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Abstract
Application of GIS for Biodiversity MonitoringTrack: Ecology, Archaeology, and Conservation
Author(s): Boshra Bakr Salem
The paper deals with conservation of biodiversity in Egypt, how well the established and protected areas are fitting in to the conservation strategies, and what basic information is required for the formulation of new policies for conserving our endangered species. The data used is species range data of threatened trees in the Egyptian territories. This data is represented spatially in a GIS-based information system. The information embedded in a GIS is used to target surveys and monitoring schemes. Data on species and habitat distribution from different dates allow monitoring of the location and the extent of change. This paper discusses issues related to (1) the need for biodiversity information and databases; (2) the importance of national information strategies; (3) the application of GIS as a tool in monitoring biodiversity; and (4) a case study of a GIS-based approach, applied to endangered arboreal species in Egypt. It applies the overlay analysis of maps of endangered plant species ranges onto the maps of protected areas (declared and proposed). The output is threefold: (1) a complete database of endangered arboreal species as they are listed in the Egyptian Plant Red Data Book and their spatial distribution; (2) a relative contribution index of each of the protected aread (proposed and declared) in the conservation of biodiversity of threatened arboreal species in Egypt; (3) a GIS-based gap analysis that identifies the areas in need of conservation; and (4) an illustration of the relation between location of arboreal species and location of important international bird areas.
Boshra Bakr Salem
University of Alexandria
P.O.Box 21511, Moharram Bey, Alexandria - Egypt
Alexandria, 21511 alexan
Egypt
Phone: 002-0101449645
Fax: 00203 3911794
E-mail: boshra.salem@dr.com