IMPACT OF HIKING TRAIL DISTURBANCE ON ANTS` DIVERSITY AT MOUNT SINAI, ST. KATHERINE PROTECTORATE, EGYPT | ||||
| Journal of Environmental Science | ||||
| Article 3, Volume 45, Issue 1, March 2019, Page 37-56 PDF (607.68 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Review Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jes.2019.37002 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
| Mohamed, Kamel1; Fayez, M. Semida2; Mohamed, M. S. Moursy3; Hala, A. Kassem1 | ||||
| 1Department of Basic Science, Institute of Environmental Studies and Research, Ain Shams University | ||||
| 2Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University | ||||
| 3Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al Azhar University | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Saint Katherine Protectorate (SKP) is one of the most important regions for biodiversity in Egypt. Tourism and its associated activities has become the main economic driver in SKP which might have negative impacts on biodiversity. Ants are effective biological indicators, since ant species diversity correlates with the assembly of other invertebrate fauna of particular habitats. The current study aimed at assessing the impact of some anthropogenic activities along the touristic hiking trail passing through Mount Sinai area on ants` diversity. A total of 583 individuals belonging to nine ant species, three subfamilies, from (Family: Formicidae; Order: Hymenoptera) were recorded within the study localities in Mount Sinai. Our study showed that the hiking trail disturbance had a negative environmental impact on the species richness and abundance of ants within the study localities in Mount Sinai. Based on our results it is advisable to move the hiking trails to slopes of Mount Sinai away from its current location within the basins (farshs). More studies are needed to assess the impact of hiking trails and associated human activities on other biodiversity elements in SKP | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| biodiversity; St Katherine; ant species; anthropogenic activities; tourism; Sinai; Egypt | ||||
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