Waterbirds and their Habitat Utilization of Artificial Wetlands at Dianchi Lake: Implication for Waterbird Conservation in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau Lakes

The effects of coastal artificial wetlands on waterbirds have been studied more extensively in China, but the annual composition of waterbirds and their utilization of constructed wetlands in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau lakes are poorly understood. We conducted 36 waterbird surveys over a year at Dianchi Lake, and found that it supports diverse habitats for breeders (16 species), migrants (27 species) and winter visitors (29 species). Among artificial wetland types, we found that mixed vegetation, low emerging plant and mudflat wetlands supported higher species richness and density than the other wetland types. Our findings had the following implications: management of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau lakes should take the requirements of different waterbirds into consideration; and maintenance of low emerging plants and mixed vegetation, as well as mudflats, is crucial to accommodate the diverse habitat requirements of waterbirds.