Kh. Shaltout et al., CONSEQUENCES OF PROTECTION FROM GRAZING ON DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OFTHE COASTAL LOWLAND VEGETATION IN EASTERN SAUDI-ARABIA, Biodiversity and conservation, 5(1), 1996, pp. 27-36
Fourteen years of protection against grazing and human impacts of the
coastal lowland vegetation in Eastern Saudi Arabia (an experimental si
te in the vicinity of Al-Hassa region) has led to an increase of 68% i
n the total cover, 33% in species richness and 32% in species relative
evenness. Many of the species with significantly higher abundance in
the protected area are important forage and/or fuel plants. Soil salin
ity and important soil nutrients (N, K, Mg and Na) are significantly h
igher in the free grazing area which may be attributable to the fact t
hat the passage of herbage through the grazing animals often enhances
nutrient availability.