Role of Biodiversity to combet Desertifi

Slide 1: 

By Yasser Adel Hanafy Osman 2008 Role of Biodiversity to Combat Desertification

Slide 2: 

What is Desertification? What is Biodiversity?

Slide 3: 

Desertification The degradation of land in in arid, semi arid and dry sub-humid areas into desert, resulting from various factors including climatic variations and human activities. Biodiversity “ the variety and variability among living organisms, and the ecological complexes in which they live ”

Biodiversity ImportanceOr Why should we care? : 

Biodiversity ImportanceOr Why should we care?

Desertification Causes : 

Desertification Causes Human activity Climatic changes (non-human induced) Biological diversity (Animals – Diseases)

Human activities : 

Human activities Urbanization Mining Pollution Recreation Over population/land stress Overgrazing Over exploitation or using of natural resources Deforestation Precarious agriculture

Human activities : 

Human activities

Climatic changes : 

Climatic changes Uncertain rainfall River flooding Depletion of surface water Depletion of ground water Fires Soil erosion Sea water intrusion Sand encrogment

Biological diversity : 

Biological diversity Locusts Diseases.

Desertification Threats : 

Desertification Threats Extinction of some biodiversity or Habitat destruction Poverty Hunger Immigration Wars

Desertification Threats : 

Desertification Threats

How Biodiversity Can Participate to Solve Desertification Problem : 

How Biodiversity Can Participate to Solve Desertification Problem

Agriculture Biodiversity : 

Fig. 5-8, p. 84 Agriculture Biodiversity Polar Subpolar Tropical Chaparral Grassland Desert Desert Scrubland Savanna Dry Cold Tundra Coniferous forest Decreasing Temperate precipitation Decreasing Deciduous forest Tropical seasonal forest Wet Hot Rain forest temperature

Sand Dunes Fixation : 

Sand Dunes Fixation

Water Management and Land Use : 

Water Management and Land Use

Gen Banks : 

Gen Banks =

International Conventions : 

International Conventions UNCCD. CBD UNFCCC

National or Egyptian Success stories : 

National or Egyptian Success stories

Water Management : 

Water Management

Slide 21: 

The belt will surround grater Cairo at length 100 kilometers with about 500 thousands trees. The project would include digging wells to make use of the underground water supplies for farming. Egypt's Desert Research Center will provide technical support.

Egyptian Observatory for Desertification : 

Egyptian Observatory for Desertification The Observatory will be give attentions to the three united nation conventions (UNCCD – CBD – UNFCCC). Status and monitoring of Desertification. It also include GIS Unit and Library of land reclamation. EOD

Egyptian Deserts Gen BankEDGB : 

Egyptian Deserts Gen BankEDGB Collecting Plant Genetic Resources from Its wild habitats . Seed Conservation in Storage rooms Evaluation and characterization in field gene bank Training

Genetic Resources : 

Genetic Resources Conservation Utilization Target Main Target

Cooperation with other institutions in and outside the country : 

Cooperation with other institutions in and outside the country OSS International Cooperation

Siwa Biodiversity case study : 

Siwa Biodiversity case study Why Siwa? It enjoys a unique geographical position that separate it from the neighboring urban regions. The exchange of genetic assets for cultivated crops limited

The main crops in Siwa : 

The main crops in Siwa Olive and dates palm cover 96% of Siwa cultivated areas. Some fruits such as pomegranate, apricot, Figs, grapes, citrus and vegetables are also grown. In addition, Trifolium sativa (Known as Hegazi clover) is cultivated as a green fodders. Some vegetables also cultivated. A very special type of spearmint Varity is cultivated in Siwa. There are also some hibiscus cultivated areas.

Examples for the Plant Biodiversity in Siwa : 

Examples for the Plant Biodiversity in Siwa

Examples for the problems that facing Biodiversity in Siwa : 

Examples for the problems that facing Biodiversity in Siwa Sand dunes engrossment. Varieties of dates that are liable to extinction (Taqtaqat – El Ghazal – Kak Wangab). Agriculture horizontal expansion which led to increase the agriculture drainage problem. Non organized agriculture horizontal expansion can lead on the short or long run to shortage of water flowing from wells and springs and aggravation of agriculture drainage problems.

Conclusion : 

Conclusion The biodiversity can give a hand to combat desertification in many ways such: Sand dunes fixation. Reduce soil erosion. Reduce pollution. Imitating the climatic changes. Conserving natural resources.