After decades of conservation, the mangroves in the UAE have grown to become the largest in the Arabian Gulf coast, according to a new study.
Analysis of satellite images acquired from the King Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology recently published in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment show that the UAE is now home to nearly 50 per cent of all mangroves in the region. Moreover, the mangrove coverage in the Emirates has nearly doubled.
"Plantation and rehabilitation projects, primarily in Abu Dhabi, have played an important role in preserving and increasing mangroves throughout the years," Dr Hanan Almahasheer, assistant biology professor at the Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University in Damman wrote in an article published in January called Spatial coverage of mangrove communities in the Arabian Gulf.
It read: “Where they used to cover 40 square kilometres along the UAE coastlines on the Arabian Gulf and one site on the Gulf of Oman coast, at Khor Kalba, now they are extensively found along UAE coastlines with about 79 square kilometres, comprising 48 per cent of the overall mangroves in the region.”
The images were captured last year using the Landsat 8 observation satellite; however, since the satellite only registers images at a spatial resolution of 30 metres or higher – meaning that any mangrove clusters smaller than 30 meters would not be visible – the actual area covered by mangroves is likely to be much higher.
The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, which maps the emirate’s mangroves using higher-resolution satellites, estimates the coverage to be closer to 155 square kilometres, said Dr Himansu Sekhar Das, unit head of marine threatened species for the EAD.
“We don’t blame them for not detecting that. It is because they are using satellite data with a different resolution,” Dr Das said after reviewing the report.
Dr Das said the growth of the UAE mangroves was due to a plantation program undertaken by the Abu Dhabi Government initiated decades ago by the Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed.
“It has almost doubled in 20 or 30 years,” Dr Das said. “What you see today is the result of 40 years’ worth of planting between the natural mangroves. During a period where we are losing mangroves in many parts of the world, here they are doing well. Due to political will and government interest, we are able to maintain this habitat and this is part of our mandate.”
The extensive planting program had been so successful that the EAD no longer plants mangroves in new areas where they didn’t previously exist.
“We don’t have much space left for mangrove plantation,” said Dr Das, noting that the remaining areas of potential new growth belong to existing ecosystems that could be negatively impacted with the introduction of mangroves. “You can’t encroach another habitat just to increase mangrove cover. What we are doing, we are limiting our efforts to lost and degraded mangrove areas.”
Other countries in the region have not been as successful or committed to protecting their mangroves, according to the report.
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“Unfortunately, population pressures on the coast led to major losses in some areas of this region,” Dr Almahasheer wrote in her report.
Of the 165 square kilometres of mangroves scattered across the Gulf, the UAE contained the largest portion, with 78.7 square kilometres, followed by Iran, 65.2 square kilometres; Saudi Arabia with 10.3 square kilometres; Qatar, 9.9 square kilometres; Kuwait, 0.58 square kilometres; and Bahrain, 0.58 square kilometres.
Iran contained the highest number of mangrove communities or small clusters of mangrove trees, with 3,403, while the UAE had 2,846; Qatar, 392; Saudi Arabia, 316; Kuwait, 44; and Bahrain, 28.
“It is necessary to minimise stress on mangroves,” Dr Almahasheer wrote, noting erosion, pollution and urban development continue to be the greatest threats.
Company%20Profile
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Company%20Profile
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
Normal People
Sally Rooney, Faber & Faber
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match details
Wales v Hungary
Cardiff City Stadium, kick-off 11.45pm
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School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
RESULT
Fifth ODI, at Headingley
England 351/9
Pakistan 297
England win by 54 runs (win series 4-0)
Results
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COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Race card for Super Saturday
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dh918,125) (Dirt) 1,900m.
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Conditions $200,000 (Turf) 1,200m.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,600m.
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $300,000 (T) 1,800m.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 $400,000 (D) 2,000m.
7.30pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 $250,000 (T) 2,410m.
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full