Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Location and scope
Specific locality or subnational name or regional name
United Arab Emirates (the)
Scope (of the Assessment)
National
Countries included within the scope of the assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Qualifying criteria (if given)
B1ab(iii,iv,v)
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
Triraphis pumilio occurs in relatively scattered areas within the northeast of the UAE. The estimated EOO of this species is 18,289 km<sup>2</sup> and it is considered to occur at less than ten locations based on the ongoing threat of development within its range. In addition to development, heavy grazing negatively affects this species (particularly in localities such as the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve) and infers that there is an ongoing decline in the extent and quality of its available habitat. Some subpopulations are known to have been locally extirpated, including certain localities within Abu Dhabi. As a result, it is assessed as Vulnerable (VU B1ab(iii,iv,v)). No regional adjustment is made as the extent of any rescue effect is not known.
Assessment details
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Criteria system used
IUCN
Reference for methods given
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Further information
Endemism (according to assessment)
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
Jongbloed et al. (2003, citing T.A. Cope and F. Karim) reported this species from a few localities at Mafraq and Al Ain (gravel plains below Jebel Hafeet; Al Meharibi et al. 2019). Feulner (in litt., MEW 2010) considered the species to be more widespread, with records from Hulaylah Island (Ras al-Khaimah) and Khor Kalba on the east coast (G. Feulner pers. comm. 2019). It also occurs within the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. The estimated EOO for this species is 18,289 km<sup>2</sup> and it is considered to occur in fewer than ten threat-based locations. The global distribution of this species is across northern Africa (across the Sahara, and Angola to Namibia) to the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This annual grass is tufted, with stems up to 0.3 m in height, found in sandy/dune habitats (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Brown and Sakkir 2004, Al Meharibi et al. 2019). At the Khor Kalba locality, it was recorded between mangrove and dune habitats (G. Feulner pers. comm. 2019).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, where this species occurs, is heavily overgrazed; overgrazing may also affect the species in other parts of its range. In addition, this species is threatened by development along the coast. Localities such as Mafraq are already heavily developed, which many plantations, houses and ongoing construction, which threatens the presence of this species.
History
Development within the UAE has been increasing in frequency and intensity since 1996, reducing the extent and quality of available habitat for this species. In addition, heavy grazing also negatively affects this species and occurs in one its known localities: the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.
Publication
Allen, D.J., Westrip, J.R.S., Puttick, A., Harding, K.A., Hilton-Taylor, C. and Ali, H. 2021. UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants. Technical Report. Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates, Dubai.
