First published in 2005. Although most of the wealth of Saudi Arabia's flora lies in the wetter and hilly south-west of the country, the sand seas are covered by a relatively diverse range of plant species, with several distinctive plant communities. This is the first book to consider and analyse, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the patterns, nature, and communities of the vegetation of the sand seas, using new techniques. The result is a sound, complete and readable analysis of the vegetation of the sand seas, and one which will be of particular use to biogeographers, ecologists, environmental scientists, planners, conservationists, and those interested in the preservation of Saudi Arabia's natural heritage.

First published in 2005. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

First published in 2005. Although most of the wealth of Saudi Arabia's flora lies in the wetter and hilly south-west of the country, the sand seas are covered by a relatively diverse range of plant species, with several distinctive plant communities. This is the first book to consider and analyse, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the patterns, nature, and communities of the vegetation of the sand seas, using new techniques. The result is a sound, complete and readable analysis of the vegetation of the sand seas, and one which will be of particular use to biogeographers, ecologists, environmental scientists, planners, conservationists, and those interested in the preservation of Saudi Arabia's natural heritage.

The inspiration for this book came from our ten years of journeys and wanderings through the varied landscapes of Arabia, and in particular through those of its hospitable southeastern corner, Oman. We owe a particular debt to Sultan Qaboos University, which during this time has provided us with both a stimulating working environment and a home. Transliteration of Arabic place and other names into English script is a task fraught with difficulties. We have followed 'accepted' spellings wherever these were not contrary to our common sense, and in other cases we have rendered names into Roman English script using phonetic spellings. Our main task in this respect was to ensure conformity between the fIfteen contributing authors. Diacritical signs have mostly been avoided, since their use is neither widely followed nor readily understood. Arabic words which have been commonly taken into the English language, such as 'sabkha' for a salt flat and 'wadi' for a valley with a seasonal watercourse, are not italicised in usage. However, other Arabic terms which are occasionally used in English but not as widely known, such as harrah for a basaltic lava fIeld and hima for a traditional grazing reserve, are italicised throughout the text.

A comprehensive overview of Saudi Arabia‘s environment, this volume is a unique and authoritative text on the geological and environmental aspects of Saudi Arabia, a country about which little is known by the outside world. Saudi Arabia is a fascinating country with a long tradition of environmental awareness and sensitivity, pitted again

This is the first comprehensive survey of all the deserts of Arabia, based largely on the author’s 50 years of experience there. The text deals with every kind of desert in the region, from vast sand seas to clay pans and stony plains to volcanic flows. Along with dune types unique to the region the author outlines climatic changes, current ecology and human influence on desertification.