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Key biological sites in the arid and semi-arid
lands of Arabia include freshwater wetlands, isolated mountain massifs,
juniper woodlands, marine islands, seagrass beds, mangrove thickets,
coral reefs, and sites strategically situated for seed dispersion
into surrounding rangelands and woodlands. Other kinds of biologically
productive sites, which tend to be of less importance than those
mentioned here, but still merit consideration in the revision of
the System Plan, are saltmarshes, algal beds, woodlands of trees
other than junipers, and rawdahs.
In
such arid lands and saline waters as are found in Saudi Arabia,
the importance of conserving key biological sites is enhanced by
the relative biological poverty of most other biotopes. Vast areas
of desert may (and should) be conserved for a balanced representation
of the country's biotopes, but such sites still protect only a small
fraction of the country's biological diversity. The conservation
of small sites of key biological importance, however, may preserve
the majority of its plant and animal species.
|
| Areas |
Large
Sites |
Small
Sites |
Major
Reasons for Conservation |
Wetlands |
16 Natural,
10 artificial
|
|
Many natural wetlands have been drained by over-use
of water; wetlands are important for migrating birds; play
important roles in the hydrology of catchments. |
Isolated
Mountain
Massifs |
|
|
Critical centres of biodiversity because they provide a
wide array of habitats in close juxtaposition; comparative
inaccessibility provides protection; under increasing
threat of urban development and recreation use. |
Juniper
Woodlands |
|
|
One of the few densely wooded ecosystems of
Saudi Arabia; support rich fauna and flora; key areas of
soil formation and water conservation. |
Marine
Island |
|
|
Isolated areas; high productivity; important breeding
sites for birds and marine turtles. |
Mangrove
swamps |
|
|
Proved a major contribution to coastal productivity;
breeding and refuge sites for many marine species. |
Seagrass
beds |
|
|
Highly productive areas; feeding grounds for fish, turtles
and dugong; stabilise soft sediments and reduce coastal
erosion; highly vulnerable to landfilling and other coastal
developments. |
Coral reefs |
|
|
Extremely productive; provide breeding and feeding
grounds for many marine species; Red Sea coral reefs
amongst most richest in the world; Red Sea reefs of
Saudi Arabia still undamaged; highly vulnerable to oil
spills and other pollution, physical damage and
over-exploitation.. |
Seed
production |
|
|
Provide in situ seedbanks that can be of crucial
importance for re-colonisation of over-grazed and
otherwise damaged vegetation12. |
Other
Important
sites |
|
|
Woodlands (other than juniper woodlands), saltmarshes,
rawdahs and algal beds all provide refuges, seedbanks
and breeding sites. Identification of sites of particular
importance that are in need of conservation is an
on-going activity. |
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