Plant life in the Umm as Samim,Oman – A case study in a major inland sabkha |
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| Institution: | 1. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, Cairo, Egypt;2. Chemical and Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80204, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;3. Applied Organic Chemistry Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622, Cairo, Egypt;2. Department of Internal Medicine, Päijät-Häme Central Hospital, Lahti, Finland;3. Division of Cardiology Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland;4. National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland;1. Peace Region Palaeontology Research Centre, Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia V0C 2W0, Canada;2. School of the Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China;1. School of Geography and Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK;2. School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa;1. Air Quality Forecasting Laboratory, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA;2. Center for Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China;3. The School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China |
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| Abstract: | The Umm as Samim is a vast salt flat of central Oman, in which many wadis which flow south-westwards from the central sector of the northern mountains converge. Most of the area is devoid of vegetation due to extraordinary salinity (sabkha). Significant plant growth is possible chiefly on miniature dunes, called nabkhas, which enable the plants to prosper in an otherwise harsh environment.The site conditions are depicted by mapping of miniature dunes and vegetation, accompanied by an account of morphometric parameters, i.e. height of nabkha, height of plant growth, and status of plant life. Within the chosen sample plot, 12.3% of the sabkha is covered by nabkhas. The total plant cover amounts to 5.0%, but only 3.1% of it is alive, while 2.0% is dead or lifeless.Two nabkhas were longitudinally excavated to examine the salinity of soil samples in relation to dune structure and root and shoot system position. The salinity analysis was done via electrical conductivity (EC1:5 extract). Extremely high EC values were found on current or former sabkha surfaces and on the periphery of nabkhas, whereas central nabkha parts and bottom soil offer more favourable salinity values for plant and root growth. |
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