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1-1.
Introduction
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1.1-Background
The Invertebrate
baseline survey is the sixth baseline survey to take place in Wadi Rum
protected area. It lasted for
four months (February-May 2000). All
the baseline surveys that took place and that are going to take place in the
protected area are done to achieve the aims of the Wadi Rum Project. The
project will support and encourage tourism development that maximises economic
returns to local communities whilst protecting and conserving its natural and
cultural resources. The specific
objectives of the project are:
1.
To increase tourism revenue generated at the site.
2.
To maximise economic returns to the local community.
3.
To enable local Bedouin women to gain direct benefits from the protected area,
4.
To conserve the ecological and archaeological resources of the site.
Integration of all
baseline surveys results conducted since the start of the project will
basically contribute to the management planning of the protected area. In
addition to this, this study will also show the importance of the protected
area regarding the macroinvertebrates fauna living in different habitats of
the desert ecosystem dominating the area.
Macroinvertebrates are helpful
biological indicators that could be used for developing an effective
monitoring programs to follow management actions onsite.
1.2-Survey
Objectives
- Review
and acquire the references and previous studies conducted on the
macroinvertebrates of the protected area.
- Study
the macroinvertebrates fauna and record the available biological and
ecological data about the collected specimens. For example, host, location,
behavior, collecting date.
- Preserve
collected specimens to the research center, and in the University of Jordan
Insect Museum.
- Identify
special interest species like endangered species, pest species, or species
that may be used as ecological indicators of the status of the ecosystem.
- Train
the research team and the reserve staff about the role and importance of
macroinvertebrates in ecosystems so they can transfer this knowledge to the
general public.
- Train
the research team and reserve staff on collecting, preserving, identifying
and monitoring important or ecological indicator species.
- Develop
future monitoring programs and sampling methods for important species and in
giving recommendations for protecting the macroinvertebrates biodiversity in
the reserve.
- Contribute
to the management actions of the protected area.
1.3-Importance
of Macroinvertebrates
The
macroinvertebrates form a large and diverse group of animals. More than 75% of
the known animal species in the world belong to this group. Some
macroinvertebrates (insects) are beneficial in pollinating many kinds of
economic and wild plants. Others may produce commercial products like honey
and wax. Also insects are important in the food chain as food for fish, birds
and reptiles. However many insects are harmful to man and his properties, and
to his grown plants and domesticated animals.
Macroinvertebrates
have been used in conservation biology because of many reasons. Most global
biodiversity consists of macroinvertebrates. Macroinvertebrates are found in
all trophic levels (except primary producers) and play a major role in the
nutrient flow in the ecosystems. They have unique value for scientific studies
because of their short life cycle, great variation in morphology, physiology
and behavior. Macroinvertebrates can be used as sensitive indicators of
ecosystem change (early warning organisms). They can be used to study
succession and long term ecological processes (Ginsberg, 1993).
1.4-Literature
Review
There
have been few studies about the insect fauna of Jordan. For instance, El Musa
(1979) recorded many species of Lepidoptera from Jordan. Sharaf
et. al. (1983)
conducted a preliminary survey of the Coleoptera of Jordan. Larsen and
Nakamura (1983) studied the butterflies of Jordan. Mustafa (1985, 1986, 1988,
1989) studied the aphids of Jordan. Allawi (1989, 1994) recorded species of
Coccinellidae and whiteflies. Several families of Coleoptera of Jordan were
studied by Katbeh Bader (1996 a, b, c, and d). Amr,
et al. (1996) reported on the
terrestrial arthropods of Azraq. Pohl
et. al. (1996) described a new
genus and two new species of Corioxenidae (Strepsiptera) from Jordan. Al
Khawaldeh et. al. (1997) surveyed the Psylloidea (Hemiptera) of Jordan. Katbeh
Bader & Enrico Barbero (1999) published a list of the Scarabaeoidea
(Coleoptera) of Jordan.
Very
few studies were conducted on the insect fauna of Wadi Rum. Different workers
recorded several species from the area. However, no comprehensive study is
known in the literature.
1.5-Team
Composition
The
team included the following members supervised by Dr. Ahmad Katbeh
(Insect Taxonomist, University of Jordan):
1-
Mayas Qarqaz, B.Sc. Graduate in Applied Biology from Jordan University of
Science and Technology. 1997.
2-
Khaldoun AI-Omari, B. Sc. Graduate
in Applied Biology from Jordan University of Science and Technology. 1998.
3-
Nash'at Hamidan, B. Sc. Graduate
in Applied Biology from Jordan University of Science and Technology. 1999.
