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The Emirates: A Natural History Widlife of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The Emirates: A Natural History Widlife of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Summary:</STRONG>
Widlife of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) By Thabit Zahran Al Abdessalaam, Mohammed Al Bowardi, Jane Ashley-Edmonds, Simon Aspinall, Robert Baldwin, Mark Beech, Benno Boer, Gary Brown, Peter Cunningham, Chris Drew
- Publisher: Trident Press
- Number Of Pages: 344
- Publication Date: 2006-01-19
- ISBN-10 / ASIN: 1905486022
- ISBN-13 / EAN: 9781905486021
Product Description:
Comprehensive reference book on the entire range of wildlife in the United Arab Emirates THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES IS A RELATIVELY SMALL COUNTRY and, to the outsider at least, appears to be little more than a collection of barren deserts and mountains, bordered by shallow seas. Yet its territory, both terrestrial and marine, is of enormous scientific interest. Its geology, best known for extensive reserves of sub-surface hydrocarbons, has much to tell us about the way in which the Arabian Peninsula was formed and contains fossils from several periods, in some cases representing the best exposures of such fossils to be found anywhere in the world. Its terrestrial flora and fauna display remarkable adaptations that permit them to survive amid the harsh and forbidding landscape, while offshore, both in the Arabian Gulf and in the Gulf of Oman, there is a variety of marine life that has much to offer the dedicated researcher. Lying at the junction of three biogeographical zones, the biodiversity of the UAE is not only considerable but is also of international importance, although it lacks the abundance of species to be found in regions where climate is less harsh. The first recorded scientific observations of the geology, flora and fauna of the UAE go back over a century and a half. Over the course of the nearly three and a half decades since the UAE was established, the pace of scientific research has grown dramatically – in line with the country’s progress in other fields. Many species new to science have been found, and knowledge has been gained that is of global significance. This book provides an overview of the knowledge that has so far been amassed on the country’s geology, palaeontology, natural history and environment. It represents, at the same time, a celebration of the dedication shown by the professional scientists and others, who have devoted so much effort to its collection and interpretation. It will, I hope, provide an absorbing and illuminating insight into the country. Through bodies such as the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EA–AD), formerly the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA), the Government of the UAE is demonstrating its commitment to the study and conservation of the country’s environment and its biodiversity. The UAE’s former President, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was quoted as stating that: ‘A people that knows not its past has neither present nor future.’ If we are to fully understand our past, we must understand the nature of the land and seas in which our ancestors lived, and if we are to fulfil properly our responsibility to provide for future generations, we must hand on to them the environment, flora and fauna of which we are today merely the custodians. This book will, I believe, make an important contribution to that process and will, at the same time, help to introduce to others something about the country of which we are so proud. Contents: The Emirates, A Natural History, Widlife of the United Arab Emirates Front Cover Back Cover Copyright Statements by the sponsors Contents: Foreword Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan 7 Introduction Mohammed Al Bowardi 8 Discovery Researching The Emirates Peter Hellyer And Simon Aspinall 13 Man And The Environment Mohammed Al Bowardi And Peter Hellyer 27 Geology Geological Overview Gary Feulner 41 A Geological History 41 The Sand Desert 46 Sabkha Environments 50 The Hajar Mountains 53 The Quaternary Period 59 Structural Units And Rock Types 60 The Quaternary Deposits Graham Evans And Anthony Kirkham 65 Sea Level Changes 66 Alluvial Fans 68 Aeolian Dunes 69 Marine Deposits 71 Pleistocene 72 Holocene 73 Evaporites 77 Recent Coastal Development 78 The Fossil Record Peter J Whybrow, Andrew Smith And Andrew Hill 81 Continents On The Move 81 Emirates Geology And Palaeontology 83 Habitats Terrestrial Habitats Gary Brown And Benno Böer 93 Major Terrestrial Habitat Types And Their Vegetation 95 Haloxylon Persicum Community 101 Tribulus Arabicus 101 The Cave Fauna Of Jebel Hafit Mark Beech, Olivia Pozzan And Simon Aspinall 108 The Marine Environment David George And David John 111 Physical & Chemical Characteristics 111 Geomorphology 113 Habitats 115 The Shore & Shallow Seas David John And David George 123 Shores 123 Rockpools 126 Mangroves 127 Shallow Water 128 Life In The Mangroves Benno Böer And Simon Aspinall 133 Flora 134 Anthropogenic Impact 135 Introduced Mangroves 135 Birds In Mangroves 136 Wildlife Terrestrial Plants Gary Brown And Benno Böer 141 History Of Botanical Research 141 Flowering Plants 141 Ferns, Bryophytes And Lichens 144 Algae, Cyanobacteria And Fungi 144 Adaptations Of Desert Plants To Their Environment 145 Traditional Uses Of Desert Plants And Vegetation 151 Threats To The Vegetation And Flora 153 Outlook For Future Research 155 Lichens Gary Brown 156 Marine Plants David John 161 Green Algae (Phylum Chlorophyta) 161 Brown Algae (Phylum Phaeophyta) 162 Red Algae (Phylum Rhodophyta) 165 Microalgae David John, Geraldine Reid & David M Williams 167 Seagrasses 167 Insects & Other Arthropods Michael Gillett And Conrad Gillet 169 A Brief History Of Insect Collection In Arabia 170 Systematic Account Of Insects 171 The Phylum Arthropoda In The Uae 174 Dragonflies And Damselflies (Order Odonata) 176 Grasshoppers And Crickets (Order Orthoptera) 178 True And Two-Winged Flies (Order Diptera) Brigitte Howarth 180 Butterflies And Moths (Order Lepidotera) 182 Ants, Bees And Wasps (Order Hymenoptera) 184 Beetles (Order Coleoptera) 186 Arthropods Other Than Insects 189 Clam Shrimps Richard Hornby 195 Marine Invertebrates David George 197 Sponges (Phylum Porifera) 197 Cnidarians (Phylum Cnidaria) 199 Annelids (Phylum Annelida) 204 Crustaceans (Phylum Crustacea) 205 Crabs Peter Hogarth And Mark Beech 208 Molluscs (Phylum Mollusca) 211 Sea Mats (Phylum Bryozoa) 215 Echinoderms (Phylum Echinodermata) 216 Tunicates (Phylum Chordata) 220 Land Snails Gary Feulner, Eike Neubert And Stephen A Green 223 Native Species 223 A Lesson In Biogeography 227 Introduced Species 227 Terrestrial Reptiles Drew Gardner 229 Lizards 229 Snakes 236 Marine Reptiles Robert Baldwin And Drew Gardner 243 Sea Turtles 243 Sea Turtles In The Uae 246 Sea Snakes 247 Sea Snakes In The Uae 248 Amphibians Peter Cunningham And Gary Feulner 253 Freshwater Fishes Gary Feulner 257 Native Species 257 Introduced Species 258 Other Species Possibly Present 259 Marine Fish Mark Beech, Thabit Zahran Al Abdessalaam And John Paul Hoolihan 261 Shallow Demersal 261 Shallow Pelagic 263 Coastal Demersal 264 Coastal Pelagic 265 Deepwater Demersal 266 Oceanic Pelagic 267 Whale Sharks 268 Endangered Species 268 Kingfish Dna Study 269 Commercial Fisheries 269 Pelagic Game Fisheries 272 Birds Simon Aspinall 283 The UAE’S Ornithological Year 286 Town, Park, Garden 288 Mountains And Wadis 290 The Alluvial Plains (Piedmont) 292 The Sand Desert 293 Coast And Islands 294 Man-Made Wetlands 298 Agriculture And Plantations 300 Intertidal Areas 302 Terrestrial Mammals Simon Aspinall, Peter Hellyer And Chris Drew, With Christian Gross, Jane Ashley-Edmonds And Kevin Budd 307 Hedgehogs And Shrews (Insectivora) 307 Arabia’S Smallest Mammal: Savi’S Pygmy Shrew Jane Ashley-Edmonds 308 Bats (Chiroptera) 308 Carnivores (Carnivora) 310 Wolves And Foxes (Canidae) 311 Mongooses (Herpestidae) 313 Hyaenas (Hyaenidae) 313 Cats (Felidae) 314 Arabian Leopard Kevin Budd And Jane Ashley-Edmonds 316 Hyraxes (Procavidae) 320 Even-Toed Ungulates (Artiodactyla) 320 Goats, Sheep And Antelopes (Bovidae) 320 Arabian Oryx Jane Ashley-Edmonds 323 Arabian (Mountain) Gazelle 324 Sand Gazelle 327 Cape Hare Chris Drew 328 Rodents (Rodentia) 330 Squirrels (Sciuridae) 330 Jerboas (Dipodidae) 330 Rats And Mice (Muridae) 331 Gerbils And Jirds (Circetidae) 332 Species Extinct In The UAE Or Presence Not Proven 333 Marine Mammals Robert Baldwin 335 Baleen Whales 336 Toothed Whales And Dolphins 337 Dugongs 342 Conservation Of Marine Mammals In The UAE 343 