What is it about?
Hydro power development is seen as a panacea for India's energy requirement. This has prompted Indian Government to propose and development numerous hydro power project in Himalayas. The energy produce through such projects is thought to be eco friendly. However, development of such projects has serious implication for upstream as well as down stream regions. This study aims to identify the impacts of dam building on habitat and diversity of montane birds.
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Why is it important?
The study reported significant decline in bird species diversity in habitats that undergone changes due to hydro power project construction. The tree cavity nesting birds i.e. wood land bird's species declines with increase in habitat disturbance suggested that they are sensitive to dam building. The study also reported chance in landuse pattern in the study sites during the course of dam construction which may lead to habitat loss for forest birds.
Perspectives
This study explored the impacts of dam building on upstream region. The study further explains the development activities in the sensitive Himalayan ecosystem leads to decrease in biodiversity which may result because of dumping of excavated earth material on mountain slopes, deforestation to construct road and construct dam, adits etc. The study highlight the fact that that Government should avoid considering such projects adjacent to protected region for protection of India's biological diversity.
Virat Jolli
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Hydro Power Development and Its Impacts on the Habitats and Diversity of Montane Birds of Western Himalayas, Vestnik Zoologii, January 2017, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1515/vzoo-2017-0036.
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