Halophytes and Soil Salinity in Qatar

Abstract

Saline soils cover approximately 6% of the land in Qatar. Halophytes are common along the coastal areas and inland salt flats and wetlands, where saline water is available in their natural habitats permanently or periodically. The prevailing plants are mostly perennials including dwarf succulent shrubs (Anabasis setifera, Arthrocnemum glaucum, Atriplex leucoclada, Cornulaca aucheri, Halocnemum stro-bilaceum, Halopeplis perfoliata, Heliotropium bacciferum, Limonium axillare, Salicornia europaea, Salsola baryosma, Salsola cyclophylla, Salsola marina, Seidlitzia rosmarinus, Suaeda aegyptiaca, Suaeda vermiculata and Zygophyllum qatarense), followed by tussock forming grasses (Aeluropus lagopoides and Sporobolus spicatus), sedges (Cyperus conglomeratus and Sporobolus arabicus), reeds (Phragmites australis), annuals (Cressa cretica, Frankenia pulvurulenta and Zygophyllum simplex), and shrubs and trees {Avicennia marina, Phoenix dactylifera and Tamarix ramossissima). There are seven common halophytic communities found in Qatar: the inland wetland halophytes, the inland salt flat halophytes, the coastal mangrove halophytes, the coastal low marsh halophytes, the coastal high marsh halophytes, the coastal sandy shore halophytes and the coastal sandy-rocky shore halophytes.