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organic compounds (rhizoremediation). The application of gene manipulation and the use of
native plants that are metal tolerant and /or efficient in absorption and degradation of organic
compounds should be accelerated and transferred from the experimental level to the field
[157].
8. Conclusions
The ecophysiological studies of native plants that are adapted to various extreme
environmental conditions like drought, salinity, high temperatures and contaminated
environments are prerequisite to tackle the current problems facing mankind like food
security, pollution and the endangered habitats. The State of Qatar and other Gulf States
might have the preference over many other countries in the world to be leaders in the
technological research to address the problems of restoration, phytoremediation and
modern biological issues to deal with harsh environments. Being an Arab Gulf State, there
are three basic elements to deal with the above problems: (1) the superior financial status
which comes from the revenues of oil and gas industry, (2) the strong-willed of the scientists
and decision makers. The universities in Qatar and other Gulf States and many established
research centers have engaged and started actively with modern research to address various
environmental problems, (3) the current native plants living in the Gulf States could be a
good choice in the phytoremediation methods, and also might be good resources of traits
from which genes can be manipulated and transferred to crop plants, or to develop efficient
transgenic native plants in the phytoremediation processes of contaminated soil and water.
Author details
Bassam T. Yasseen
*
and Roda F. Al-Thani
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts & Sciences, Qatar University,
Doha, The State of Qatar
Acknowledgement
Authors would like to thank Professor Ekhlas M. Abdel-Bari, Environmental Studies Centre,
Qatar University for providing the nice photographs of some wild plants from the Qatari
habitats.
9. References
[1]
Persian Gulf: http://www.emecs.or.jp/guidebook/eng/pdf/07persian.pdf. (accessed 28
th
September 2012).
[2]
Abulfatih HA, Al-Thani RF, Al-Naimi IS, Swelleh JA, Elhag EA, Kardousha M. M.,
editors. Ecology of wastewater ponds in Qatar. Scientific and Applied Research Centre
(SARC), University of Qatar, Doha, Qatar; 2002.
*
Corresponding Author
