Meeting Abstract
For the last 3 years the first author has been working in Abu Dhabi, UAE on issues related to the marine environment. Although the majority of Barber’s career has been based in Washington, DC at the interface of science, management and policy, work in Abu Dhabi brings her closer to the field studies conducted as one of Sally Woodin’s early graduate students. Abu Dhabi’s coastline is approximately 1000 km along the Arabian Gulf where very high salinities (40 to 50 ppt), air and water temperatures (25° to 35° C) and alkalinity are the norm and freshwater input from precipitation (average 50 mm/year) or terrestrial sources is very limited. The area is relatively unstudied and historical data points are few. The presentation will provide an overview of the hydrodynamic, physical and chemical conditions in the Arabian Gulf and Abu Dhabi coastal waters in particular and describe the distribution and abundance of existing habitats (sand stretches, macroalgal and sea grass beds, coral communities, and mangroves) and benthic fauna found within these habitats. Diversity is relatively low and the region continues to be not well studied. Climate change is mentioned in the context of the high stresses already present in the environment.
