Recovery of Perennial Plant Communities in Disturbed Hyper-Arid Environments (Sharaan Nature Reserve, Saudi Arabia)

Sami Youssef, Mohamed Djamel Miara (), Stéphane Boivin, Robin Sallio, Jérôme Nespoulous, Hassan Boukcim, Sami D. Almalki, Shauna K. Rees, Benjamin P. Y.-H. Lee and Ahmed H. Mohamed
Additional contact information
Sami Youssef: Valorhiz, 1900, Boulevard de la Lironde PSIII, Parc Scientifique Agropolis, F-34980 Montferrier sur Lez, France
Mohamed Djamel Miara: Department of Ecology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Nature and Life Science, Ibn Khaldoun University of Tiaret, Tiaret 14000, Algeria
Stéphane Boivin: Valorhiz, 1900, Boulevard de la Lironde PSIII, Parc Scientifique Agropolis, F-34980 Montferrier sur Lez, France
Robin Sallio: Valorhiz, 1900, Boulevard de la Lironde PSIII, Parc Scientifique Agropolis, F-34980 Montferrier sur Lez, France
Jérôme Nespoulous: Valorhiz, 1900, Boulevard de la Lironde PSIII, Parc Scientifique Agropolis, F-34980 Montferrier sur Lez, France
Hassan Boukcim: Valorhiz, 1900, Boulevard de la Lironde PSIII, Parc Scientifique Agropolis, F-34980 Montferrier sur Lez, France
Sami D. Almalki: Wildlife and Natural Heritage, Royal Commission for AlUla, AlUla 43544, Saudi Arabia
Shauna K. Rees: Wildlife and Natural Heritage, Royal Commission for AlUla, AlUla 43544, Saudi Arabia
Benjamin P. Y.-H. Lee: Wildlife and Natural Heritage, Royal Commission for AlUla, AlUla 43544, Saudi Arabia
Ahmed H. Mohamed: Wildlife and Natural Heritage, Royal Commission for AlUla, AlUla 43544, Saudi Arabia

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-19

Abstract: Background: Human activities such as agriculture are known to markedly affect natural ecosystems, including plant communities and soil properties. Biological activities are reduced in hot, hyper-arid ecosystems compared to temperate and tropical climatic conditions. Anthropogenic disturbances therefore have greater impacts on the ecosystem’s recovery potential. This study aimed to assess the diversity and recovery of post-agriculture plant communities in the Sharaan Nature Reserve (SNR), located in northern Saudi Arabia. Methods: Three types of habitats representative of different disturbance situations were identified in the reserve and sampled through 103 floristic and pedological surveys. The floristic composition was recognized and relative quantification of soil atomic elements was performed. The obtained data were processed using different statistical treatments such as the Shannon index and Bray–Curtis dissimilarities, non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), Kruskal–Wallis tests and Redundant analysis (RDA). Results: Investigations led to the identification of 48 plant species belonging to 24 genera and 22 botanical families. Specific plant community structures were correlated with each habitat, and bioindicator plant species were identified. Polycarpaea repens and Stipagrostis plumosa were linked with natural habitats, while Atriplex leucoclada was specific to disturbed habitats. In contrast, Asteriscus graveolens and Haloxylon salicornicum were found to be ubiquitous species. Conclusions: The presence of bioindicator species was closely associated with the different soil properties measured in each habitat. Restoration strategies related to the overall dynamic plant community succession pattern observed in the Sharaan Nature Reserve are discussed. Active ecological restoration strategies based on targeted active ecological restoration interventions should facilitate the recovery and restoration of disturbed plant communities in hyper-arid areas.

Keywords: dynamic; flora; hyper-arid areas; protected areas; succession; vegetation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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