Effect of human activities on biodiversity in Nabq Protected Area, South Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

Nabq as “A Managed Resource Protected Area” or as “Multiple Use Management Area” is subjected to human activities that influence its biodiversity. Therefore, many field trips from January 2016 to January 2017 were carried out to detect the main activities in Nabq protectorate and their impacts on faunal macro-benthos biodiversity. Four stations representing two major habitats (mangrove and rocky shore) were chosen depending on anthropogenic activities. A total of 112 macro-benthos taxa were recorded in Nabq dominated with Planaxis salcatus, Nerita spp., Barbatia trapezina and Ophiocoma scolopendrina. The anthropogenic activities don't only affect the presence and absence of species, but also influence on the dominance status of species in the investigated stations. El-Rowayseaa and El-Dagal were unaffected stations showing more abundance and diversification than El-Gharkana and El-Monkateaa which were affected mangrove and rocky shore stations, respectively. In conclusion, anthropogenic activities are the main cause of recent changes to the marine biodiversity in Nabq Protected Area and their continuation may cause habitat damage. Keywords: Macro-benthos, Biodiversity, Human activities, Ecotourism, Fishing, Protected areas