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Consequences of protection from grazing on diversity and abundance of the coastal lowland vegetation in Eastern Saudi Arabia

Biodiversity & Conservation volume 5, pages 27–36 (1996)Cite this article

Fourteen years of protection against grazing and human impacts of the coastal lowland vegetation in Eastern Saudi Arabia (an experimental site in the vicinity of Al-Hassa region) has led to an increase of 68% in the total cover, 33% in species richness and 32% in species relative evenness. Many of the species with significantly higher abundance in the protected area are important forage and/or fuel plants. Soil salinity and important soil nutrients (N, K, Mg and Na) are significantly higher in the free grazing area which may be attributable to the fact that the passage of herbage through the grazing animals often enhances nutrient availability.

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Author notes

  1. K. H. Shaltout

    Present address: Biology Department, King Faisal University, Box 1759, 31982, Al-Hufuf, Saudi Arabia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

    K. H. Shaltout

  2. Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt

    E. F. El-Halawany

  3. Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

    H. F. El-Kady

Authors
  1. K. H. Shaltout
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  2. E. F. El-Halawany
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  3. H. F. El-Kady
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Shaltout, K.H., El-Halawany, E.F. & El-Kady, H.F. Consequences of protection from grazing on diversity and abundance of the coastal lowland vegetation in Eastern Saudi Arabia. Biodivers Conserv 5, 27–36 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00056290

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00056290

Keywords

  • desert
  • overgrazing
  • recovery
  • soil nutrients
  • species diversity