Mangrove species flourishes in the United Arab Emirates after a century of local extinction
Jeremy Hance, mongabay.com
August 20, 2008
|
|
A long-absent mangrove species is flowering again in the United Arab Emirates a hundred years since its disappearance. Seeds of the rhizophora mucronata were brought from Pakistan and planted along the coast. The project was a joint venture between the United Arab Emirate’s (UAE) Department of President’s Affairs and the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi.
The mangrove species can be found all the way from East Africa to Micronesia, including the southern coasts of Asia. It possesses edible fruits and shoots. The juice of the fruit has even been made into wine, while various parts of the species have been used medicinally in a variety of cultures. The mangrove was most likely lost in the UAE due to over-exploitation.
While the species has taken well to its environment, according to ThaiIndian news, researchers in the UAE believe that seeds from the new trees will prove even more adaptable to local conditions.