SOIL MACRO INVERTEBRATS OF SOIL MACRO INVERTEBRATS OF BAGROT VALLEY INBAGROT VALLEY IN

CENTRAL KARAKORAM CENTRAL KARAKORAM NATIONAL PARKNATIONAL PARK

GILGIT-BALTISTANGILGIT-BALTISTAN

Rasheed AhmedRasheed Ahmed

KARAKORAM INTERNATIONAL KARAKORAM INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY,GILGITUNIVERSITY,GILGIT

SUPERVISOR: SUPERVISOR: Mrs.Jamila Mrs.Jamila

BaigBaig CO-SUPERVISOR: CO-SUPERVISOR: Dr. Leonardo Dr. Leonardo

LatellaLatella((The Museo Civico di Storia Naturale of The Museo Civico di Storia Naturale of

VeronaVerona (MCSNV) Italy) (MCSNV) Italy)Department of Biological Sciences Department of Biological Sciences KARAKORAM INTERNATIONAL KARAKORAM INTERNATIONAL

UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY Gilgit - Baltistan Gilgit - Baltistan

IntroductionIntroduction

Biological diversityBiological diversity

biodiversity refers to the variety of life biodiversity refers to the variety of life on earthon earth

Soil biodiversitySoil biodiversity

Soil is the most biologically diverse part Soil is the most biologically diverse part of earth. The soil food web includes of earth. The soil food web includes beetles, mites, warms, spiders, ants, beetles, mites, warms, spiders, ants, nematodes, fungi, bacteria, and other nematodes, fungi, bacteria, and other organisms organisms

CENTRAL KARAKORAM CENTRAL KARAKORAM NATIONAL PARK NATIONAL PARK

The Karakoram (Black Rock Mountains) is The Karakoram (Black Rock Mountains) is one of the important mountain ranges of one of the important mountain ranges of the world.the world.

The Northern Areas administration has The Northern Areas administration has notified CKNP as National Park in notified CKNP as National Park in 1993.The original Central Karakoram 1993.The original Central Karakoram National Park is the Pakistan’s largest National Park is the Pakistan’s largest protected area (PA), protected area (PA),

CKNP falls into the administrative CKNP falls into the administrative districts of Gilgit, Skardu and Ghanche districts of Gilgit, Skardu and Ghanche

BAGROT VALLEY BAGROT VALLEY

situated within the Karakoram situated within the Karakoram Range of northern Pakistan and 40 Range of northern Pakistan and 40 km from the town of Gilgit km from the town of Gilgit

Around the Valley, three Great Around the Valley, three Great Mountains of Karakorum region, Mountains of Karakorum region, Rakaposhi peak, Diran peak and Rakaposhi peak, Diran peak and Dubani, peak exists Dubani, peak exists

Objectives of the study Objectives of the study To identify the soil macro-invertebrate’s To identify the soil macro-invertebrate’s

biodiversity of Bagrot valley of Central biodiversity of Bagrot valley of Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP).Karakoram National Park (CKNP).

Identify the variation among Identify the variation among invertebrate’s taxa.invertebrate’s taxa.

To identify the main factors affecting on To identify the main factors affecting on invertebrate’s community.invertebrate’s community.

Identify the diverse area of Identify the diverse area of invertebrates in Bagrot valley.invertebrates in Bagrot valley.

MATERIALS & METHODSMATERIALS & METHODS

Pitfall trapsPitfall traps

Manual collectionManual collection

Malaise trapsMalaise traps

RESULTSRESULTS

Only Arthropods were caught with Only Arthropods were caught with the pitfall traps. the pitfall traps.

Within them, the insect order of Within them, the insect order of Coleoptera was always the dominant Coleoptera was always the dominant taxon.taxon.

Different community composition Different community composition was observed among the six siteswas observed among the six sites

Site 1 (Near the Hinarche Site 1 (Near the Hinarche glacier snout)glacier snout)

Araneae 4%;Araneae 4%; Homoptera 4% Homoptera 4% Coleoptera 70% Coleoptera 70% Diptera 22%Diptera 22%

Total number of specimens (Site Total number of specimens (Site 1) = 5001) = 500

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

AraneaeColeopteraDipteraHomoptera

Site 2 (250 meters below Site 2 (250 meters below the Hinarche glacier snout)the Hinarche glacier snout)

Chilopoda 9%;Chilopoda 9%; Acari 18 % Acari 18 % Coleoptera 64% Coleoptera 64% Hymenoptera 9%Hymenoptera 9%

Total number of specimens (Site 2) = Total number of specimens (Site 2) = 870870

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

ChilopodaAcraciColeopteraHymenoptera

Site 3 (300 m Site 3 (300 m the Hinarche the Hinarche glacier snoutglacier snout))

Diptera 5%;Diptera 5%; Hymenoptera 95%Hymenoptera 95%

Total number of specimens (Site Total number of specimens (Site 3) = 10563) = 1056

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

HymepteraDiptera

Site 4 (500 m Site 4 (500 m the Hinarche the Hinarche glacier snoutglacier snout))

Neuroptera 10%;Neuroptera 10%; Diptera 20%;Diptera 20%; Hymenoptera 70%Hymenoptera 70%

Total number of specimens (Site 4) = Total number of specimens (Site 4) = 15001500

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

HymepteraNeuropteraDiptera

Site 5 (Under deciduous Site 5 (Under deciduous trees)trees)

Araneae 8%; Araneae 8%; Coleoptera 77%;Coleoptera 77%; Diptera 15%Diptera 15%

Total number of specimens (Site Total number of specimens (Site 5) = 20105) = 2010

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

AraneaeColepteraDiptera

Site 6 (Under deciduous Site 6 (Under deciduous trees near a stream)trees near a stream)

Araneae 4%; Araneae 4%; Acari 4%;Acari 4%; Coleoptera 77%; Coleoptera 77%; Diptera 15%Diptera 15%

Total number of specimens (Site 6) = 2470Total number of specimens (Site 6) = 2470

0200400600800100012001400160018002000

AraneaeAcariColeopteraDiptera

Different community composition observed Different community composition observed among the 6 site in Numberamong the 6 site in Number

Community

Community composition in

number

Community composition in Percentage %

Coleoptera 4358 51.80%

Diptera 1135 13.50%

Araneae 279 3.30%

Hymoptera 2151 25.60%

Chilopoda 78 0.90%

Acari 255 3%

Neuroptera 150 1.80%

CONCLUSION CONCLUSION Total 8604 invertebrates collected in the Total 8604 invertebrates collected in the

field field The low level of soil invertebrates The low level of soil invertebrates

diversity, observed during this study, diversity, observed during this study, mainly the snout glacier and near the mainly the snout glacier and near the glacier snout (sites 1 and 2) due the glacier snout (sites 1 and 2) due the harsh environment.harsh environment.

The forested area in fact, is heavily The forested area in fact, is heavily exploited and altered by local people. exploited and altered by local people. Diversity of plants, which influences soil Diversity of plants, which influences soil arthropod abundance and diversity arthropod abundance and diversity

I am grateful to Mrs.Jamila Baig

(Supervisor) Dr. Leonardo Latella Dr. Leonardo Latella (Co-

Supervisor)

((The Museo Civico di Storia Naturale The Museo Civico di Storia Naturale of Veronaof Verona (MCSNV) Italy) (MCSNV) Italy)

THANK THANK YOUYOU