Transcript 110512_B1_ SOran - The University of Jordan

Effect of Climate Change and Land Use
on Biodiversity in Wadi Shueib Area /
Jordan
Nasab Q. Rawashdeh, Sawsan A. Oran* and Jawad bakri
*Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Jordan
University of Jordan
[email protected]
Biodiversity Without Boundaries 2011
Nebraska, USA
May 8-12
 Jordan is located in the Eastern Mediterranean region
between 29˚ 20' to 32˚N and 34˚ to 39˚ E.
 Despite its small area (about 89.287 km2), Jordan’s
location at the crossroads of climatic and botanic
regions has endowed the country with a rich variety of
plant and animal life.
 climate of the country is arid to semi-arid and
characterized by dry hot summers and mild wet
winters with extreme variability in rainfall within and
among years.
 More than 90 % of the country's land, known as the
Badia, receives less than 200mm average annual
rainfall. (AL-Bakri et al , 2001).
 Variation in the climate and topography in Jordan lead
to a wide variation in ecological habitat and flora that
comprises approximately 2500 adapted species to local
conditions.
 Most species adapted to dryer parts of Jordan so,
these species are of great importance and hence their
uses as a source of food for human , feed for animals ,
medicinal, soil fixing…etc ( Jordan biodiversity, 2001).
PHYTOGEOGRAPHICAL
REGIONS OF JORDAN
Four
biogeographical
regions
recognized in the country. These
regions are in sequence from east to
west:




Saharo – Arabian (Badia).
Irano – Turanian.
Mediterranean.
Sudanian (Tropical).
Jordan’s Biogeographic Regions
Jordan climate varies
- Jordan is one of the countries that are highly subjected
to the impact of desertification.
-National studies and indicators state desertification
affects many areas in Jordan that is historically known to
be of high productive values in Zarqa, Ajlon, Jordan
Valley and others.
-Desertification in Jordan is a particular environmental
threat with the fact that almost 90% of the area of Jordan
is arid land, while forest comprises only 0.8% of the
country.
-The great environmental challenge that Jordan faces
today is the scarcity of water.
- Water resources in Jordan mainly depend on rainfall,
which is subject to great variability.
Abstract
This study aims to assess and evaluate vegetation
distribution, in addition to list of plant species of
natural vegetation under possible climate changes
in wadi shueib area/ Jordan. More than 360
species are reported to have their primary or
secondary centers of origin in the Mediterranean.
At least 25000 species of higher plants are
recorded in the region, a high proportion of which
are endemic.
Four choosing sites of different gradients of
altitude were sampled in addition to a total of
150 quadrates extending along the study area.
Field sampling was carried out with the aid of
Geographical Information Systems (GIS), land
use map, topographic maps and aerial
photography, all sampled locations were
recorded by GPS.

Flora
The total number of plant species recorded in
Jordan exceeds 2500 species of which 100 species
are endemic, 250 species are rare, 125 species are
very rare, 150 species are endangered and
currently about 75 species are considered extinct.
These species represent 152 families and about
700 genera.
Vegetation is considered as biotic indicator that is sensitive to climate
changes.
Land use / land cover change is considered as major factors in biodiversity
loss. Mediterranean region has been affected by atrophic disturbance for
thousands of years, and, now, is one of the most notably altered hotspots in
the world (Falcucci et al. 2007).
Study area
The wadi shueib is situated 20 kilometers to
the west of Amman. The basin characterized
by very steep slopes and large amplitudes of
relief, reach an altitude of more than 1,000
meters in the Salt and Suweilah areas of north.
Drops to – 200 meters below sea level at
junction of the highland zone with the Ghor
terrace of the Jordan.
The study area is unique where different
biogeography areas and ecosystems exist , Floristic
composition diversity , represents the degraded
ecosystem because of grazing pressure and
urbanization.
The study area of the following biogeographical
zones: Mediterranean , Irano-turanian zone and
Sudanian tropical penetration..
Observed Climate Change in the Region
Temperature
Observed an approximate 1C/100yr rise in annual mean
temperature Price et al. (1999).
Observed the same warming trend in Cyprus, as well as in
Italy and Spain Alpert et al. (unpublished data) .
A relatively moderate increase in air temperature was
measured in cities of the Mediterranean basin, primarily in
winter and less in the autumn and spring (Maheras and Kutiel
1999; Kutiel and Maheras 1998).
Location of the Vegetation Surveyed Sites
on Landuse map in Wadi Shuaib
±
%
%
#
#
##
%
#
%
# #
Legend
Landuse
Forest
Crops
Orchards
Rangeland
% Recommended-sites
#
Quadrate sites
Kilometers
0
3
6
9
12
GIS Unit-NCARE
Different Climate and Rainfall
The most potential services of the ecosystems in
the study area are:
1) The Range land as grazing.
2) Medicinal plants that used by local rural people for
treatment using traditional knowledge.
3) Many plant species as source of food used by local
people like Gundelia tournifortii, Rumex sps., Malva
sps. and Mentha sps, etc.
4) Ornamental plants that recently cultivated by nurseries like
black Iris Asphdeleous lutea and Lonicera sps.
5) Forest as a source of wood for fuel purposes, in addition to
Tourism and recreation. Climate Change increasing threat to
existing ecosystems.
Rangelands are continuing to deteriorate mainly because ecosystem is
so fragile , the grazing stock far exceeds the carrying capacity of the
land.
Desirable range species have been slowly disappearing and several
important medicinal and forage plant species have been destroyed.
Methodologies:
Problem: Long-term processes are difficult
to observe.
Use Space-for-Time substitution.
Four sites were selected and protected by
fences with different gradients of altitude
each has an area of about 1260 m².
Four sites along a rainfall gradient:
Site 1: ~ 400 mm
Mesic Mediterranean
Agroecosystem
Site 2: ~ 300 mm
Mediterranean site
Site 3: ~ 200 mm
semi - arid site
Site 4 ~ 100 mm
arid site
North- and south-exposures at each site
32 1'.42''N, 3543'11.43"E
31 58'26.40"N,3544'2.40"E Range land
3156'45.60"N, 3542'57.60"E Range land
3156'24.94"N, 3539'43.27"E Range land
As-Salt
Site 1
Site 2
Site 4
Wadi Shwayb
Site 3
• Vegetation sampling, plant species were recorded.
• Vegetation cover percent was visually estimated.
• The data describing the sampling sites and quadrates
recorded in the field:
• The percent of rocks
• Exposures
• Signs of grazing or woodland cutting.
 GIS mapping Coordinates of all sampling sites where
recorded by GPS the data will downloaded in GIS to
produce layers of GIS maps in the form of points and
lines.
 The attributes of sampling were appended to the maps
using spatial-join function.
 The spatial distribution will be generated using
interpolation methods the output will be intersected
with maps of altitude, slope and slope aspects derived
from high resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM).
Contribution of the Research
1. Floristic composition, of the study area.
2. Vegetation composition under different
climatic gradients.
3. Variation under different climatic conditions.
4. Spatial distribution of vegetation in relation
to climate change and land use
characteristics.
Results and Discussion
Figure I
Species
Richness +
Vegetation %
The species richness and vegetation cover percent is highest in the highly rainfall
site in addition to that the north exposure show higher vegetation percent and
species richness compared to low rainfall and south exposure sites as shown in
the Figure 1
The initial results of ground survey showed that the
study area included 25 families and about 683 plant
species the spatial distribution of the species different
according to the altitude, rainfall and exposure.
All sampled locations were also recorded in GIS
database to enable the analysis of spatial distribution
of plants species.
Medicinal Plants:
Species Richness of medicinal plant for the study Area
Site No 1
Variable
North
Species
Richness
51
Site N o 2
Site No 3
North
south
North
south
South
30
39
29
56
site No 4
North
south
38
43
spatial distribution of medicinal plant species different according
to land use , rainfall , altitude and land characteristics
31
Glaucium arabicum
Narcissus tazetta
Alcea setosa
Anthemis palaestina
Arum palaestinum
Asphodeline lutea
Sternbergia clusiana
Tulipa agenensis
Lathyrus cicera
Erodium gruinum
Gynandriris sisyrinchium
Cyclamen persicum
Iris nigricans
Acanthus syriacus
Salvia horminum
Echinops polyceras
Climate change scenario
The climate scenarios projected for the region by the year
2010 may suggest the followings:
• Mean temperature increase of 1.6° to 1.8°C
• Reduction in precipitation by (-8)% to (-4)%
• Increase in evapotranspiration by 10%
• Delayed winter rains
• Increased rain intensity and shortened rainy season
• Greater seasonal temperature variability
• Increased frequency and severity of extreme climate events
• Related environmental changes:
• Sea level rise of 12-88cm
• 560ppmv of atmospheric CO2 concentration by the year
2040-2065.
Recommendations
- Further Studies must be done on the Effects of Climate
Change on The Plant Biodiversity in different ecosystems in
Jordan
- Future Monitoring to the study area and management plans
for the conservations strategy.
-Grazing Management plan for the study area because grazing
is one of the most important degradation factor on Wadi
Shueib Area.
- Utilization of The Data Base Result from the Research for
future monitoring and effect of climate change on the recorded
species .
- The study area have indicator species for climate change and
endemics like Orchids .
- Management plan and conservation strategy for exotic species
for monitoring purposes.
Acknowledgement
The Authors are Acknowleding GLOWA Project for
Financing this Study, Royal Geographical Center
(Jordan) , The University of Jordan, The National
Center For Agriculture Research and Extension
NCARE (Jordan), Miss Asma Bzour (Research
Assisstant for her sincere assisstance and
“NatureServe”
USA
References:
1) AL-Bakri, J. T., J. C. Taylor, and T. R. Brewer. (2001), Monitoring land use change
in the Badia Transition zone in Jordan using aerial photography and satellite imagery,
Geographical Journal: 167, 3: 248–262.
2) Al-Esawi, D. M. H., Ahmed El- Oqlah, Sawsan Oran and Jamil Lahham. 1997.
Biological diversity in Jordan a country study: plant biodiversity and taxonomy.
Pp182
3) Falcucci, Alessandra, Luigi Maiorano and Luigi Boitani. 2007. Changes in landuse/land-cover patterns in Italy and their implications for biodiversity conservation.
Landscape Ecol 22:617–631.
4) Jordan Biodiversity- First Report. (2001). conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity in Jordan. First National of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on
the implementation of Articale 6 of the Convention on Biological Diversity Amman.
North Africa, Aleppo, Syria, pp. 3- 10,1996.
5) Kershaw, K. A. (1973), Quantitative and Dynamic Plant Ecology: 2nd ed.
Elseivier, New.
6) Padulosi, S., editor. (1999), Priority-setting for underutilized and
neglected plant species of the Mediterranean region. Report of IPGRI
Conference, 9-11Febrauary 1998, ICARDA, Aleppo, Syria International
Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, Italy: 43-46.
7) Oran, S. (1994), Genetic resources of medicinal plants in Jordan. In:
Jordan, A. (Ed) plant genetic resources of Jordan, proceeding of a
national seminar: 2-4 Agu. 1994. Regional office for West Asia and North
Africa: 117-125.
Thank you..