Taxon name
Avicennia marina
(Forsk.) Vierh.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Avicennia marina
(Forsk.) Vierh.
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
(Forsk.) Vierh.
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
Assessed as
Near Threatened
Qualifying criteria (if given)
B2ab(iii)
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This species is assessed as Near Threatened due to its restricted distribution. The AOO is estimated at close to 150 km<sup>2</sup> and there is still ongoing development of coastal areas within the UAE, however, the number of threat-based locations is estimated to be greater than 10. Although this species represents the dominant mangrove species and the area of mangrove habitat has actually increased in the UAE within the last 10-20 years, mangroves are still at risk from intensive coastal development. In addition, these trees have important economic and ecological value in terms of providing habitats to other species and tolerating extreme conditions. It is recommended that more of these habitats are designated as protected areas, along with ongoing planting strategies.
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
This species occurs across the coast of Abu Dhabi and other areas of the UAE, including off-shore islands (Sakkir et al. 2017). The distribution consists of discontinuous patches along the coastline which is likely the result of coastal development (Sakkir et al. 2017). Within Abu Dhabi alone, this species is estimated to cover an area of 40 km<sup>2 </sup>(Saenger et al. 2004). Throughout the UAE as a whole, there are considered to be 60-70 km<sup>2</sup> of natural mangroves, and slightly over 150 km<sup>2</sup> of mangroves when including planted individuals (EAD 2014, H.S. Das pers. comm. 2019). The number of threat-based locations for this species is estimated to be greater than 10 due to multiple patches existing along the UAE coastlines. Its native range extends across the tropical and subtropical Old World (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This mangrove species typically along the coast of the UAE in estuaries, sheltered bays and creeks (Norton et al. 2009, Beech 2009). It is characteristic of the tidal zone, muddy inlets estuaries and shallow lagoons (Patzelt 2015). Avicennia marina is currently the only species of mangrove to grow naturally within the Arabian Gulf (Böer and Saenger 2006, Zander and Bruckner 2005). It is highly tolerant towards high temperatures in addition to salinity (Beech 2009) and has been described as a 'notoriously tolerant' species (Feulner 2000). However, this species shows increased growth in lower salinity levels (Llewellyn-Smith 2011). Individual trees have been recorded to grow up to 8 m in height, but typically grow to around 4-5 m (Aspinall et al. 1995, Perry 2008). The mangrove flowers between May and June and begins to bear its almond shaped, pale green fruit from September (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Saenger et al. 2002). Holes in the trees of this species provide a home for kingfishers, Limonium axillare (Aspinall et al. 1995). They are also associated with the macrophytic green algae genus Enteromorpha (Ghazanfar and Fisher 1998). It also provides habitats for fish and crustaceans, in addition to breeding habitats for other species of bird (Perry 2008).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Mangrove habitats used to be much more widespread in the UAE than they are currently (Hogarth and Beech 2001). These populations were depleted through using the wood of the trees for architecture and for building boats (Hogarth and Beech 2001). These trees are grazed by camels which can reduce their overall height (Karim and Dakheel 2006), however this is not thought to be a major threat as these trees are not though to be very palatable to animals (Norton et al. 2009). Expansion of coastal areas for public recreation will threaten this species as the coastline is converted from natural habitats (Ghazanfar and Fisher 1998). Losses in mangrove habitat area from several of the Emirates have been noted in the past two decades, due to land use change and development (Moore et al. 2013). In addition, physical removal of mangroves and hydrological changes to these coastal areas as a result of creation of new islands are important threats to the grey mangrove (H.S. Das pers. comm. 2019). However, despite this potential threat, it appears that over the last 10-20 years the UAE's extent of mangrove habitats seems to have actually increased, overall (Moore et al. 2013).
History
This species is still impacted in parts of its rage from coastal development, however, conservation efforts and planting regimes have helped to increase the area occupied by this species in the UAE, in addition to facilitating an overall population increase within the species' historical range.
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.
