{"title":"Petroglyphs as a paleobiogeographic guide for Arabian ostrich ecology and reintroduction","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2024.105222","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The Arabian ostrich (<em>Struthio camelus syriacus</em>) was an integral element in the wildlife of the Middle East until its extinction in the mid-20th century. Here we discuss the historic and archaeological record that provides baseline information on the past distribution of ostriches in the Negev Desert (Israel). Specifically, we focus on survey data of ancient petroglyph depictions of ostriches and examine their spatial distribution. Through the application of models of optimal habitat reconstruction using data on the houbara bustard as a proxy species for the ostrich, correlated with the spatial distribution of the ostrich petroglyphs and ecological data on the region, we identified the optimal areas that the Syrian ostrich could have inhabited in the past. Finally, we applied our model to examine reintroduction programs of a closely related ostrich subspecies, <em>S</em>. <em>c</em>. <em>camelus</em>, that have been carried out in the Negev to date.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Arid Environments","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140196324001022","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ECOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The Arabian ostrich (Struthio camelus syriacus) was an integral element in the wildlife of the Middle East until its extinction in the mid-20th century. Here we discuss the historic and archaeological record that provides baseline information on the past distribution of ostriches in the Negev Desert (Israel). Specifically, we focus on survey data of ancient petroglyph depictions of ostriches and examine their spatial distribution. Through the application of models of optimal habitat reconstruction using data on the houbara bustard as a proxy species for the ostrich, correlated with the spatial distribution of the ostrich petroglyphs and ecological data on the region, we identified the optimal areas that the Syrian ostrich could have inhabited in the past. Finally, we applied our model to examine reintroduction programs of a closely related ostrich subspecies, S. c. camelus, that have been carried out in the Negev to date.
阿拉伯鸵鸟(Struthio camelus syriacus)在 20 世纪中期灭绝之前一直是中东地区野生动物中不可或缺的一员。在此,我们讨论了历史和考古记录,这些记录提供了鸵鸟过去在内盖夫沙漠(以色列)分布的基本信息。具体而言,我们将重点放在对鸵鸟古代岩画描绘的调查数据上,并研究它们的空间分布。通过应用最佳栖息地重建模型,使用胡巴拉大鸨作为鸵鸟的替代物种,并与鸵鸟岩画的空间分布和该地区的生态数据相关联,我们确定了叙利亚鸵鸟过去可能栖息的最佳区域。最后,我们应用我们的模型对迄今为止在内盖夫实施的近亲鸵鸟亚种 S. c. camelus 的重引进计划进行了研究。
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Arid Environments is an international journal publishing original scientific and technical research articles on physical, biological and cultural aspects of arid, semi-arid, and desert environments. As a forum of multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary dialogue it addresses research on all aspects of arid environments and their past, present and future use.