Dirasat, Pure Sciences, Volume 32, No. 2, 2005 Plant Biodiversity of the Surrounding Area of “Wadi Musa Wastewater Plant” Sawsan A. Oran* ABSTRACT The landscape of the surrounding area of the Wadi Musa Waste Water Plant (south of Jordan) has been surveyed for its plant biodiversity. The composition of the flowering wild plants has been studied, field trips have been conducted to the area and collections of any available plant materials with emphasis on vascular flowering plants have been made. The results revealed a high botanical diversity of the area in terms of the number of plant species recorded. A total number of 71 species has been recorded belongs to 69 genera and 38 families. This number of plant species represents 35% of the total flora of the entire Petra area/Wadi Musa. Moreover, some recorded species are considered as endemic to the area such as the elegant Iris of Petra (Iris petrana) or the medicinal rare Globularia arabica, Galium petrae and Verbascum petrae. A number of historical economic trees have been found in the study area like the old Quercus coccifera, Pistacia atlantica, Amygdalus korschinskyii, Ficus sycomorus and Juniperus phoenica. Other recorded species are both palatable and medicinal like Achillea fragrantissima, Artemisia herba-alba, Peganum harmala, Paronychia argentea and many others. However, the majority of plant species recorded in the study area are facing the danger of loss and degradation, as the area is severely exposed to either man impact or environmental damaging factors. Some of these are the overgrazing, cutting of trees and collection of herbs and other irrational activities of the Bedwin populations of that area, as well as the touristic activities hence the area is rich with many archaeological sites. Keywords: Plant Biodiversity, Wadi Musa. INTRODUCTION The Waste Water Plant Area The study area that has been surveyed for its botanical Petra is one of the most attracting archaeological sites potential or plant biodiversity for the area that is located in the world. It is located at about 250 Km south of the outside the Wadi Musa Waste Water plant at Um capital Amman in Jordan (map 1). It falls within the Sayhoon – 8 Km from Baida area (Petra). Mediterranean phytogeographical region and is The surveyed area is identified as the area starting considered as a semi-dried Mediterranean bioclimatic, from A1 and A2 to B (map 2), this map has been cool variety and extends into the Irano- Turranian and provided by the wadi Musa Water Authority/ Ministry of reaching the tropical region in the west near Wadi Araba. Water and Irrigation. The survey covered an area of 1000 Petra is surrounded from the east by high mountains dunums (100 hectare). That area was investigated for its of about 1500m. The source of water is mainly rainfall, plant biodiversity or its floristic composition. snow and the water of Wadi Musa springs. Rainfall varies A demonstration site at the Waste Water plant was from about 400 mm in the mountains in the north to initiated to carry on investigations with regards to water 50mm in Wadi Araba in the west. The soil of Ash- quality, pollution and chemical analysis needed at the Sharah Mountains is light yellow to gray colored clayish, study area vicinity (Fig- 1, B). soft, fertile soil, often used for cultivation of fruit trees or The study area outside the Waste Water plant is a cereals in the old city of Petra (Oran, 1994). mountainous area interrupted by cliffs and downward the flat area or valleys (Fig-1, A, C, E, G; Fig-3, A, C, E & F; * Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Fig-4, A, B, C, D & E). University of Jordan. Received on 24/8/2004 and Accepted for Publication on 17/8/2005. The topography of the surrounding area is similar to - 226 - Dirasat, Pure Sciences, Volume 32, No. 2, 2005 that of Petra itself. The rocks are famous of their red herbs that are used heavily by the locals in folk medicine color due to the deposition of iron in the sandstone rocks are: Achillea fragrantissima, Artemisia herba-alba, that are known as Kurnub sandstone formation, which Marubium cuneatum,Iris petrana, Urginea maritima, belongs to the cretaceous era (Fig-4, A, C and D) (Oran, Globularia arabica, Anchusa strigosa,Juniperus 1997). phoenica, Quercus coccifera, Glaucium arabicum, The study area especially if one extends the survey Ononis antiquorum, and many others mentioned in table further to the west, toward Wadi Araba, a high density of (3). arid vegetation will be recognized especially on sand Tourism has also its negative impact on the plant dunes where Chenopod like Haloxylon persicum biodiversity of the area that causes the degradation of (Halophyte) or the salinity tolerant plant will be dominant many species. Animals like camels and horses are used as in association with other shrubby species like Calligonum the main transport system for the movement of tourists comosum. from one site to another. Not only camels and horses are Naturally, the area is supposed to be fully covered observed grazing but also herds of goats and sheep are with evergreen oak forest formation “Quercus coccifera” severely contributing in the disappearance of the wild (Fig- 4, A; Fig- 5, A; Fig- 6, A), followed by Juniper plant species of the area. The Bedwins of the area and the forest Juniperus phoenica (Fig- 2, G; Fig- 4, C; Fig- 5, C farmers or the visitors use their vehicles to move from & D; Fig- 6, D) especially at lower latitude. Obviously one spot to another within the study area that contribute these forests are severely degraded and the size of these in the destruction and degradation of the wild natural ecosystems is gradually decreasing or ultimately resources of that area (Flora and Fauna). Roads interrupt degraded. the fields of wild plants and vehicles of all kinds are seen, The vegetation is often mixed with low shrubs of causing gradual destruction to the area and leading to the Daphne linearifolia Fig- 4, E, also at lower latitude the degradation of many plant species (Fig-1, C, D, E & F). shrub Thymelaea hirsuta Fig- 3, A, occurs side by side Many nice low shrubs such as Nerium oleander (Fig- with Daphne linearifolia in dominance with the historical 1, F; Fig- 2, B), Osyris alba, Thymelaea hirsuta, economic and medicinal tree Juniperus phoenica as Gomphocarpus sinaicus, Daphne linearifolia and Retama known in the local language and often mixed with raetam (Fig- 2, B), are facing degradation and loss in Gomphocarpus sinaicus. addition to old historical trees like Juniperus phoenica, Man impact on the plant diversity and the wild Pistacia atlantica, Quercus coccifera and Ficus genetic resources in this area in particular and Petra in sycomorus (Fig- 5 & F). general, is a highly significant damaging factor for many Many flowering plants have been recognized in the plant species existing at that area, and an alarm of the study area which are the main genetic resources of many degradation and extinction of many pioneer species like crops and ornamental bulbs; hence are exposed to severe Globularia arabica, Quercus coccifera, Pistacia damage such as Pistacia atlantica, Juniperus phoenicea, atlantica, Iris petrana and others (Fig- 7, A, B, C and D). Lathyrus cicera,Hordeum marinum (wild barley), Allium Petra (including the study area) was dominated by neapolitanum, Ficus sycomorus, (wild Fig) Asparagus Juniperus phoenica forests and other old trees such as (Fig-2, E), Malva, the economically important legume Quercus coccifera and Pistacia atlantica, which are Retama raetam, Capparis cartilaginea C. spinosa, currently exposed to destruction caused by the people of Rhamnus dispermus, Iris petrana, Crocus pallasii, and the area as these trees are used for their domestic uses others. Man impact on vegetation and floristic such as energy (fuel, buildings, handicrafts, grazing) and composition in the other areas in south Jordan in general other uses (Fig- 1, C, D, E and G). had been explained in Oran (1994 a, 1997) and Oran et A number of these trees (Pistacia, Quercus and al. (1994). Juniperus) have been recognized and recorded in this The area is densely overgrazed by herds of sheep and study area as part of giant forests but currently degraded goats, whereby causing the continuous loss of the highly (Fig- 5, A, B, C, D & E; Fig- 6, A, B, C, D, E & F; Fig- useful herbs, shrubs and trees for mankind and causing 7, A, B, C & D). the degradation of many valuable medicinal and The medicinal herbs are extensively used by the ornamental plants living in the area such as Achillea locals in folk medicine (Oran, 1999). Examples of these fragrantissima, (Fig-1, D; Fig 2, A & H), Colchicum - 227 - Plant Biodiversity… Sawsan A. Oran ritchii and the beautiful ornamental black Iris of Petra Iris area is considered as a targeted area for picnics and petrana (Fig- 7, E) and others. grazing. It is rich with its archaeological sites, or the land Because of grazing, heavy movement, use of land for is used for cultivation of agricultural crops like Hordeum, cultivation of Hordeum and other crops such as Nicotiana Nicotiana, wheat and others. (tobacco), and the establishment of tents as houses or shelters for the locals, deforestation also has highly 2. Illustrations contributed in the disappearance and minimizing the Photographs have been taken for some leading herbs, number of lots of highly economic trees such as Quercus shrubs and trees or the plant species that are dominating coccifera, Juniperus phoenica, and Pistacia atlantica. the overall total of plants, using digital camera “Canon” Some of the palatable examples are Achillea, Artemisia, (Fig. 1-7). Noaea, Astragalus, Globularia, Ajuga, Ballota, Varthemia, Juniperus, Pistacia, Lactuca, Heliotropium, 3.