Impact of microcatchment water harvesting on the diversity of the Badia rangelands of Jordan

N. Shawahneh, Hani Saoub, Theib Oweis, Nasri Haddad, Mohammed Karrou. (31/12/2011). Impact of microcatchment water harvesting on the diversity of the Badia rangelands of Jordan, in "Water Benchmarks of CWANA- Rehabilitation and integrated management of dry rangelands environments with water harvesting - Number 9". Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic: Independent / Not associated.

Abstract

This study aimed at conducting the followings activities: • To survey and identify the flora at the Mharib watershed (the intervention area of the Badia Benchmark Project), • to study the effect of microcatchment WH techniques on the soil seed bank compared with the current situation, • to evaluate the effect of microcatchment WH on the native vegetation regeneration and improvement, and • to multiply and reintroduce the annual native plant species collected from the rangelands. The study is presented in five main sections: • Documentation of the flora of the Mharib watershed, • Assessment of the soil seed bank under different microcatchments, • Evaluation of the effect of microcatchment WH on native vegetation, • Regenerating native vegetation cover using WH techniques, and • Evaluation of the potential of seed of native plant species for multiplication/propagation.