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Vegetation and environment on the coastal sand dunes and playas of Khor El-Odaid area, Qatar

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Abstract

The environment and vegetation of Khor El-Odaid area in SE Qatar is described. The area includes three ecogeomorphological systems: 1) Sabkhas, 2) Sand dunes, and 3) Hamada plains. Khor El-Odaid lies within the torrid sub-region of the N desert belt. Temperatures are high, summer winds hot and dry and rainfall is scanty and irregular both in time and space. The vegetation was sampled quantitatively using the transect method to provide estimates of cover abundance, sociobility and frequency. Surface soils were analysed. Two halophytic and three glycophytic plant communities are recognized:Limonium axillare, Halopeplis perfoliata, Cyperus conglomeratus, Panicum turgidum andZygophyllum quatarense. Plant distribution is found to be determined by a gradient in salt and water content ranging from the sea shore to the hamada plains in the most landward margin of the study area.

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  1. Department of Geography, University of Qatar, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar

    Babikir Ahmed Abdalla Ahmed Dr.

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  1. Babikir Ahmed Abdalla Ahmed Dr.
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Babikir, A.A.A. Vegetation and environment on the coastal sand dunes and playas of Khor El-Odaid area, Qatar. GeoJournal 9, 377–385 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00697966

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