Skip to main content

Effect of environmental conditions on the taxonomic diversity of plant species in the arid region of Tabuk

Arid Ecosystems volume 7, pages 271–276 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Arid and semiarid regions are characterized by a unique floristic composition and structural diversity of their plant communities. The goal of the present study is to investigate the effect of physical and chemical properties of soil on these characteristics of the arid region of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. With β diversity, the variability of a plant species composition has been studied at four sites (Alwaz, Alqan, Sharma, and Zetah) of the region. Two taxonomic diversity indices, average taxonomic distinctness (Δ+) and variation in taxonomic distinctness (Λ+), have been calculated, and the effect of the environmental situation and limitations of environmental conditions on these indices have been determined. The study represents the first stage of a study intended to evaluate the taxonomic diversity of plant communities of the arid region of the Arabian Peninsula and its connection with soil properties. According to the results, anthropogenic factors (woodcutting, pasture, and urbanization) significantly influence the floristic diversity. It is proposed that urgent strategies of nature conservation be developed to protect plant habitats and prevent their destructive changes.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Abellán, P., Bilton, D., Millán, A., Sánchez-Fernández, D., and Ramsay, P., Can taxonomic distinctness assess anthropogenic impacts in inland waters? A case study from a Mediterranean river basin, Freshwater Biol., 2006, vol. 51, no. 9, pp. 1744–1756.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, S.E. Grimshaw, H.M., and Rowland, A.P., Chemical analysis, in Methods of Plant Ecology, Oxford: Blackwell, 1986, pp. 285–344.

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Mutairi, K.A., Al-Atawi, A., Alajlan, A., and Al-Shami, S.A., Woodcutting activities in Tabuk Region (Saudi Arabia): assessment of conservation knowledge, Aceh Int. J. Sci. Technol., 2015, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 54–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Mutairi, K., Al-Shami, S., Khorshid, Z., and Moawed, M., Floristic diversity of Tabuk Province, North Saudi Arabia, J. Anim. Plant Sci., 2016, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 1019–1025.

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Turki, T. and Al-Olayan, H., Contribution to the flora of Saudi Arabia: Hail region, Saudi J. Biol. Sci., 2003, vol. 10, pp. 190–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bevilacqua, S., Fraschetti, S., Musco, L., Guarnieri, G., and Terlizzi, A., Low sensitiveness of taxonomic distinctness indices to human impacts: evidences across marine benthic organisms and habitat types, Ecol. Indic., 2011, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 448–455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhat, A. and Magurran, A.E., Taxonomic distinctness in a linear system: a test using a tropical freshwater fish assemblage, Ecography, 2006, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 104–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhary, S., Flora of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Vascular Plants), Riyadh: Saudi Arabia Natl. Agric. Water Res. Center, 2001, vol. 1.

  • Clarke, K. and Warwick, R., A taxonomic distinctness index and its statistical properties, J. Appl. Ecol., 1998, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 523–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, K. and Warwick, R., A further biodiversity index applicable to species lists: variation in taxonomic distinctness, Mar. Ecol.: Progr. Ser., 2001, vol. 216, pp. 265–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cody, M.L., Plants on Islands: Diversity and Dynamics on a Continental Archipelago, Oakland: Univ. of California Press, 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collentette, S., Wild Flowers of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Natl. Comm. Wildl. Conserv. Dev., 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  • Da Silva, I.A. and Batalha, M.A., Taxonomic distinctness and diversity of a hyperseasonal savanna in central Brazil, Diversity Distrib., 2006, vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 725–730.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Ghani, M.M.A. and Amer, W.M., Soil-vegetation relationships in a coastal desert plain of southern Sinai, Egypt, J. Arid Environ., 2003, vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 607–628.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Sheikh, M.A., Thomas, J., Alatar, A.A., Hegazy, A.K., Abbady, G.A., Alfarhan, A.H., and Okla, M.I., Vegetation of Thumamah Nature Park: a managed arid land site in Saudi Arabia, Rend. Lincei, 2013, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 349–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Enquist, B.J., Haskell, J.P., and Tiffney, B.H., General patterns of taxonomic and biomass partitioning in extant and fossil plant communities, Nature, 2002, vol. 419, no. 6907, pp. 610–613.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, J. and Geerken, R., Discrimination between climate and human-induced dry land degradation, J. Arid Environ., 2004, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 535–554.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galal, T.M. and Fahmy, A.G., Plant diversity and community structure of Wadi Gimal protected area, Red Sea coast of Egypt, Afr. J. Ecol., 2012, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 266–276.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallardo, B., Gascón, S., Quintana, X., and Comín, F.A., How to choose a biodiversity indicator—redundancy and complementarity of biodiversity metrics in a freshwater ecosystem, Ecol. Indic., 2011, vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 1177–1184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gwali, S., Okullo, P., Hafashimana, D., and Byabashaija, D.M., Taxonomic diversity, distinctness, and abundance of tree and shrub species in Kasagala forest reserve in Uganda: implications for management and conservation policy decisions, Trop. Conserv. Sci., 2010, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 319–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heino, J., Soininen, J., Lappalainen, J., and Virtanen, R., The relationship between species richness and taxonomic distinctness in freshwater organisms, Limnol. Oceanogr., 2005, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 978–986.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, G. and Zhang, Q., Seasonal variations in macrobenthic taxonomic diversity and the application of taxonomic distinctness indices in Bohai Bay, northern China, Ecol. Indic., 2016, vol. 71, pp. 181–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacson, M., Soil Chemical Analysis, London: Constable, 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kreft, H., Jetz, W., Mutke, J., Kier, G., and Barthlott, W., Global diversity of island floras from a macroecological perspective, Ecol. Lett., 2008, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 116–127.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leibold, M.A., Similarity and local co-existence of species in regional biotas, Evol. Ecol., 1998, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 95–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leira, M., Chen, G., Dalton, C., Irvine, K., and Taylor, D., Patterns in freshwater diatom taxonomic distinctness along an eutrophication gradient, Freshwater Biol., 2009, vol. 54, no. 1, pp. 1–14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lozano, F.D., Price, J., Otto, R., and Fernández-Palacios, J.M., Using taxonomic and phylogenetic evenness to compare diversification in two Island Floras, Persp. Plant Ecol., Evol. Syst., 2010, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 93–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magurran, A.E., Measuring Biological Diversity, New York: Wiley, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moreno, C.E., Castillo-Campos, G., and Verdú, J.R., Taxonomic diversity as complementary information to assess plant species diversity in secondary vegetation and primary tropical deciduous forest, J. Veg. Sci., 2009, vol. 20, no. 5, pp. 935–943.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nicholson, S. and Farrar, T., The influence of soil type on the relationships between NDVI, rainfall, and soil moisture in semiarid Botswana, Remote Sens. Environ., 1994, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 107–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nicholson, S.E., Tucker, C.J., and Ba, M., Desertification, drought, and surface vegetation: An example from the West African Sahel, Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 1998, vol. 79, no. 5, pp. 815–829.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ricotta, C., Avena, G., and Chiarucci, A., Quantifying the effects of nutrient addition on the taxonomic distinctness of serpentine vegetation, Plant Ecol., 2005, vol. 179, no. 1, pp. 21–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaltout K., El-Din A.S., and El-Sheikh M. Species richness and phenology of vegetation along irrigation canals and drains in the Nile Delta, Egypt, Vegetatio, 1994, vol. 112, no. 1, pp. 35–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaltout, K. and El-Sheikh, M., Vegetation environment relations along water courses in the Nile Delta region, J. Veg. Sci., 1993, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 567–570.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, K., Cable, J., Huxman, T., and Tartowski, S., Arid ecosystem responses to variations in the frequency and magnitude of growing season precipitation, Proc. 89th Annual Meeting of Ecological Society of America, Portland, 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vilmi, A., Karjalainen, S.M., Kuoppala, M., Tolonen, K.T., and Heino, J., Taxonomic distinctness along nutrient gradients: More diverse, less diverse or not different from random? Ecol. Indic., 2016, vol. 61, pp. 1033–1041.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wanic, M., Jastrzebska, M., Kostrzewska, M.K. and Jastrzebski, W., Taxonomic diversity and distinctness indices in assessment of weed communities, Acta Agrobot., 2011, vol. 64, no. 4, pp. 251–258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warwick, R. and Clarke, K., New biodiversity measures reveal a decrease in taxonomic distinctness with increasing stress, Mar. Ecol.: Progr. Ser., 1995, vol. 129, pp. 301–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warwick, R. and Clarke, K., New biodiversity measures reveal a decrease in taxonomic distinctness with increasing stress, Oceanogr. Lit. Rev., 1996, vol. 7, no. 43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webb, C.O., Ackerly, D.D., McPeek, M.A., and Donoghue, M.J., Phylogenies and community ecology, Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst., 2002. pp. 475–505.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welter-Schultes, F. and Williams, M., History, island area and habitat availability determine land snail species richness of Aegean islands, J. Biogeogr., 1999, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 239–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu, G., He, C., Xu, H., Huang, Y., and Sun, H., Application of taxonomic distinctness indices of littoral macroinvertebrate communities for assessing long-term variation in ecological quality status of intertidal ecosystems, northern China, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., 2012, vol. 19, no. 9, pp. 3859–3867.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, 71491, Saudi Arabia

    Khalid A. Al-Mutairi

Authors
  1. Khalid A. Al-Mutairi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Khalid A. Al-Mutairi.

Additional information

Original Russian Text © Khalid A. Al-Mutairi, 2017, published in Aridnye Ekosistemy, 2017, Vol. 23, No. 4(73), pp. 59–67.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Al-Mutairi, K.A. Effect of environmental conditions on the taxonomic diversity of plant species in the arid region of Tabuk. Arid Ecosyst 7, 271–276 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079096117040060

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079096117040060

Keywords

  • taxonomic diversity
  • arid region
  • floristic diversity
  • nature conservation
  • anthropogenic factors