Assessment of Brine Shrimp (Artemia sp.) Productivity at Al Wathba Wetland Reserve, Abu Dhabi (UAE)

Al Wathba Lake was created in 1982 by accidental discharge of over-capacity treated sewage water from Al Mafraq Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWT). The lake lies on the north side of the Abu Dhabi - Al Ain truck road, approximately 40 km Southeast of Abu Dhabi Island. In 1998, the lake and its surroundings were designated as protected area, the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve, and placed under the management of the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA). The reserve covers an area of approximately 5 km2, and the lake system covers an area of 1.5 km2. The continued inputs of water and high evaporation rates have resulted in fluctuating water salinity of the lake from fresh to hyper-saline. The reserve attracts large numbers of migrating waterfowl and waders including the greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) which is the only known currently breeding colony in the Arabian Peninsula. Brine shrimp (Artemia sp.), the only crustaceans inhabiting the lake, are the main food source for the flamingos. Brine shrimp can tolerate a wide range of water quality conditions, particularly water salinity variations. However, little information is available on the effects of water quality on Artemia populations inhabiting Al Wathba Lake. Considering the potential importance of brine shrimp as a food source for the flamingos population, and the government interest to conserve the established population, the present study was carried out to examine the dynamics of brine shrimp population in relation to the surrounding environment. The second goal of the study has also aimed to develop a management plan for the lake environment, in order to guarantee continuous reproduction of Artemia population and consequently the conservation of the established flamingos population. In the framework of the present study, a total of 14 sampling sites were investigated on a monthly basis form April 2002 to January 2003. At each site, water samples were collected from both surface and near-bottom levels and in case of sampling sites that are less than 50cm in depth, only surface sample was collected. Water temperature, salinity and pH were measured in situ using a multi meter hydrolab device. The collected water samples were analysed in the laboratory to determine the surface and near-bottom concentrations of nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, ammonia, magnesium and calcium for each sampling site. Moreover, the density of Artemia organisms and their cysts numbers were counted for each site. In order to evaluate the tolerance of Artemia organisms to the variations in the lake environment, Artemia specimens were collected from Al Wathba Lake and tested for the following variables: a- water temperature (150, 250, 300, 40oC), b- water pH (7.5, 8, 9.5, 10), c- water salinity (75, 100, 150, 200 ppt) and d- food types (Duluniella, Chiarella, Tetraselimus sp., yeast). These tests were run for three weeks until the last individual died, and the optimum survival rates were detected. In addition, Artemia specimens were sent to the Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Centre in Belgium for taxonomic identification. From the preliminary investigation, the centre has identified the given specimens as Artemia franciscana. Results from the collected field data revealed that the Artemia population inhabiting Al Wathba Lake is mostly affected by water temperature and water salinity. Artemia was absent during the summer months due to the high water temperature (maximum= 34.5 °C) and salinity (maximum= 237.5 ppt). In winter, Artemia was abundant in the lake when water temperature was 18.6 °C and water salinity was dropped off to 70.4 ppt. The statistical analysis of the studied parameters showed that the chemical composition of the lake water had no significant effect on the presence or absence of Artemia in the lake. The laboratory experiment showed that Artemia sp. was greatly influenced by water salinity and water pH. It was found that Artemia population inhabiting Al Wathba Lake maintains better performance at salinity of 75 ppt and a pH of 8, and the survival was longer than the other combinations. In addition, it was found that the optimum temperature at which the best performance and longest survival were recorded of all between 25-30 °C. According to the preliminary identification of the Artemia species, and in light of the field and laboratory results, it seems that the existing Artemia species at Al Wathba Lake may match the A. franciscana behavior. However, the response to other environmental parameters did not match that of A. franciscana features. Therefore, further genome analysis is suggested in order to identify the specific taxonomic rank of the Artemia population in Al Wathba Lake

Benefits and pitfalls of captive conservation genetic management: evaluating diversity in scimitar-horned oryx to support reintroduction planning

The reintroduction of the scimitar-horned oryx to Chad is a multi-disciplinary endeavour, planned and implemented over the past decade, utilizing a wide range of conservation science applications to maximise the chances of long-term population sustainability. The principle of incorporating genetic diversity information into founder selection for species reintroductions is widely recognized; however, in practice, a full assessment of available ex-situ genetic variation is rarely attempted prior to identifying individuals for release.In this study we present the results of over ten years of research analyzing and interpreting the genetic diversity present in the key source populations for the Chad scimitar-horned oryx reintroduction. Three empirical genetic datasets (mitochondrial DNA sequence, nuclear DNA microsatellite and SNP markers) comprising over 500 individuals sampled from public and private institutions were analysed, accompanied by simulation studies to address applied questions relating to management of the reintroduction.The results strongly demonstrate the importance of conservation genetic analysis in ensuring that founders represent the greatest breadth of evolutionary diversity available. The inclusion of both intensively and lightly managed collections allowed us to bridge the gap between studbook and group managed populations, enabling the inclusion of individuals from populations that lack historic data on their origins, but which may hold unique diversity of significant conservation value. Importantly, however, our study also reveals the potential risks of applying standard population genetic approaches to multiple captive populations, for which small founder sizes are likely to strongly bias results, with potentially serious consequences for the genetic management of conservation breeding programmes

International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation Full Length Research Paper Diversity and seasonality of some of the ground dwelling invertebrates in the Eastern Region of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

A study was conducted to understand the diversity, distribution, abundance and seasonality of ground dwelling invertebrate species in the eastern region of Abu Dhabi Emirate, from March 2010 to February 2011. Pitfall traps were used for this study in two sites with distinct micro- habitats in the Eastern Region of the Emirate. The site includes a wadi habitat at Jebel Hafit, Al Ain and another one is a gravel plain habitat at Mezyad, Al Ain. Beetles (Coleoptera) of the family Tenebrionidae (darkling beetles) are a conspicuous element of these arid and semi-arid environments. Variable stalker beetle (Adesmia cancellata cothurnata) was the most abundant Tenebrionid among twenty species collected using pitfall traps in the wadi of Jebel Hafit whereas opossum beetle (Mesostena puncticollis) was the most abundant Tenebrionid among twenty in the sandy gravel plain habitat of Um Ghafa, Mezyad

Using greater flamingo tracking and count data in delineating marine protected areas in the coastal zone of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Conservation planning in an economically important area

Systematic conservation planning is essential in the justification and design of protected areas, especially in an era where every piece of land or water is at a high premium. We used satellite tracking data and regular monitoring of Greater flamingos into the spatial prioritization planning tool Marxan to identify the most important zones for the conservation of the greater flamingo and many other species of waterbirds and marine habitats in one of the economically important areas in the coastal zone of Abu Dhabi. Locations from 10 satellite tracked flamingos and monthly count data since 2009 in the Bul Syayeef area showed a predominant use of a relatively small area which when integrated in Marxan provided optimum boundary with minimum cost. Marxan identified 1, 5, 10 and 15 ha planning units and provided the best solution with 15 ha. The reduced total area of 145 km2 is nearly 40% of the originally proposed area for protection, is more pragmatic and easy to establish, given the high importance of the area for economic development. Using approximately the same boundary, the proposed area was declared a Ramsar site in September 2016 and was subsequently declared a protected area through a government decree in November 2017. Keywords: Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus, Satellite tracking, Conservation planning, Zoning, Marxan, United Arab Emirate