دراسة مجتمعات المانجروف بالساحل الشرقي للمملكة العربية السعودية

Abstract EN

Mangrove vegetation of the eas282040tern coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Arabian Gulf are being lost, damaged and subjected to extinction dangers.

There are several reaction and modern projects which established along the Saudi coastal areas in the Gulf.

These are occurred in combination with the increasing of the human activities such as fire wooding, overgrazing, habitat modification and deforestation processes which affect on the status and extent of the mangrove distribution.

The objective of the present work is to study the present-day composition of the mangrove trees which naturally grow along the different sites of the Saudi coast in the Arabian Gulf.

In order to maintain that a number of alternative field trips have been undertaken during 2003 and 2004 to select the suitable mangrove coastal areas which comprise Al-Khafgi, Al-Safaniah, Muneifah, Al-Jubail, Al-Qateef, Dammam, Al-Ogair and Salwa coast.

Results showed variations in the climatic factors of the different sites.

The distribution of the mangrove plants was studied and data was discussed in relation to the physical and chemical features of the associated soils.

Results also indicated that all the investigated sites were consisted of one type of mangrove which is Avicennia marina except in Al-Qateef coastal area where a number of Rhizophora mucronata trees were present.

Data indicated that mangrove population in Al-Qateef and Dammam has recorded the tallest trees and also the highest density among all the studied sites.

Mangrove flowering of the different studied areas was shown during October and February and the production of fruits during March and May.

Different forms of algae, sea weeds, halophytes and invertebrate were recorded in mangrove community.