A quantitative analysis of the flora of Jordan and its conservation status

Transcription

1 A quantitative analysis of the flora of Jordan and its conservation status Shahina A Ghazanfar 1, Haten Taifour 2, Ahmad AlOqlah 3, Renata Borosova 1 and Jo Osborne 1 1 Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, 2 Royal Botanic Garden Jordan, Yarmouk University, Irbid

2 Botanical Explorations in the Middle East started almost 800 years ago Ibn al-bayṭār ( ) was a Muslim scientist, botanist, pharmacist and physician. Born in the Andalusia in Malaga, he learned botany from the Málagan botanist Abu al-abbas al-nabati with whom he started collecting plants in and around Spain. In 1219, Ibn al-baytar left Málaga to travel in the Islamic world to collect plants. He travelled from the northern coast of Africa as far as Anatolia, and in 1224 went to Damascus and collected plants in Syria, Arabia and Palestine. Collection of Simple Drugs and Food, an encyclopaedia of about 1500 medicinal substances that he collected over his lifetime. Peter Forsskål (Pehr Forsskål) (11 Jan July 1763) was a Swedish explorer, naturalist and an apostle of Carl Linnaeus. Collected in Lower Egypt, Sinai, Palestine. Collections in C, where many of his plants were lost to bad storage herbarium resurrected by Carl Christensen some 150 year later. The entire journey of this Danish expedition was written by Thorkild Hansen Det lykkelige Arabien (1962, translated into English as Arabia Felix). Flora Ægyptiaco-Arabica sive descriptiones plantarum quas per Ægyptum Inferiorem et Arabiam felicem detexit, illustravit Petrus Forskål - plants of Yemen and of lower Egypt (1775)

3 Pierre Martin Remi Aucher-Éloy ( ) Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, Sinai Peninsula, Chios, Kos, Syria, Iran, Oman, (died near Isfahan on October 6, 1838) Aucher sold his collections to the Museum National d'histoire Naturelle in Paris, from where they were distributed to various herbaria. His book Relations de Voyages en Orient de 1830 à 1838 was published posthumously in Wilhelm Peter Eduard Simon Rüppell ( ) German naturalist and explorer. Rüppell is occasionally transliterated to "Rueppell" for the English alphabet. Visited Sinai in 1817; first expedition in 1821, with surgeon Michael Hey as his assistant - through the Sinai desert; in 1822 both were the first European explorers to reach the Gulf of Aqaba; went to Mt Sinai, Nile, Sudan, Ethiopia. Atlas zu der Reise im nordlichen Afrika (Atlas of Travels in northern Africa) (1826). In 1830 Rüppell returned to Africa, and became the first naturalist to traverse Ethiopia - Published an account of his travels: Travels in Abyssinia.

4 Georg Theodor Kotschy ( ) Collected in various places in the Middle East; Syria, N Africa, Egypt, Cyprus, Iraq incl. Kurdistan, Lebanon, Palestine; collections in W. Pierre Edmond Boissier ( ) Near East, through the Nile Valley to Assouan, then to Mt. Sinai and through Yemen to Gaza, Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, Damascus, Lebanon, anti-lebanon, Antiochia, Aleppo and back to southern Lebanon. Flora Orientalis, 5 Vols, and supplementary volume ( ); collections at G. This great flora has remained for long time the principal source of the knowledge on the Middle-Eastern floras. Heinrich Carl Haussknecht ( ) Explored Syria, Armenia and S E Turkey in , the results of his work were published in Iter Syriaco-Armeniacum ; collections in JE

5 George Post ( ) Eastern Mediterranean region Flora of Syria, Palestine and Sinai which was published between 1883 and Revision by John Edward Dinsmore in John Edward Dinsmore ( ) Collected in Israel, Syria, Transjordan ( ). Collections at: A, AMD, BEI, CGE, E, F, G, GB, GH, GRO, K, L, LD, W] Original herbarium heavily damaged, Nov at the Agr. Res. Service, Transjordan] John E. Dinsmore collection (books & plant specimens; portraits) exists at the American Colony Hotel, Jerusalem František Nábělek ( ) Iran, Kurdistan, Israel, Jordan, Syria Head of Arboretum at Mlyňany, Slovak Academy of Sciences and the Arts. Michael Zohary ( ) Travelled and published extensively on the Middle East flora. Geobotanical Foundations of the Middle East - Flora Palaestina Vols 1-2 & with Naomi Feinbrun-Dothan Vols 3-4

6 Early floras and checklists of the region of Jordan and Palestine J. Decaisne (1836) Florula Sinaica. Ann. Soc. Nat. (Paris) ed.2, 2: B. Lowne (1865) Flora of Sinai. Jour. Linn. Soc., 1865 H.B. Tristram (1884) Fauna and Flora of Palestine. Palestine Exploration Fund, London D. Hanbury & J.D. Hooker, Catalogue of the Flora of Palestine. Ms (at Kew). Hart (1891) Some Account of the Fauna and Flora of Sinai, Petra and Wâdy Arabak. Palestine Exploration Fund, London. J.E. Dinsmore (1911) Die Pflanzen Palästinas. (Auf Grund eigener Sammlung und der Flora Posts und Boissiere, mit Beigabe der arabischen Namen von Prof. D. Dr. G. Dalman), pp J. C. Hinrichs'sche Buchhandlung, Leipzig,

7 ± taxa in the Middle East Country Taxa Turkey 9753 Iran 7300 Syria 3500 Iraq 3203 Israel, Palestine & western 2700 Jordan Jordan 2560 Egypt (incl. Sinai) 2145 Yemen 2200 Saudi Arabia 2281 Lebanon, Syria 2606 Oman 1240 United Arab Emirates 650 Kuwait 450 Qatar 270 Bahrain 250

8 Physical map and climate of Jordan

9 Families Genera Species Vascular cryptogams Gymnosperms Angiosperms % total species Total

10 Families with > 50 species Genera Species Leguminosae Asteraceae (Compositae) Poaceae (Gramineae) Brassicaceae Liliaceae Lamiaceae (Labiatae) Caryophyllaceae Amaranthaceae Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) Boraginaceae Scrophulariaceae Rubiaceae Ranunculaceae 9 45 Families with > 20 species Euphorbiaceae 5 39 Caprifoliaceae 9 37 Convolvulaceae 5 34 Papaveraceae 6 33 Polygonaceae 7 33 Cyperaceae 7 30 Malvaceae 9 30 Iridaceae 5 29 Geraniaceae 4 28 Zygophyllaceae 8 28 Solanaceae 7 26 Orchidaceae 8 23 Plantaginaceae 2 23 Apocynaceae Rosaceae 12 21

11 Families Genera Species Leguminosae Astragalus 56 Leguminosae Trifolium 38 Caryophyllaceae Silene 35 Euphorbiaceae Euphorbia 32 Liliaceae Allium 30 Leguminosae Trigonella 24 Leguminosae Medicago 22 Plantaginaceae Plantago 22 Asteraceae Centaurea 21 Rubiaceae Galium 21 Convolvulaceae Convolvulus 20 Poaceae Bromus 20 Lamiaceae Salvia Frequency of genera Species per genus Frequency of species per genus in the flora of Jordan

12 Endemism There are seven species endemic to Jordan and ± 106 near endemics, (endemic to Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Suadi Arabia and Sinai). Through the BOT-ERA project Conservation Assessments of 931 species have been made. Using the IUCN Regional Categories and Criteria Salvia fruticosa is recorded to be Regionally Extinct (Region-Jordan) 21 species are Critically Endangered 53 Endangered 31 Vulnerable 12 species Near Threatened Threats to biodiversity and habitats include urbanization, wood cutting, overgrazing, and extractor mining. Salvia fruticosa Photo A. Danin

13 Biogeography Palaearctic (left) and Afrotropic (right) ecozones. At a global scale, the Middle East is lies in the transition zone between two major biogeographic units, the Palaearctic and Afrotropical Ecoregions. The Arabian Desert separates the Palearctic and Afrotropic ecozones, and forms a transition zone between the Afrotropic and Mediterranean basin to the north. (WWF Ecoregions. Olsen et al )

14 Biogeography The southern Arabian woodlands found mostly in south western parts of the Arabian Peninsula (mostly Yemen, parts of western Oman and southwestern Saudi Arabia) have a few permanent and seasonal forests with elements of East African and Ethiopian floras. Other woodlands scatter the land and are very small and are predominately juniper or acacia woodlands (WWF Ecoregions. Olsen et al )

15 Biogeography Palaearctic and Afrotropic ecozones. The Mediterranean Basin (of the Palaearctic ecoregion has about 13,000 endemic species. Designated as one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. The Iranian plateau is home to dry, steppe grasslands and desert basins, with montane forests, woodlands, and grasslands in the region's high mountains. (WWF Ecoregions. Olsen et al )

16 White s definition of floristic regions for Africa: 50% of species confined to that region; 1000 endemic spp. found in the same phytochorion. Leonard defined the floristic regions of the Middle East. Phytogeography of the Middle East M The Mediterranean region, occupies a narrow belt along the Mediterranean Sea, with a gap between Palestine and Libya where the desert closely approaches the Mediterranean SS the Saharo-Sindian region occupies Egypt, Sinai, most of the Arabian Peninsula, southern Palestine, Jordan and Israel and SE Iraq J. Leonard (1988, 1989) IT the Irano-Turanian region occupies about half of the Middle East, mainly C and E Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Jordan and Palestine; it is floristically rich and high in endemism and a centre of radiation of several genera

17 Phytogeography of Jordan Irano-Turanian regional centre of endemism (IT): (Endemism: 19 genera, 59 species) IT 1 - SE Turkey, most of Syria, parts of Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, N Sinai, N Jordan, N Iraq Representatives of IT endemic genera in Jordan: Cousinia, Gundelia (Asteraceae); Heterocaryum, Paracaryum (Boraginacae), Ducrosia (Apiaceae), Species endemic to IT 1 found in Jordan: Alysum marginatum, Cardaria draba, Heterocaryum subsessile, Hyocyamus pusillus, Ixioliron tataricum, Ziziphora tenuior, Scorzonera pusilla, Anchusa strigosa, Artemisia sieberi, Ducrosia anethifolia, Gundelia tournefortii, Linum album, Minuartia picta, Pistacia khinjuk, J. Leonard (1988, 1989)

18 Phytogeography of Jordan Saharo-Sindian regional zone (SS) Saharo-Sindian (SS1), Arabian regional subzone (SS2), Nubo- Sindian local centre of endemism (SS3) Endemism: 6 genera, 17 species Representatives of SS endemic genera in Jordan: Anastatica, Eremobium, Gymnarrhena, Moltkiopsis, Neurada, Notoceras, Savigna Species endemic to Saharo- Sindian (SS) found in Jordan: Anastatica hierochuntica; Gymnarrhena micrantha; Neurada procumbens; Notoceras bicorne; Savigna parviflora J. Leonard (1988, 1989)

19 Arabian regional subzone + Nubo-Sindian local centre of endemism - (SS 2 + SS 3) endemic genera in Jordan: Anisosciadium Phytogeography of Jordan Species endemic to Arabo- Sindian (SS 2 + SS 3) found in Jordan: Anisosciadium isosciadium, A. lanatum; Haloxylon salicornicum; Zygophyllum propinquum; Paronychia arabica, Trigonella glabra SS3 - Represented in Jordan by species such as Ziziphus nummularia, Acacia pachyceras, and Cleome amblyocarpa, which are considered as Sudanian relicts that migrated from western Arabia through flow cut channels during pluvial times during the late Pliocene (c. 2.5 MYBP). J. Leonard (1988, 1989)

20 Mediterranean regional centre of endemism (M): Occupies most of western Jordan, the mountains and Jordan valley. Representative vegetation: coniferous forests of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) and Callabrian pine (Pinus brutia not in Jordan); and dry oak (Quercus spp.) woodlands and steppe formations. Olive (Olea europea), carob (Cerotonia siliqua), oak (Quercus coccifera most widespread), pistachio (Pistacia palestina, P. lentiscus), and Arbutus andrachne are the principal species. In addition Phillyrea latifolia, Pistacia terebinthus, Calicotome villosa, Genista acantha, Rhamnus oleoides, Myrtus communis, Laurus nobilis, Styrax officinalis, and Spartium junceum also occur. Vegetation is degraded, in particular Ceratonia siliqua that it is only represented by a few individuals.

21 Integrated Terrestrial and Marine Habitat Map of the Arabian Peninsula Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), Abu Dhabi Global Environment Data Information (AGEDI), UNEP (2012)

22 Ecological Habitats Jordan 40 Northern limestone plateau 45 Igneous Northern Volcanic outcrop 76 - Jordanian Forest and non-forest 77 Jordan steppe 78 Jordan Acacia & rocky Sudanian 25 Inland plain and sabkha 38 Hisma Plateau 71 Madyan mountains and hills below 1000m Integrated Terrestrial and Marine Habitat Map of the Arabian Peninsula Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), Abu Dhabi Global Environment Data Information (AGEDI), UNEP (2012)

23 Deciduous oak forest Vegetation Types Pine forest Juniper woodland Tropical Juniper woodland Acacia and rocky Sudanian Evergreen oak forest Mediterranean non forest zone Hammada Pine forest Deciduous oak forest Evergreen oak forest Juniper woodland Tropical Mediterranean non forest Steppe Hammada Sand Dune Acacia & rocky Sudanian Sand dune vegetation Source: RSCN After Eisawi, 1996

24 1. PINE FOREST Land classification: Mountain ranges in north; parts of Jordan; cultivation. Approx. area: 350, ,000 km 2. Altitude range: > 100 m; Annual rainfall: mm. Representative Governorates: Ajloun; Jerash; Balqa; Dibbeen. Vegetation: Open to dense forest with Pinus halepensis forming emergent trees. Subemergent associated trees and shrubs species: Arbutus andrachne, Qyercus coccifera, Pistacia palestina. Low shrubs: Calycotome villosa, Cistus villosus, C. salvifolius, Smilax aspera. Herbaceous cover of Fumana arabica, Thesium hergeri, Helianthemuim lavandulaefolium; orchids: Ophrys, Lemodorum, Cephalanthera. Biogeography and richness: Mediterranean; species richness: > 1000 Pinus halepensis in Dibeen Distribution of Pinus halepensis. Aljos Farjon & Denis Filer. An Atlas of the World s Conifers. Brill, Leiden & Boston, 2013.

25 2. EVERGREEN OAK FOREST Land classification: Mountainous areas of northern, central and southern Jordan. Approx. area: Altitude range: > 700 m; Annual rainfall: mm. Representative Governorates: Amman; Irbid; best represented near Ajloun; Tafila. Vegetation: Open to dense forest with Quercus coccifera as the dominant tree; associates Pistacia palaestina, Pyrus syriaca, Arbutus andrachne, Crataegus azarolus, Phillyrea media. Low shrubs: Amygdalus communis, Asparagus aphyllus, Lonicera etrusca, Sarcopoterium spinosum, Rhamnus palaestinus, Rubia olivieri, Calycotome villosa, Cistus villosus. Herbaceous: Dactylis glomera, Anemone coronaria, Echinops spp. Lecokia cretica, Orchis anatolica, Poa bulbosa, Cyclamen persicum, Linum pubescens, Adonis palaestina. Biogeography and richness: Mediterranean. Species richness: > 1000 Arbutus andrachne Autor Pavel Sekerka Pistacia palaestina

26 3. DECIDUOUS OAK FOREST Land classification: Mountainous northern, central and southern parts of Jordan. Approx. area: 350, ,000 km 2. Altitude range: > 700 m; Annual rainfall: mm. Representative Governorates: Irbid: Um-Qays & Yarmuk R.; Ajloun: Jerash; Balqa: Wadi Shuaib. Vegetation: Deciduous oak woodland, scattered and degraded woodland with Q. ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis and Q. infectoria subsp. veneris as dominant trees. This vegetation type occurs at a lower altitude than other forest vegetation and mix with other trees depending on temperature and humidity. Associates: Ceratonia siliqua, Olea europaea, Styrax officinalis, Pistacia atlantica Large shrubs: Crataegus azarolus, Amygdalus communis, Rhamnus palaestinus, Calicotome villosa, Retama raetam Low shrubs and herbaceous: Sarcopoterium spinosum, Salvia, Euphorbia hierosolymitana, Alcea; grasses: Dactylis glomerata, Poa bulbosa; geophytes: Drimia maritima, Colchicum, Tulipa. Biogeography and species richness: Mediterranean; species richness: Drimia maritima Tulipa systola. Photo A. Danin Ajloun Phillyrea media Q. ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis Crataegus azarolus. Photo A. Danin

27 5. JUNIPER FOREST Land classification: Southern mountains. Approx. area: Altitude range: > 1000 m; Annual rainfall: mm. Representative Governorates: Tafila: Dana, Shaubak, Wadi Musa (best represented at Dana National Park) Vegetation: Open woodland of Juniperus phoenica as the dominant tree, associated with Cupressus sempervirens. Above 1300 m juniper forest is taken over by evergreen oak forest dominated by Quercus coccifera; mixed forest of Quercus and Juniperus where the two dominant species meet. Main associates: Pistacia atlantica,rhamnus palaestinus, Thymelaea hirsuta, Daphne linearifolia, Amygdalus korschinskyi,colutea istria, Crataegus azarolus; a few trees of Ceratonia siliqua are also present. Shrubs: Globularia arabica, Helianthemum vesicarium, Sarcopoterium spinosom, Osyris alba, Noaea mucronata, Achillea santolina, Artemesia herba-alba, Zosima absinthifolia; grasses: Dactylis glomerata. Biogeography and endemism: Mediterranean, Irano Turanian; species richness: Distribution Juniperus phoenica. Aljos Farjon & Denis Filer. An Atlas of the World s Conifers. Brill, Leiden & Boston, 2013.

28 6. MEDITERRANEAN NON-FOREST VEGETATION Land classification: Northern and southern mountains and foothills. Approx. area: Altitude range: > 1000 m; Annual rainfall: mm. Localities: Mediterranean region not covered by forests, often treated as degraded forest. Vegetation: Dominant shrubs: Rhamnus palaestinus, Calicotome villosa, Echinops spp, Dactylis glomerata, Teucrium polium, Ononis natrix, Ballota undulata, Eryngium glomeratum, Noaea mucronata. Biogeography and endemism: Mediterranean; endemism: xxx Calicotome villosa N. mucronata is an invasive species of arid and semi-arid rangelands within its native range (Egypt, Morocco, Iraq, Iran and Syria). New records at the limit of its range may indicate further spread (e.g. in southern Russia). It is spiny and generally unpalatable. It increases in frequency and spreads following overgrazing, and its relative dominance is used as an indicator of poor rangeland management and land degradation. CAB International 2013 Ballota undulata, Teucrium polium Ononis natrix

29 Sarcopoterium spinosum Pistacia atlantica Artemisia sieberi 7. STEPPE Land classification: This vegetation forms a strip surrounding the Mediterranean non-forest region, except in the North; excl. wooded areas and cultivations Approx. area: Altitude range: 1000 m; Annual rainfall: mm. Localities: Vegetation: Dominated by large shrubs; occasional tree species; composition varies in the north and south. Shrubs: Pistacia atlantica, Retama raetam, Ziziphus lotus, Z. nummularia, Ferula communis (north), Anabasis syriaca, Artemisia sieberi, Sarcopoterium spinosum (NE and S Mediterranean), Tamarix spp., Noaea mucronata, Gypsophila arabica, Astragalus spinosus; geophytes: Crocus moabiticus. Aspodelus aestivus, Drimia maritima; Moraea sisyrinchium Biogeography and endemism: Irano Turanian; Mediterranean or Saharo-Arabian in parts; endemism: xxx Lasiopogon muscoides Moraea sisyrinchium Irano-Turanian/Med

30 8. HAMMADA Land classification: Eastern part of Jordan; wadis, wadi beds, wadi fans; gravel plains; stony and pebble plains; sandy plains or sand and gravel plains. Altitude range: > 1000 m; Annual rainfall: mm. Localities: Vegetation: Wadis dominated by Acacia tortilis, A. raddiana, Tamarix spp., Artemisia judaica and A. monosperma, Lycium sp., Retama raetam; Nitraria retusa, Amygdalus arabicus, Atriplex halimus Lycium europaeum, Artemisia sieberi, Achillea fragrantissima. Phlomis brachyodon, Tamarix spp. Peganum harmala, Astragalus spp., Anabasis articulata, Atractylis mutica, Gynandriris sisyrinchium. Gravelly areas: Seidlitzia rosmarinus, Spergularia diandra, Herniaria hirsuta, Aaronsohnia factorovskyi, Anthemis deserti, Asteriscus pygmaeus, Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum, Filago desertorum, Gymnarrhena micrantha, Stipa capensis, Bromus spp. Trigonella stellata. Araes with small stones and pebbles: Salsola vermiculata, Anabasis articulata, Linum album,thymus bovei, Paracaryum rugulosum, Zilla spinosa, Halogeton alopecuroides, Diplotaxis harra, Euphorbia retusa, Alcea chrysantha, Atriplex leucoclada, Lepidium aucheri, Sandy places: Seidlitzia rosmarinus, Atriplex spp.,artemisia, Anabasis articulata, Achillea fragrantissima, Halocnemum strohilaceum,ephedra transitoria, Deverra triradiata, Calligonum tetrapterum, Zilla spinosa. Biogeography and endemism: Saharo-Arabian; endemism: xxx

31 Pine forest Juniper woodland Deciduous oak forest Evergreen oak forest Tropical Juniper woodland Mediterranean non forest zone Hammada Sand dune vegetation

32 Conservation Species rich areas

33 Protected areas in Jordan Transformed Degraded Natural Source: RSCN Integrated Terrestrial and Marine Habitat Map of the Arabian Peninsula Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), Abu Dhabi Global Environment Data Information (AGEDI), UNEP (2012)

34 Habitat condition Transformed Degraded Natural Integrated Terrestrial and Marine Habitat Map of the Arabian Peninsula Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), Abu Dhabi Global Environment Data Information (AGEDI), UNEP (2012)

35 Threat Status of Ecosystems Endangered Vulnerable Moderately protected Protected areas Least Threatened

36

37 Priority Focus Areas Transformed areas Protected areas Priority focus areas

38 Thank you Acknowledgements HRH Princess Basma Bint Ali Staff of Royal Botanic Garden Jordan Kamal Eihab Eid (RSCN) Malik (RSCN) Avinoam Danin, HUJ Gwil Lewis (Herbarium, RBG Kew) Nicholas Hind (Herbarium, RBG Kew) Maria Vorontosa ((Herbarium, RBG Kew) Steven Bachman (GIS, RBG Kew) Imperial College Conservation Science project group