect the historical status of species, genealogical relationships and the ecological functions of different species in community construction. Compared to traditional diversity metrics, functional diversity (FD), based on Niche Theory and the Limiting Similarity Principle, can more effectively explain ecosystem functioning ( Vandermeer 1972 ; Abrams 1983 ; Cadotte et al. 2011 ). According to these theories, species achieve niche separation through the differentiation of functional traits, thereby reducing competition and promoting co-existence. High dissimilarity between species leads to greater Functional Diversity (FD), thereby providing an index of niche complementarity and the diversity of ecological interactions within communities ( Cadotte et al. 2011 , Chapman et al. 2018 ). Research indicates that Functional diversity (FD) is a strong predictor of ecosystem productivity and vulnerability ( Schleuter et al. 2010 ). The stability and efficiency of ecosystems are expected to be higher when more multifunctional features are present ( Cardinale et al. 2012 ). Phylogenetic diversity (PD) is based on the theories of phylogenetic signal and Darwin's niche conservatism ( Wiens and Graham 2005 ), characterises the patterns of genetic variation of species in a community and evolutionary relationships amongst species in a community (Muvengwi et al. 2022 ). Faith defines phylogenetic diversity (PD) as the total 2 Author-formatted, not peer-reviewed document posted on 01/04/2025. DOI:   https://doi.org/10.3897/arphapreprints.e154390 phylogenetic distance between two or more species, explicitly measuring differences between species rather than the number of species or their traits ( Faith 1992 ). Phylogenetic diversity (PD) is inversely related to the evolutionary relatedness of species; the more distantly related the species are, the higher the PD ( Venail et al. 2015 ). Higher phylogenetic diversity means that more evolutionary history is preserved ( Frishkoff et al. 2014, Jetz et al. 2014 ). By conserving phylogenetic diversity, the likelihood of losing unique ecological and phenotypic traits within a community can be reduced ( Matos et al. 2016). The Huaibei Plain is located in the south of the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain in eastern China, with flat terrain and mainly used for planting dryland crops. The Huaihe River and its tributaries, such as the Ying River and the Hong River, flow through the Huaibei Plain, providing the region with abundant water resources. In addition, the Huaibei Plain has a variety of habitat types, including farmland, ponds, lakes, woodlands etc., providing foraging, breeding and overwintering sites for birds, particularly the long-distance migrants along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. However, there are few studies on the diversity of birds in important wetlands in Huaibei Plain ( Y ongmin et al. 2017). In this context, we aimed to assess 10 provincially significant wetlands in the Huaibei Plain dynamics using multi-dimensional diversity indicators to analyse different aspects of bird diversity in space (habitats) and time (seasons). Our results may reveal the community structure, spatial and temporal distribution patterns and habitat selection preferences of birds in the wetlands in the Huaibei Plain and provide reference suggestions for biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration.

Study Area The Huaibei Plain (114°50′-118°18′E, 32°39′-34°44′N) is located in eastern China. The region experiences a warm temperate, semi-humid monsoon climate, characterised by distinct seasons. The region has an average annual temperature of approximately 16.9°C and an average annual precipitation of 884.7 mm. This study selected 10 provincially significant wetlands in the Huaibei Plain, namely the Balihe Provincial Nature Reserve (BPNR), the Wangjiaba National Wetland Park (WNWP), the Yingzhou West Lake National Wetland Park (YWWP), the Liangwan National Wetland Park (LWWP), the Yingzhou West Lake Provincial Nature Reserve (YWNR), the Shayinghe National Wetland Park (SNWP), the Quanshuiwan National Wetland Park (QNWP), the Shuangqingwan Wetland Park (SWP), the Yuejiahu Wetland Park (YWP) and the Qiyuhe Wetland Park (QWP) (Fig. 1) . Bird Survey From March 2022 to February 2023, monthly bird surveys were conducted using transect and point-count methods across 10 provincially significant wetlands and their surrounding areas. Based on the wetland area, habitat complexity and accessibility of the 3 Author-formatted, not peer-reviewed document posted on 01/04/2025. DOI:   https://doi.org/10.3897/arphapreprints.e154390

These lakes, rivers and ponds are the richest areas in terms of bird diversity in this area; furthermore, autumn and winter are the important periods for waterbird protection. Farmlands and woodlands surrounding the aquatic habitats provide varied food sources, breeding sites and nocturnal resting sites for wetland birds and are an important part of the wetland complex. The wetland complex in the Huaibei Plain could provide critical habitats for a wide range of bird species, particularly the long-distance migrants along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Therefore, strengthening the protection and management of these wetlands is crucial for maintaining biodiversity and wetland functions. In terms of different habitats, river habitats require conservation of shrubs/ mudflats during the breeding season and reed communities during migration periods. Lake habitats should maintain open water areas, have reduced human disturbances on mid-lake islands and provide nesting and roosting sites for waterbirds. Pond habitats should establish a gradient structure of "deep water- shallow beach-muddy land", retain floating-leaved vegetation in summer to support breeding waterbirds and adopt rotational harvesting in lotus ponds to ensure winter food supply for migratory birds.

We thank Dr. Pancheng Xie from University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas for his help modified in this study. Author contributions Formal analysis, H.X., D.L., Y .W. and W.H.; Investig ation, Y .L., H.X., X.W., X.Y . and Y .W.; Methodology, Y .L.; Writing- original draft, H.X.; Writing-review and editing, Y .L. Conflicts of interest The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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DOI:   https://doi.org/10.3897/arphapreprints.e154390 Spring Summer Autumn Winter Richness Abundance Richness Abundance Richness Abundance Richness Abundance Swimming birds 8.00±2.65 1016.33±1276.27 5.33±0.58 509.33±177.43 14.00±2.65 3048.33±2035.28 22.00±2.00 8615.00 T errestrial birds 6.00±0.00 563.00±49.57 5.67±0.58 928.00±89.27 5.33±0.58 1309.33±218.51 5.33±0.58 941.33 Wading birds 15.33±2.52 1640.00±112.93 21.00±3.61 1684.00±330.61 21.33±6.11 1576.33±200.15 14.33±3.21 1180.33 Climbing birds 7.67±1.15 51.67±40.28 9.67±0.58 90.33±34.36 4.00±0.00 34.67±5.69 5.00±1.00 32.33 Songbirds 56.00±1.73 3297.33±252.94 39.33±2.52 4567.67±346.37 58.67±6.66 6733.33±392.00 43.00±3.61 5454.33 Birds of prey 4.33±0.58 6.00±1.00 2.00±2.00 2.33±2.08 9.33±0.58 17.67±3.21 4.00±1.00 6.33± c bc dc dc bc b b c bc dc c c c d b b b b b c c c c c d c c d a a a a a a a c c d d c c d Table 1. Effects of four seasons on species richness and abundance of different bird ecotypes. 20 Author-formatted, not peer-reviewed document posted on 01/04/2025. DOI:   https://doi.org/10.3897/arphapreprints.e154390 Supplementary material Suppl. material 1: Bird data of 10 provincially significant wetlands in the Huaibei Plain Authors:  Yongmin Li Data type:  xlsx Download file (23.66 kb) 21 Author-formatted, not peer-reviewed document posted on 01/04/2025. DOI:   https://doi.org/10.3897/arphapreprints.e154390