Evaluating soil and ecological factors influencing wildlife species diversity in Kuwait

In arid environments like Kuwait, biodiversity is influenced by a complex interaction of ecological factors, but there is a notable lack of research focusing on how soil and plant diversity specifically affect wildlife. This research aims to show how variations in environmental heterogeneity, particularly in plant diversity and soil characteristics, influence wildlife species diversity in the Kabd Region of Kuwait. The field surveys were conducted in 36 plots, analyzing soil properties like texture, pH, phosphorus availability, and organic content. Plant diversity was assessed using quadrat sampling, while wildlife species were monitored through pitfall traps, visual surveys, and acoustic detectors. Statistical analysis, correlation, and regression were used to assess the interconnections between ecological factors and biodiversity indicators. This research has shown positive correlations between sand content in soil and both plant and wildlife diversity. The regression models identified three native plant species, Moltkiopsis ciliata, Filago pyramidata, and Launaea mucronata, as a primary factor to wildlife presence, specifically Blaps kollari. This result highlights the importance of soil health factors, its conditions, and native plant species in sustaining and protecting wildlife species diversity in arid environments. Since the three species are all indigenous to Kuwait, their preservation is very important in terms of the stability of the ecosystem and resiliency in biodiversity in the desert conditions.