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ARABIA'S LAST FORESTS UNDER THREAT: PLANT BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION IN THE VALLEY FOREST OF JABAL BURA (YEMEN)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2008

M. Hall ,
A. W. Al-Khulaidi ,
A. G. Miller ,
P. Scholte  and
A. H. Al-Qadasi
M. Hall
Affiliation:
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, Scotland, UK. E-mail for correspondence: m.hall@rbge.ac.uk The Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Biology Place, Canberra, Australia.
A. W. Al-Khulaidi
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research and Extension Authority (AREA), Taiz, Yemen.
A. G. Miller
Affiliation:
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, Scotland, UK. E-mail for correspondence: m.hall@rbge.ac.uk
P. Scholte
Affiliation:
Socotra Conservation and Development Program, Ministry of Water and Environment, PO Box 16494, Sana'a, Yemen. Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, PO Box 9518, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
A. H. Al-Qadasi
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research and Extension Authority (AREA), Taiz, Yemen.
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Abstract

The isolated massif Jabal Bura (Yemen) is home to the largest area of ‘valley forest’ in southwest Arabia's western escarpment mountains. This study surveys the composition of this very rare forest and records the diversity of vascular plant species. It notes the valley forest as the home of several regionally rare species and records new locations for these taxa. A brief analysis of the canopy layer is provided, enabling comparisons with similar vegetation in northeast Africa. The paper discusses the importance of this regionally rare vegetation as well as threats to its conservation.

Keywords

Arabiaconservationevergreen forestrare speciesvalley forestYemen
Type
Articles
Information
Edinburgh Journal of Botany , Volume 65 , Issue 1 , March 2008 , pp. 113 - 135
Copyright
Copyright © Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 2008

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