Three decades of land use and land cover changes in an East African lake and their implications for the conservation of bird communities

Abstract Land use and land cover (LULC) dynamics using GIS and remote sensing techniques measure extent and spatial structure, which are critical for monitoring biomes. A digital LULC detection technique with multi‐temporal satellite imagery analysis was employed at four timepoints from 1987 to 2017 and performed using supervised classifications method in ERDAS imagine 2015. For image classification, the five major LULC types included forests, built‐up land, agricultural land, water bodies and grasslands. LULC of grasslands, forests and water bodies reduced, while LULC of agricultural and built‐up lands increased. Avifaunal surveys were conducted at 11 sites across the LULC classes to compare species richness and abundance. The decrement of forests and water bodies would result in habitat loss, affecting endemic and threatened avifauna, as forests showed highest avifaunal species diversity ( H ′ = 3.80). Despite the decrement, grasslands demonstrated higher avifaunal species richness (107) and abundance (2767). Species richness decreased significantly from grasslands to water bodies and agricultural land ( p < 0.05), and from forests to agricultural and built‐up land ( p < 0.05), and water bodies ( p < 0.01). Avifaunal abundance decreased significantly from grasslands to all other LULC classes. Regular LULC change assessment is integral to avifaunal habitat and biodiversity conservation efforts, particularly at Lake Tana.