Jordan’s ecosystems are increasingly threatened by habitat degradation, fragmentation, climate change, and expanding human activities. Despite their ecological importance, no national assessment of the risk of ecosystem collapse has been conducted, limiting the ability to prioritize conservation and restoration efforts. The IUCN Red List of Ecosystems provides a globally recognized framework for identifying ecosystems at risk and supporting evidence-based conservation planning.
This PhD project applies the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems framework to develop Jordan’s first national ecosystem typology and assess the risk of ecosystem collapse. The research integrates remote sensing, GIS, ecological field surveys, and biodiversity data to evaluate ecosystem degradation, fragmentation, and ecological integrity across representative ecosystems. The project will produce the first national ecosystem risk assessment for Jordan, providing a scientific foundation for ecosystem monitoring, conservation planning, and environmental decision-making, while advancing methodologies for assessing ecosystem risk in arid and semi-arid regions.