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conferenceseries LLC Ltd
3rd International Conference on
3rd International Conference on
Ecology, Ecosystem and Conservation Biology
Microbial Ecology & Eco Systems
&
March 18-19, 2019 | Chicago, USA
Find More Information @ MARCH 2019 Conference Series LLC Ltd
JOURNAL OF ECOSYSTEM& ECOGRAPHY 2019, VOLUME 9 | DOI: 10.4172/2157-7625-C1-044 YRF PRESENTATIONS | DAY 1
Rapid changes and
loss of freshwater
springs and fish
communities
of the Arabian
Peninsula
Kamal Aljohani
University of South Florida, USA
During summer 2018,
132 springs from Saudi
Arabia, Oman and Jordan were
surveyed for water chemistry
and fish communities.
Although most springs in
Oman are reasonably intact,
only 14 of 46 springs flowing
in Saudi Arabia in 1990 exist,
and all springs visited in
Jordan were heavily polluted
from direct human contact.
In addition, the electrical
conductivity of the remaining
Saudi springs has increased
profoundly during this period.
Fish were sampled at each
spring boil, if present, using a
dip net, identified to species,
photographed and returned to
the location where collected.
Five native species were found
in the springs of Saudi Arabia
and Oman, but all springs in
Jordan lacked fish. In addition,
two introduced Tilapia species
were found in some Oman
springs. Garra tibanica was
found only in Saudi Arabian
springs, while Cyprinion
watsoni was restricted to a
single spring in Oman. The
general distributions of species
in the Arabian Peninsula
were compared with earlier
surveys, and the relationship
of each species to electrical
conductivity was analyzed
to assess whether increased
conductivity levels in springs
since 1990 as a result of over
pumping of groundwater has
or will have an impact on fish
tolerance and distribution.
Aphanius dispar is limited
to low conductivity springs,
Cyprinion mhalensis and Gara
tibanica to low-moderately
high conductivity, while
Garra tibanica can tolerate
extremely high conductivity.
Continued over extraction of
groundwater will lead to loss
of additional springs and the
likely extirpation of species
due to increased conductivity.
This is a major conservation
issue facing the Arabian
Peninsula.
Biography
Kamal is a PhD Candidate from
University of South Florida, USA.