Berk. Penel. Hayati: 18 (25–30), 2012

COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF WATERBIRDS IN SEVERAL TYPE OF
WETLAND UTILIZATION IN EAST COAST OF SURABAYA
Ragil Siti Rihadini1,2, Thin Soedarti1 dan Bambang Irawan1
1Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Airlangga University
2E-mail: ragil.rihadini@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Natural wetlands are the natural habitat of waterbirds, but it is very difficult to find an unspoiled wetlands without human intervention
curently. East coast of Surabaya is wetlands area in Surabaya that most of the region have change into fishpond and residental. The
aims of this reasearch are to determine the community structure of waterbirds in each type of wetland utilization and to determine if
the different type of wetland utilization influence the community structure of waterbirds in East Coast of Surabaya. Data were collected
during August 2012 to January 2013 with point count method. Six sampling plots have been selected. Six sampling plots representing
four types of use of wetlands, which are bozem, the former fishpond, fishpond with vegetation, and fishponds without vegetation (fishpond
1, fishpond 2 and fishpond 3). In bozem recorded 19 species of waterbirds (1107 individual), dominated by shorebirds, with a diversity
index (H') 1.86, and evenness index (J') 0.63. In former fishpond recorded 7 species of water birds (168 individual), dominated by rails
and moorhen, with H’ = 1.12 and J’ = 0.57. In fishpond with vegetation recorded 12 species of water birds (137 individual), dominated
by large wader, with H’ = 1.85 and J’ = 0.74. In fishpond 1 recorded 18 species of water birds (299 individual), dominated by terns,
with H’ = 1.96 and J’ = 0.68. In fishpond 2 recorded 9 species of water birds (70 individual), dominated by terns, with H’ = 1.73 and
J’ = 0.79. In fishpond 3 recorded 10 species of water birds (83 individual), dominated by terns, with H’ = 1.84 and J’ = 0.80. Chi-square
test showed that X2 count is greater than X2 table with α < 0.05, which indicates that there is a significant difference of the number
of individuals of each species and the number of individual of each water birds’ group for each type of use of wetlands, so it can be
concluded that different types of use of wetlands affect water bird community structure in the East Coast Surabaya.
Key words: community structure, waterbirds, and type of wetland utilization

INTRODUCTION
Waterbirds have ecological functions that are important
for the environment, one of them is carrying nutrients from
water to terrestrial areas through veses, legs, or other body
parts. The ecological function related to the role of water
birds as nutrient cycling agent and contribution in soil
formation process (Sekercioglu, 2006).
Most of the waterbirds are the top predator in their
environment so the presence of waterbirds affect distribution
and the abudance of another biota such as mollusca,
crustacean, fish and minnow, etc., (Cintra, 2012). Waterbirds
forming food chain cycle and will show some changes in
the different component of ecosystem. (Custer and Osbrone,
1997 in Rajashekara and Venkatesha, 2010).
Natural wetland is the natural habitat of waterbirds,
therefore the compotition and structure of waterbirds
community are greatly influence by the presence of natural
wetlands (Howes et al., 2001). But currently, it is difficult to
find unspoiled wetlands areas without human intervention
(Fraser and Keddy, 2005). Many wetland utilization has
changed nowadays. It resulted in shrinkage and degradation
of wetland areas that means available habitat of waterbirds
will be less.
Surabaya East Coast is a wetland area in Surabaya.
Besides there are residental waterbirds that live in it,

Surabaya East Coast is also frequently visited by migrating
waterbirds. Most of the wetlands in the East Coast of
Surabaya has been converted into aquaculture areas, but
currently some areas began developed into recreational
areas and settlements.
The aims of this study are to determine how the
community structure of waterbirds in some different types
of use of wetlands and how the effect of different types of
use of wetlands for waterbirds community structure in the
East Coast of Surabaya.
METHOD
This research was conducted in the East Coast of
Surabaya at two location, fishpond areas in Wonorejo and
settlements area in Medokan Ayu Tambak. Data collection
was carried out during the six-month study, from August
2012 to January 2013.
The recorded data in this study are the number and the
name of waterbirds species which perform the activity in each
plot (using point count method), and the physical-chemical
parameter data from each plot (water depth and salinity).
Bird inventory data that have been collected in this
study then processed to obtain the dominance index,
diversity index and evenness index. Besides that the data
also analyzed using chi-square test and cluster analysis.

26

Community Structure of Waterbirds

RESULT
At each study site (Wonorejo fishpond area and
Medokan Ayu Tambak), taken three plots of data collection
with different type of wetland utilization. Type of wetland
utilization of each data collection plot are presented in
Table 1.

Table 1. Type of wetland utilization of each data collection plot in
each location
Location
Wonorejo
fishpond area
Medokan Ayu
Tambak

Code of data
collection plot
1
2
3
1
2
3

Type of wetland utilization
Bozem
Fishpond 1
Fishpond with vegetation
Former fishpond
Fishpond 2
Fishpond 3

Table 2. Number of individuals of each species (ni) and index of abudance (Di) in each type of wetland utilization
Type of Wetland Utilization
Fishpond without vegetation
Fishpond with
vegetation
Fishpond 1
Fishpond 2
Fishpond 3
ni
Di (%)
ni
Di (%)
ni
Di (%)
ni
Di (%)
5
3,65
4
1,3
3
4,29
10
12

1. Tringa glareola

ni
8

Di (%)
0,72

Former
fishpond
ni
Di (%)
0
0

2. T.hypoleucos
3. T. stagnatilis*

11
7

0,99
0,63

1
0

0,6
0

7
8

5,11
5,84

3
0

1
0

5
0

7,14
0

3
3

3,61
3,61

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

T. cinereus*
T. totanus*
T. nebularia*
Calidris ferruginea*
C. ruficollis*
C. subminuta*
Numenius phaeopus*

0
0
0
441
164
5
4

0
0
0
39,8
14,8
0,45
0,36

0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0

3
0
0
0
0
0
0

2,19
0
0
0
0
0
0

1
1
3
0
0
0
68

0,33
0,33
1
0
0
0
22,7

0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
13
0
0
0

0
0
0
15,7
0
0
0

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24
25
26

Limosa limosa*
Charadrius javanicus
C. alexandrinus
C. dubius*
C. mongolus*
C. hiaticula*
C. leschenaultii*
Pluvialis fulva*
Stiltia Isabella*
Butorides striatus
Egretta garzetta
E. eulophotes
E. alba
Ardeola speciosa
Gallinula chloropus
Amaurornis
phoenicurus
Porzana cinerea
Galliralus striatus
Sterna hirundo
S.albifrons
S. nilotica

0
76
59
2
22
0
10
2
3
1
0
0
0
68
211
0

0
6,87
5,33
0,18
1,99
0
0,90
0,18
0,27
0,09
0
0
0
6,14
19,1
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
4
0
1
0
103
27

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1,79
2,38
0
0,60
0
61,3
16,1

0
2
0
0
0
6
0
1
0
1
55
15
0
5
0
0

0
1,46
0
0
0
4,38
0
0,73
0
0,73
40,2
11
0
3,65
0
0

7
0
7
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
10
2
1
2
0
0

2,34
0
2,34
0
0,67
0
0
0
0
0
3,34
0,67
0,33
0,67
0
0

0
4
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
8
0
1
3
0
0

0
5,71
0
0
0
0
0
2,86
0
0
11,4
0
1,43
4,29
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
1
3
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2,41
0
0
2,41
0
1,20
3,61
0
0

0
1
0
0
0

0
0,09
0
0
0

29
0
0
0
0

17,3
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0

0
0
63
89
9

0
0
21
29,7
3,01

0
0
0
29
0

0
0
0
41,4
0

0
0
0
28
0

0
0
0
33,7
0

32 Chlidonias hybridus
33 Himantopus
leucocephalus
34 Alcedo coerulescens

0
12

0
1,08

0
0

0
0

0
29

0
21,2

26
0

8,7
0

15
0

21,4
0

18
0

21,7
0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0,33

0

0

0

0

Name of species

27
28
29
30
31

Bozem

Note for table 2
= shorebirds
= large wader
= ratis/moorhen

ni

= stilt
= king fisher

Di

= Dominance index (%)
= tern

= number of individuals

*

= migratory bird

27

Rihadini, Soedarti dan Irawan

During the process of collecting data from August 2012
to January 2013 recorded 33 species in Wonorejo fishpond
area and 12 species in Medokan Ayu Tambak with total
species encountered are 34 species. While in each type of
use of wetland found the different number of species and
individuals of waterbirds which presented in Table 2.
From 34 species that found in all data collection plots
during August 2012 until January 2013, Tringa hypoleucos
or common sandpipers is the only species of waterbirds
that found in all sixth data collection plot with the highest
abudance in bozem. There are 11 species that found in
both location (Wonorejo fishpond area and Medokan Ayu
Tambak) i.e., T. glareola, T. hypoleucos, C. ferruginea,
C. javanicus, P. fulva, B. striatus, E. garzetta, E. alba,
A. speciosa, G. chloropus, S. albifrons, and C. hybridus.
While the only species of waterbirds encountered in
Wonorejo fiahpond area are T. stagnatilis, T. cinereus,
T. totanus, T. nebularia, C. ruficollis, C. subminuta, N.
phaeopus, L.limosa, C. alexandrines, C. dubius, C. mongolus,
C. leschenaultii,C. hiaticula, S. isabella, E. eulophotes,
G. striatus, S. hirundo, S. nilotica, H. leucocephalus,
and A. coerulescens,and the only species of waterbirds
encountered in Medokan Ayu Tambak are P. cinerea and
A.phoenicurus.
Based on the data presented in Table 2, the number of
individuals and species encountered in each type of use
of wetlands is not equal to one another. Various group of
waterbirds that are found in each type of use of wetland
was not equal to each other too, as well as species that
dominate in each type of use of wetland is also different.
The most dominant species in bozem is a species from group
of shorebird i.e. Calidris ferruginea with the dominance
index (Di) 39,8%, while in the former fishpond, the most
dominant species is Gallinula chloropus from group of
rails and moorhen with dominance index (Di) 61,3%. In
fishpond with vegetation, the most dominant species is
Egretta garzetta from wader group with dominance index

(Di) 40,2%. For fishpond without vegetation, i.e. fishpond
1, fishpond 2, fishpond 3, dominated by Sterna albifrons
with the dominance index (Di) respectively are 29,7%;
41,4%; and 33,7%.
Based on the results of non-parametric statistical
analysis using chi-square test (results are presented in
Table 3), was significantly different between the waterbird
community structure of each type of use of wetlands,
especially in the number of individuals of each species of
waterbirds and the number of individuals of each group of
waterbirds. It shows that the habitat conditions required by
each species of waterbirds are not the same, so the number
and species of waterbirds of each type of use of wetlands
is also different.
DISCUSSION
The difference of the most dominant species in each
type of wetland utilization can be caused by the level of
human intervention and disturbance or availability of the
preferred habitat of waterbirds.
Based on the data which presented in Figure 1, appears
that there are significant differences between the number
of waterbird individu that encountered in bozem compared
to the number of waterbird individu in other types of
wetland utilization. That result showed that bozem which
is an natural artificial wetland that receive low human
intervention and distruption preferred by waterbird than
other types of wetland utilization. That condition was also
influenced by the presence of mangrove vegetation in plot of
bozem. According to Froneman et al., (2001), vegetation is
one of the important elements that contribute to the structure

Table 3. The result of chi-square (X2) test between types of use of
wetland with number of individuals of each species and
the number of individuals of each group of waterbirds.
Variable

X2

df

Asymp.
Sig.
(2-side)

Type of use of wetlands and the
number of individuals of each
4062.755a 160 .000
species of waterbirds
Type of use of wetlands and the
number of individuals of each
2262.527a 25 .000
group of waterbirds

Type of wetland utilization
Figure 1. Diagram of overall waterbird individual number in each
type of use of wetland in the East Coast of Surabaya (A = bozem;
B = former fishpond; C = fishpond with vegetation; D = fishpond
1; E = fishpond 2; F = fishpond 3).

28

Community Structure of Waterbirds

of waterbird communities because vegetation determine the
availibility of food in the habitat. The existence of mangrove
vegetation in bozem affect the existence of crustaceans and
molluscs which are food sources of waterbirds. Based on
research by Pratama (2009), crustaceans in this case crabs,
found more abundant in mangrove areas than in areas with
little or no mangroves, because mangrove litter is a food
source for these crustaceans.
In the fishpond, both with vegetation and without
vegetation individu of waterbirds tend to be more prevalent
when the water in the plot is vacated so that the only remaining
stretch of mud (mud flats) with a little puddle of water in some
spots, but if the water depth in that plot too in the individual
of waterbirds are rarely found. That's because the water depth
directly determination the foraging access of waterbirds, it is
related to the morphological structure of waterbirds (Collazo
et al., 2002; Darnell and Smith, 2004). In these conditions
are rare shorebirds group (shorebird) which has a short beak
and tarsus, usually only encountered one to five individual of
tern which seem to fly and catch fish in the fishpond except
in fishponds with vegetation, because amount of vegetation
which restrict the foraging area of tern. According to Fujiko
et al. (2001) and Bancroft et al. (2002), the high number
and density of vegetation may limit the accessibility of
wetlands, besides that according to White and Main (2004),
the vegetation will limit the activity of waterbirds in foraging
and pray detection.
In the fishpond with vegetation, frequently encountered
long-legged waterbirds from group of wader bird. This
fishpond frequently flooded, therefore long-legged
waterbirds are more common because the tarsus of wader
birds long enough allowing the birds foraging in the the
pond with sufficient water depth (Baker, 1997).

Based on the diagram in Figure 2 can be seen that the
value of diversity index (H') and evenness index (J') in
each type of use of wetlands is not much different from
one another. Values of diversity and evenness index on
six types of use of wetland in the East Coast of Surabaya
show the diversity and evenness of each individual species
are medium, which means that the spread of the number of
individuals of each species and stability of the community
are medium (Harjadi et al., 2010) with the evenness of the
distribution of individuals of each species are good but not
maximum (Soegianto, 1994 and Stiling, 2002).
Although the number of species and number of
individuals that found in each of types of wetlands utilization
are different but the values of evenness and diversity index
of waterbirds from those types of wetland utilization are
not much different. This is because there are several species
too dominant, thus making the value of diversity index and
evenness of each species becomes low.
Based on the results of the chi-square test, a group of
water birds that dominate in each type of use of wetlands
is not the same. Can be seen in the diagram in Figure 3.
In bozem, the most dominant group is shorebird whereas
in other types of use of wetlands shorebirds are not too
dominant. This is dues to the type of this wetland is rarely
observed submerged by water, so it is provides a fairly
extensive mudflats (mudflat) which are a favorite foraging
place for shorebirds. Mudflats generally consist of silts and
clays with a high organic content (Jason and Kidney, 2007).
While in the former fishponds, the most dominant group
of waterbirds is rail/moorhen. This group of waterbird is
also frequently encountered in bozem. It shows that rail/
moorhen prefers the type of wetland that get less human
intervention in the management of the wetland. Also based
on the data obtained, rail/moorhen also like the type of
wetland with vegetation which are often used to hide when
approached by humans.

Numb
er of
individ
ual of
each
group
of
waterir
ds

(number of
species)

Type of wetland utilization
(diversity index)

(evenness index)

Figure 2. Diagram number of species, diversity index (H’), evenness
index (J’) number in each type of use of wetland in the East Coast
of Surabaya (A = bozem; B = former fishpond; C = fishpond with
vegetation; D = fishpond 1; E = fishpond 2; F = fishpond 3).

Figure 3. Diagram of the number of individuals of each group of
waterbirds in each type of use of wetlands on the East Coast of
Surabaya (A = bozem; B = former fishpond; C = fishpond with
vegetation; D = fishpond 1; E = fishpond 2; F = fishpond 3).

Rihadini, Soedarti dan Irawan

Unlike bozem and the former fishponds, fishpond with
vegetation of grass and several mangrove in the middle of
the plot is dominated by large wader or the long-legged
bird. These results because the plots are almost always
submerged by water during the process of data collection.
For the fishpond, in the fishpond 1, fishpond 2 and fishpond
3 are all dominated by terns. This is because the condition
during the process of data collection, these plots are often
recorded under water until the upper limit, and limit other
water birds to foraging in the plot, it is due to the limitations
of morphology, especially the tarsus and beak length
(Collazo et al., 2002; Darnell and Smith, 2004 and Ma et al.,
2009). On August 2012 the water had receded in this plot
(post-harvest) so recorded many shorebird species in a large
group, but on further observations when the fish farmer
fill the plots with water, the number of individuals and
species of waterbirds were recorded at this point decreases.
When the water in the fishpond receded, a fairly extensive
mudflats, which are a fovorite place for shorebirds’ foraging
activity, available (Helmers, 1992).
Clustering results based on the number of individual
waterbirds, the amount of water bird species, diversity index
(H'), evenness index (J') and the number of individuals of
each waterbirds’ group in each type of use of wetland is
shown in the dendogram (Fig. 4. ). Based dendogram in
Fig.4, six observation plots consisting of four types of use
of wetlands grouped into two types of land use bozem and
other wetlands.
In addition to analyzing the results of an inventory
of aquatic birds, in this study also taken the environment
variable (salinity and water depth). According to Ma et al.
(2009), the water depth directly restrict foraging access of
waterbirds, this is due to the limitations of morphology,
especially waterbirds’ tarsus length. While salinity is also an
important factor in the management of wetlands as habitat
for waterbirds, because water with high salinity can lead
to dehydration on waterbirds, beside that most of the water

Figure 4. Dendogram, clustering results of the type of use of
wetlands based on waterbird community structure (number of
species, number of individuals, diversity index (H '), evenness index
(J'), and the number of individuals of each group of waterbirds).

29

birds avoid high salinity because the salt water will reduce
the resilience of the water in bird feathers.
Based on previous research, each group of waterbirds
choose different water depths in foraging activity. In this
study, the results are not much different from previous
studies, was recorded at a depth of less than 5 cm are
often found a small shorebird such as, T.hypoleucos,
C.alexandrinus, C.javanicus, and C.ferruginea, but when
the depth is more than 5 cm, these birds are not found.
If the water depth is more than 20 cm, which frequently
observed are large wader such as herons, egrets and another
long-legged bird. When the depth is more than 25 cm,
sometimes still recorded long-legged bird in small amounts
(1–2 individual) and frequently encountered terns. Variations
in water depth and waterbirds encountered are presented
in Figure 5.
In this study, the highest abundance of waterbirds
recorded at a salinity of 20‰ to 37‰. Water salinity affect
zoobenthos distribution and other aquatic animals that are
food sources for waterfowl (Ma et al., 2009). Based on
research by Onrizal et al., (2009), crustaceans and molluscs
prefers moderate salinity. So the food source of waterbird
is more abundant in the types of wetland with moderate
salinity range.
Based on the discussion above we can conclude the
community structure of waterbirds in each type of wetland
utilization in East Coast of Surabaya. In bozem recorded
19 species of waterbirds (1107 individuals), dominated by
shorebirds, with a diversity index (H ') of 1.86, and evenness
index (J') 0.63; in former fishponds types recorded 7 species
(168 individuals), dominated by rails or moorhen, with H ' =
1.12 and J' = 0.57; in ponds with vegetation types recorded

Figure 5. Diagram comparing the observed data (orange bar)
and the data by Ma et al. (2009) (black bar and blue bar for diving
waterbirds which not found during the research), regarding the
water depth variations in foraging locations among groups of
waterbirds. Small shorebird (Charadrius, sandpipers); Large
shorebird ( godwits, stints, whimbrels, etc); Large waders (egrets
and herons); Tern; diving waterbird (cormorant and grebes).

30

Community Structure of Waterbirds

12 species of waterbirds (137 individuals), dominated by
long-legged waterbirds (large waders), with H' = 1.85 and
J' = 0.74; in fishpond 1 recorded 18 species of waterbirds
(299 individuals) with H' = 1.96 and J' = 0.68. In fishpond
2 recorded 9 species of waterbirds (70 individuals) with
H' = 1.73 and J' = 0.79, and in fishponds 3 recorded 10 species
of waterbirds (83 individual) with H' = 1.84 and J' = 0.80,
group of waterbirds which dominate in ponds 1, 2 and 3 are
a group of terns. Based on the result of chi-square analysis,
the differences types of use of wetland affect the structure
of waterbirds community in the East Coast of Surabaya
especially the number of individuals of each species of
waterbirds and the number of individuals of each group of
waterbirds.
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