climate change on UAE - Stockholm Environment Institute-US Center
climate change on UAE - Stockholm Environment Institute-US Center
climate change on UAE - Stockholm Environment Institute-US Center
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Table of C<strong>on</strong>tents (Part 3)<br />
Dryland Ecosystems in Abu Dhabi<br />
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 143<br />
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 143<br />
List of Acr<strong>on</strong>yms ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 143<br />
Page<br />
1. Introducti<strong>on</strong> .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 144<br />
2. Potential risks to dryland ecosystems .................................................................................................................................................................. 145<br />
3. Terrestrial ecosystems of the <strong>UAE</strong> ........................................................................................................................................................................... 146<br />
4. Major terrestrial ecosystems in Abu Dhabi .................................................................................................................................................. 147<br />
4.1. Coastal Z<strong>on</strong>es .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 147<br />
4.2. Coastal and Inland Sabkhat ................................................................................................................................................................................ 147<br />
4.3. Sand Sheets and Dunes ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 148<br />
4.4. Piedm<strong>on</strong>t Alluvial and Interdunal Plains .......................................................................................................................................... 148<br />
4.5. Mountains and Wadis ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 148<br />
4.6. Freshwater Habitats and Oases ..................................................................................................................................................................... 150<br />
4.7. Urban Envir<strong>on</strong>ments ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 150<br />
5. Important flora in Abu Dhabi ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 151<br />
5.1. Mangroves ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 151<br />
5.2. Mountain and Jebel vegetati<strong>on</strong> ....................................................................................................................................................................... 152<br />
5.3. Wadi beds vegetati<strong>on</strong> ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 153<br />
5.4. Flora of the oases ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 154<br />
6. Fauna of the terrestrial ecosystems in Abu Dhabi .............................................................................................................................. 155<br />
6.1 Birds ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 155<br />
6.2. Threatened bird species ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 156<br />
6.3. Mammals ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 157<br />
6.4. Reptiles .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 157<br />
7. Vulnerability assessment of drylands ecosystems ............................................................................................................................. 158<br />
7.1. Observed Climatic <str<strong>on</strong>g>change</str<strong>on</strong>g>s in dryland ecosystems ............................................................................................................ 158<br />
7.2. Projected climatic <str<strong>on</strong>g>change</str<strong>on</strong>g>s in dry land ecosystems ............................................................................................................ 158<br />
7.3. Current <str<strong>on</strong>g>climate</str<strong>on</strong>g> and expected climatic <str<strong>on</strong>g>change</str<strong>on</strong>g> in the <strong>UAE</strong> ..................................................................................... 158<br />
7.4. Vulnerability of terrestrial ecosystems of Abu Dhabi ........................................................................................................ 159<br />
Overgrazing ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 160<br />
Desertificati<strong>on</strong> and land degradati<strong>on</strong> ............................................................................................................................................. 161<br />
Other factors ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 162<br />
8. Biodiversity, ecosystem thresholds, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>climate</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>change</str<strong>on</strong>g>............................................................................................................ 163<br />
8.1. Biodiversity and ecological thresholds .................................................................................................................................................. 164<br />
8.2. Implicati<strong>on</strong>s of <str<strong>on</strong>g>climate</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>change</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>UAE</strong> dryland ecosystems ................................................................................ 168<br />
8.3. Examples of <str<strong>on</strong>g>climate</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>change</str<strong>on</strong>g> induced biodiversity<br />
thresholds in the <strong>UAE</strong> ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 169<br />
Avian migrati<strong>on</strong> and phenological <str<strong>on</strong>g>change</str<strong>on</strong>g> ............................................................................................................................... 169<br />
Transiti<strong>on</strong>s between shrubs, grasses, invasives,<br />
and desert in savanna ecosystems ...................................................................................................................................................... 171<br />
8.4. Adaptati<strong>on</strong> to <str<strong>on</strong>g>climate</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>change</str<strong>on</strong>g> in drylands ..................................................................................................................................... 172<br />
Aut<strong>on</strong>omous adaptati<strong>on</strong> .................................................................................................................................................................................. 172<br />
Aut<strong>on</strong>omous adaptati<strong>on</strong> by Fauna ..................................................................................................................................................... 173<br />
Planned Adaptati<strong>on</strong> Strategies ............................................................................................................................................................... 173<br />
9. Modeling <str<strong>on</strong>g>climate</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>change</str<strong>on</strong>g> impacts in the <strong>UAE</strong> .......................................................................................................................................... 176<br />
9.1. Ecosystem models: limited understanding,<br />
limitless possibilities ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 176<br />
Empirical or first principles Top-down versus bottom-up models .................................................... 176<br />
Model limitati<strong>on</strong>s ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 177<br />
8<br />
Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability & Adaptati<strong>on</strong>