Aquatic Insect Diversity and Associated Avian Feeding Guilds: A Baseline Study from Semi-Arid Wetlands of Gujarat, Western India

Aquatic insects play a central role in freshwater food webs and are widely used as indicators of habitat condition, yet baseline information from semi-arid wetlands of western India remains limited. Wetland surveys conducted between 2019 and 2024 in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, documented aquatic-insect assemblages and associated insectivorous bird guilds. A total of 64 aquatic-insect taxa were recorded, dominated by Odonata (39 taxa), followed by Coleoptera (14 taxa) and Hemiptera (11 taxa), representing diverse microhabitats and functional groups. Parallel assessments identified 36 bird species with confirmed or frequent reliance on aquatic insects, which were classified into five functional feeding guilds. Wading and surface insectivores were the most represented groups, reflecting the importance of shallow littoral habitats. Co-occurrence patterns suggested potential linkages between insect diversity and avian guild composition within these wetlands. The study provides a region-specific baseline for aquatic insect diversity and associated avian trophic structure in semi-arid freshwater systems, with relevance for future biomonitoring and ecological assessments.