Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Ecophysiology of Wild Plants and
Conservation Perspectives in the State of Qatar
Bassam T. Yasseen and Roda F. Al-Thani
Additional information is available at the end of the chapter
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/55305
1. Introduction
State of Qatar is a peninsula extended from Arabia desert as outcrop in the western Arabian
Gulf, located in an area of the world which is warm and humid; its land is considered as
arid or semi-arid and highly saline. The common type of landscape is rocky desert,
depressions and salt marshes, and in general it is flat to undulating. Such environment
could have great impact on the biodiversity of flora and fauna, since limited number of wild
plants and animals has been recorded in this area. The vegetation of Qatar is comprised of
herbaceous plants, dwarf shrubs and a few tree species. Woody plants, succulents, and
perennial grasses and sedges withstand successfully the severe drought of the summer. Soil
in Qatar is generally shallow sandy calcareous, overlying rocky bed rock. The available
nutrition for native plants is poor with salty soil; they are adapted and tolerate different
physical and chemical factors. These adaptations also affect the type, abundance, and
occurrence of microorganisms. However, this country is endowed with natural resources
especially gas and oil; their revenues have been used to support all aspects of social life
including the expansion of urban and industrial sectors as well as supporting the scientific
research and its international obligations. In fact, Qatar has engaged with numerous
international activities such as humanitarian aids and hosting international sport
competitions and political meetings. The expansion in the industrial activities might put the
ecosystem at real risk; some habitats are disappearing, and pollution of the environment
could be another possible threat of such activities in the long run. Three challenges facing
scientists and the decision makers in the State of Qatar: (1) restoration of the endangered
habitats due to the industrial and urban activities, (2) phytoremediation of wastewater and
soil which might be affected by gas and oil industry, and (3) establishment of wide scale
institutes to deal with the modern techniques of gene technology to develop transgenic crop
and native plants to cope with harsh and polluted environments. Therefore, this chapter of
