Vegetation analysis of Wadi Al-Jufair, a hyper-arid region in Najd, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Wadi Al-Jufair, a tributary of Wadi Nisah, is one of the important wadis of Najd region (Saudi Arabia) sheltering a rich diversity of higher plants. The study area is extended into approximately 15 km(2) encompassing the commonest geomorphological features encountered in desert wadis. The wadi supports several rare plants, including Maerua crassifolia Forssk., a regionally endangered tree, and Acacia oerfota (Forssk.) Schweinf., a rare shrub with restricted distribution. The present study aims to analyze the vegetation of wadi Al-Jufair and propose its designation as an important plant reserve. The vegetation type is fundamentally of chamaephytic nature with some phanerophytes, and distinguished into associations where the dominant perennial species give the permanent character of plant cover in each habitat. Four vegetation groups were identified with the application of TWINSPAN, DCA and CCA programs and named after the characteristic species as follows: Lycium shawii; A. oerfota; Acacia raddiana-Rhazya stricta and Artemisia monosperma. These plant associations demonstrate significant variation in soil texture, moisture, organic matter, pH, EC, and minerals of Wadi Al-Jufair.

Floristic diversity and vegetation analysis of Wadi Al-Noman, Mecca, Saudi Arabia

“…A floristic analysis shows that the majority of plants in the study area are annuals, and the minority group occupies a tree habit. The dominance of members of Poaceae and Fabaceae coincides with the findings reported by Al-Turki and Al-Qlayan (2003), ElGhanem et al (2010), and Alatar et al (2012). The life-form distribution of plants growing in arid regions is closely related to topography and landform (Kassas & Girgis, 1964;Zohary, 1973;Orshan, 1986;Shaltout et al, 2010).…”

“…Therophytes are adapted to the dryness of the region and shortage of rainfall, because they spend their vegetative period in seed form (Asri, 2003). These results are congruent with the spectra of vegetation in the desert habitats in other parts of Saudi Arabia (El-Demerdash et al, 1995;Chaudhary, 1999Chaudhary, -2001Collenette, 1999;Al-Turki & Al-Qlayan, 2003;Fahmy & Hassan, 2005;El-Ghanem et al, 2010;Alatar et al, 2012), and this picture also reflects the vegetation spectra in other parts of the Middle East (Danin & Orchan, 1990;Zahran & Willis, 1992;Abd El-Ghani, 2000;El-Bana & Al-Mathnani, 2009). The importance of the study area from a phytogeographical point of view may be due to the position of Mecca (Asir Mountains).…”

“…In terms of classification, the vegetation that characterises the study area can be divided into 4 vegetation groups. Most of the identified vegetation groups are more or less comparable with those recorded in some other wadis of Saudi Arabia (Abd El-Ghani, 1997; Al Wadie, 2002;Alatar et al, 2012) and the Taif region (Abdel Fattah & Ali, 2005;Mosallam, 2007). Among these groups in the Wadi Al-Noman ecosystem, VG IV, characterised by the Argemone ochroleuca-Senna italica community, has a clear difference from other groups; this community was recognised as pure vegetation in the Sudera-Taif region by Mosallam (2007).…”

“…Each of these habitats supports a special type of vegetation with a (Kassas & Batanouny, 1984;Alatar et al, 2012). The heterogeneity of local topography, edaphic factors, and microclimatic conditions leads to variation in the distributional behaviour of the plant associations of the study area.…”

“…On the other hand, VG II and VG III are less distinct because they are characterised by mixed communities of native trees, shrubs, and grasses. In Saudi Arabia, Shaltout and Mady (1996), Abd El-Ghani (1997), Al-Yemeni and Zayed (1999), Al-Yemeni (2001), AlWadie (2002), El-Ghanem (2006), and Alatar et al (2012) recognised several plant associations, some of which are comparable to those of the present study (e.g., Acacia taxa, Rhazya stricta), which are comparable to those identified in neighbouring countries (Batanouny, 1987;El-Bana & Al-Mathnani, 2009;Shaltout et al, 2010). Communities on stony plateaus and rocky outcrop slopes in Wadi Talha at Asir (Al- Wadie, 2002) and vegetation in Taif (Abdel Fattah and Ali, 2005) are, however, comparable to Wadi Al-Noman, which may be due to the similarities in climate and topography.…”