Sultan Qaboos University

Collage of Science
Department of Biology
Introduction to environment
BIOL3009

Biodiversity loss in Oman

Done by:
Abir Omar ALRumhi (87142)
Maha Ali ALKharousi (87001)
Nada Suliman ALMyahi (87245)
Raya Suroor ALGhafri (83579)

content:
1. Biodiversity definition.
2. An Islamic vision of biodiversity
3. Component of biodiversity:
4. Effort of His Majesty the Sultan Qaboos for conserving biodiversity in
Oman.
5. Cause of biodiversity losses.
6. Effects of biodiversity losses.
7. Solution for protect biodiversity in Oman.

biodiversity

Is the degree of
variation of life
on the earth.

An Islamic vision of biodiversity

God almighty inform in many place in the holy Quran the important of
the biodiversity:

we have not created heavens and the earth and

all that is between them carelessly. Sura (44),
verse(38).
all things have me created by measure. Sura
(54), verse(49).
eat and drink, but waste not by excess, verily,
he loves not the excessive. Sura (7), verse(31).
do not cause corruption in the earth, when it
has been set in order. Sura (7), verse(56).

 Component of biodiversity:

 Component of biodiversity:

:Species

: ecosystem

Plants, mammals, birds,

fish, fungus, bacteria,
. virus etc
:Genetics

deserts, mountain, agriculture

land, wetland, island and
.marine areas

Plant cultivars and land races,

crop wild relatives, local breeds
of livestock, fish and microbial
.species

Biodiversity

Summary of some sp. from national report prepared by the

directorate general of nature reserves December 1997.
biodiversity

number of species

plants

1,204 sp., 78 endemic sp.

wild life

Arabian Gazelle, Arabian Tiger, wolves, striped hyenas, Sand Gazelle, Arabian
Oryx, Nubian Ibex, Arabian Taher and Arabian Leopard.

fish

1,140 sp.

birds

329 sp.

reptiles

75 sp.

invertebrates

thousands

turtles

5 sp.

 Effort of His Majesty the Sultan Qaboos for conserving biodiversity in Oman.

1974

the Office of the Adviser for Conservation of the Environment

Oman Natural History Museum was established in the Ministry of

1982 National Heritage and Culture (MNHC)
1984

The Ministry of Environment

the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Environment

1991 (MRME)
1992 national conservation strategy for sustainable development
The National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs)
1995 and Non-governmental organization (NGO)

 Other royal decrees:

1. In 1992 Oman joined the biodiversity agreement which was ratified in
1994 by the royal decree No: 119/94.
2. In 2001 the Omani government approved the national strategy for
biodiversity.

The main causes of biodiversity

loss in Oman:

Damage of
costal and
marine
environmen
t

Introduction
of exotic

Overgrasi
ng

Pollution

Climate
Change

Growth of
population

:Definition

Plants are
exposed to
intensive grazing
Fig(4): soil
erosion

Fig(1):
overgrazing

:Cause

Poor
distribution of
domestic
livestock

Overgrazing

:Consequences
Decreasing local. 1
diversity
loosing- 2
habitats
reducing wild- 3
mammals e.g. wolf
and tahar
damaging soil- 4
structure and
causing erosion

Examples: :
Fig (2):
cattle and
overgrazing

Goat.1
Sheep. 2
Cattle. 3
Camels. 4
(18.6%)

Fig(3): primary
domesticate in
Dhofar

Damage of costal and marine environment

Caused by:
Intensive fishing

Using new methods and

equipment

Expanding recreational use of

some coral reef areas by
divers and sporting fishermen

Invasive Species

Fast growing exotic plants

Eeffect on habitat of native plants

Cconsequential
.loss from the food chain of wild fauna

Examples of the exotic species

effect:
Feral dogs form a threat to
birds, mainly through
disturbance
Hybridisation of feral dogs
with wolves
one captivewolf in 1976 was
considered by some to be a

.dog hybrid

Feral and domestic cats

present serious threat to the
genetic purity of the Gordons
Wild Cat

Fig(5): Gordons Wild

Cat

:Consequences

A drop in catches by coastal fishing

communities

Degradation of reefs

Turtle losses through net catches, direct

impact by boats and illegal
hunting( Green turtle)

Pollution
Is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change.

Air
pollution

Land
pollution

Water
pollution

Air pollution causes and effects:

Motor vehicle
exhaust
Industrial process
Heat and power
generation

Globle
warming

Ozon
depletion

Acid rain

Biodiversity
loss

 Water pollution causes and effects:

Relase of toxic
substance
Pathogenic
germ
Petroleum
product

Autrophication

Reduce the
number of coral
reef

Reduce the
number of
marine organism

Land pollution causes and effects

Desposition of solid
waste

Accumlating of non
biodegradable
materials

Sewage sludge

Alteration of soil
chemical
composition

Soil ersion

Reduce the
number of plants
and animals

Water pollution, chemical industry (%

of total emissions)

Its highest value over the past 14 years was 17.76 in

2007, while its lowest value was 7.09 in 1995.

Source: 1998 study by Hemamala Hettige, Muthukumara Mani, and David Wheeler, "Industrial
Pollution in Economic Development: Kuznets Revisited" (available at www.worldbank.org/nipr). The
data were updated by the World Bank's Development Research Group using the same
methodology as the initial study.

Growth of population:

Source: CIA World Factbook - Unless otherwise noted, information in this page is
accurate as of January 1, 2011

The effects of Growth population :

Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years.

Cauase:
Highly emission on of green house
gases: Water vapor, Carbon dioxide (CO2),
Methane, Nitrous oxide.
Human activites:burn fossil fuel,transpration,waste
disposal.
.

Graphical representation of the

greenhouse effect.

Source: CO2 Cooperative Research Centre

The Facts About Climate Change

FACT: Average global temperatures increased by
about 1 degree Celsius over the 20th century.
FACT: Personal cars and trucks in the Oman emit 20
percent of the Omans' carbon emissions.
FACT: Climate change is linked to
stronger hurricanes, more drought and
increased coral deaths from bleaching.
FACT: Climate change is linked to
an increase in disease-carrying pests that lead to the
increased spread of diseases such as dengue fever,
malaria, lyme disease and West Nile virus.

1-The Frankincense Project:

*excessive cutting of the trees to extract the frankincense
*Omani Environment Society initiated this project in 2010

2- Biological study of five species of commercial fish in Dhofar:

*Ministry of Fisheries Wealth launched this project
* studying the lifecycle and growth rate
*discussed fishing equipment.

3-Turtles protection project:

*57 species of turtles, large numbers of green and loggerhead turtles.
*Ras Al Hadd is one of the most populous areas (green turtles)
*Masira (loggerhead turtles)
*turtle protection project :
*assess the number of female loggerhead turtles nesting
annually.
* find out more about the turtles

4- The natural reserve project in Dimaniyat Islands:

*1996 , declared a protected natural reserve by virtue of Royal Decree
*Sharfaf turtles.
* natural reserve project :
* survey and research wildlife.
*marine life and natural resources.
* evaluate the tourism
*education and training, that are consistent with the preservation plan
*In 2010, Omani Environment Society carried out a survey of the coral
reefs and observed the nesting of turtles on the beaches around the island.

5-Preserving whales and dolphins:

*20 species of cetaceans .
* Preserving whales and dolphins project
* assisting whales and dolphins stuck beaches
*identify their locations in Omani waters
*In 2010 the Omani Environment Society, field surveys off Masira
Island and Ras Madraka
* Water telephones (underwater sonic recording devices)
*New and developed cameras

6- Bandar Al Khiran Development Project:

*20 km to the south east of Muscat.
*area is mostly barren and consists of hills with various geological
formations.
* annual rain is no more than 90 ml.
* school and water desalination plant
* Animals in the area are limited, consisting mainly of goats next to the
villages.

7- Socioeconomic dimensions of tourism development in Al Jabal Al Akhdar:

*Ministry of Tourism, in cooperation with SQU.
*assist in the development
*stimulation of the local communities and their contribution to tourism
development

8- Quantitative and qualitative distribution of marine organisms in the Sultanate of

Oman:
*study fish biodiversity; to solve any taxonomical problems
*study the geographical and temporal distribution of the fish species
*build a specific data base

Reference:
1- CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
FIRST NATIONAL REPORT Prepared by the
Directorate-General of Nature Reserves December
1997 - Google Search. Accessed December 15,
2013.
2-AL-Eisawi, D.M. 1995. Flora and Vegetation of
Azraq Wetland
Reserve. Azraq Oasis Conservation Project.
RAMSAR and
The World Bank, pp. 72.

Thank you
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