Macromorphology and recruitment of Prosopis cineraria in the United Arab Emirates

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Ecology, Environment and Conservation

Publication Date

1-1-2016

Abstract

Recruitment frequency of Prosopis cinerarium the United Arab Emirates is poorly understood, though heavy browsing by camels is often assumed to be a limiting factor. Macromorphological characteristics were recorded at eight locations from the northern United Arab Emirates. Tree size (canopy diameter, trunk diameter, and tree height) showed conformity within locations. Height of browse line was strongly affected by camels, which removed foliage to a height of 3 meters whenever present. Recruitment by seed was not observed during the study, and observed asexual recruitment was limited to root suckers produced only within the season. Presence of suckers was unrelated to browsing but strongly affected by a shifting ground surface. Viable theories for the absence of sexual recruitment include seedling destruction by herbivores, a lack of safe sites for seedling growth and establishment, and that sexual recruitment events might naturally occur rarely, but produce many recruits in the rare successful seasons. Significant recruitment of new individuals is likely to occur only with protection from current herbivory systems.

ISSN

0971-765X

Publisher

EM International

Volume

22

Issue

2

First Page

1001

Last Page

1006

Disciplines

Life Sciences

Keywords

Asexual reproduction, Browsing, Ghaf, Root sucker

Scopus ID

85019218139

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

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