There is no greater pleasure for a reviewerthan coming across a publication which is atrractive, accurate,useful, and virtually indispensible. Such a volume is the jointpublication of DHV Consultants and Yemen's government (EnvironmenalProtection Council and Agricultural Research Authority) called TheVegetation of the Republic of Yemen (Western Part). Thispublication was made possible through financial support of theNetherlands Ministry of Development Cooperation, which holds thecopyright. Both an English and an Arabic edition were issued in1991. The total length of the English version is only 56 pages,including a one-page select bibliography. Of critical importance isthe vegetation map at a scale of 1:500,000. The map covers most ofthe western part of what was formally the Yemen ArabRepublic.
The work that went into production of boththe information and map stems from the many long hours of explorationand analysis by Paul Scholte, Abdu Wali Al Khuleidi and Jan JoostKessler in association with the Range and Livestock ImprovementProject on the Dhamar plain. The Dutch consultants are no longerworking in Yemen, but Mr. Al Khuleidi continues botanical and foreststudies in the Ta'izz branch of the Agricultural Research Authority. In addition to the exporation of the consultants, identification ofspecimens was also assisted through the Kew and Edinburgh herbariums.
The book begins with an identification ofthe eight main vegetation landscapes in Yemen. These are defined inthe volume (p. 5) as follows:
•• Tihama Coastal Plain (< 400 m)•• Tihama Foothills and Low Altitude Western Mountains (< 1000 m)
•• Medium Altitude Western Mountains (1000-1800 m)
•• High Altitude Western Mountains (1800 m)
•• Highland Plains (2000 m)
•• High Altitude Eastern Mountains and Highlands (> 1800 m)
•• Medium Altitude Eastern Mountains (1200-1800 m)
•• Eastern Desert Plain (< 1400 m).
Each major zone is further subdivided intodiscrete ecozones. For example, the Tihama coastal plain consistsof: T1 mangrove, Avicenna woodland; T2 sabkhas, Sueda sparse dwarf-shrub and bare land; T3 palm groves,Phoenix-Salvadora woodland; T4 salt-bush lands,Salsola-Odyssea dwarf-shrub land; T5 Panicum sparsegrassland and bare land; T6 Dactyloctenium cultivated land(irrigated); T7 Ziziphus-Dobera cultivated land (mainlyrainfed); T8 Acacia-Commiphora, open woodland and bare land. Each of these ecozones is described in general, along withinformation on the importance of the vegetation and the appropriateway to manage this. A representative photo is provided for each,along with a sketch map indicatting the major vegetation shown in thephoto.
At the beginning of the book the authorsprovide a brief overview of the flora of Yemen, noting that there areabout 3000 species of plants, by far the greatest diversity in theArabian Peninsula. About a third of these species belong to theSaharo-Arabian plant geographic region, while the remainingtwo-thirds are of Sudanian origin. The authors also note that thereis enough similarity between the flora of Yemen and Northeast Africato allow for a so-called Eritreo-Arabian plant geographic region. Yemen is also a main center of succulent distribution with severalendemic species. The authors, who traveled extensively in Yemenpoint out: "Contrary to popular belief, we think that large,although certainly not all, parts of the Yemen are at present notbeing overgrazed. If the grazing pressure is reduced the standingbiomass will increase." This is good news for Yemen, although it isstill important to deal with the many pressing environmental problemsfacing the country, particularly the deforestation which has beencontinuing for centuries.
| |