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ARABIA'S LAST FORESTS UNDER THREAT II: REMAINING FRAGMENTS OF UNIQUE VALLEY FOREST IN SOUTHWEST ARABIA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2009

M. Hall ,
P. Scholte ,
A. W. Al-Khulaidi ,
A. G. Miller ,
A. H. Al-Qadasi ,
A. Al-Farhan  and
T. M. Al-Abbasi
M. Hall
Affiliation:
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, Scotland, UK. E-mail for correspondence: [email protected] The Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Biology Place, Canberra, Australia.
P. Scholte
Affiliation:
Socotra Conservation and Development Program, Ministry of Water and Environment, PO Box 16494, Sana'a, Yemen. Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, PO Box 9518, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
A. W. Al-Khulaidi
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research and Extension Authority (AREA), PO Box 5788, Taiz, Yemen.
A. G. Miller
Affiliation:
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, Scotland, UK. E-mail for correspondence: [email protected]
A. H. Al-Qadasi
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research and Extension Authority (AREA), PO Box 5788, Taiz, Yemen.
A. Al-Farhan
Affiliation:
Botany and Microbiology Department, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
T. M. Al-Abbasi
Affiliation:
National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD), PO Box 61681, Riyadh 11575, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Abstract

Over the last three decades, vegetation surveys in southwest Arabia have documented the existence of a small number of valley forest patches. A well-known area is in Wadi Rijaf, Jabal Bura, a protected area which has recently been surveyed by the current authors. The other valley forest sites in southwest Arabia have not been surveyed for over 15 years. This paper presents a descriptive study of five of these important valley forest localities. To provide an assessment of conservation value, field studies recorded the extent, quality and composition of the vegetation and the presence of regionally rare species. The significance of these remaining patches of Arabian forest, and the immediate threats to their survival, are also discussed.

Keywords

Arabiaconservationrare speciesvalley forestYemen
Type
Articles
Information
Edinburgh Journal of Botany , Volume 66 , Issue 2 , July 2009 , pp. 263 - 281
Copyright
Copyright © Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 2009

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