Rice fields play a complementary role within the landscape mosaic supporting structurally and functionally distinct waterbird communities

Abstract This study aims to understand how the structure and functions of waterbird communities in rice fields compare to those in other habitats within an agricultural landscape encompassing five habitats: saltpans, lakes, intertidal areas, pastures and rice fields. Over 2 years, waterbird counts were conducted every 15 days in these habitats. Non-metric multidimensional scaling was used to compare the composition and functional structure of the waterbird communities. Differences in both metrics were found among habitats throughout the year. These appear to be driven by spatial (presence of permanent water cover) and temporal gradients (yearly seasonality). Rice fields occupy a central position within the gradients. The composition and functional structure of waterbird communities in rice fields undergo significant changes throughout the year associated with the annual rice production cycle. Other habitats maintain more consistent communities, reflecting their more stable environmental conditions. Rice fields play a complementary role to other habitats in the landscape, likely acting as a buffer, partially mitigating the loss of some waterbird species amid the global decline of natural wetlands.