Reintroducing carrying capacity to Arabian hyper-arid rangelands; the role of language to defend an inexact science

Kafhaga, Tamer

Kafhaga, Tamer · 2018

Abstract

Open-access deserts of the Arabian Gulf States continue to be heavily impacted by camels, a species that has high cultural but little economic value. In protected areas that exclude camels, the problem is frequently replaced by other ungulates, such as the Arabian Oryx. This presentation will examine the difficulty of providing scientific evidence of environmental degradation in this hyper-arid habitat and the sociocultural context affecting land use policy, with examples from two emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Reestablishing a natural, historical balance in protected areas is unrealistic due to habitat fragmentation and land-use expectations. We argue that although the controversial term ‘carrying capacity’ encourages a focus on single species rather than habitats, it remains the most explicit way to communicate sustainable land use policy. We propose that terrestrial ecologists adopt a twofold approach; firstly that a generic maximum of 100 kg large herbivore per km2 be chosen, and secondly that protected areas provide carrying capacity estimates for the wild and semi-wild fauna of public interest. The authors believe this will improve community awareness of rangeland health, and support calls to fund future monitoring.

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Reintroducing carrying capacity to Arabian hyper-arid rangelands; the role of language to defend an inexact science

Author: Kafhaga, Tamer

Year: 2018

Source: https://riuma.uma.es/xmlui/bitstream/10630/16972/1/Kafhaga%20T_Reintroducing%20carrying%20capacity%20to%20Arabian%20hyper.pdf

Rein oducing ca ying capaci y o A abian hype -a idd angelands; he
ole o language o de end an inexac science
Tame Kha aga, MSc (UK)
Conse a ion & Planning O ice | Dubai Dese Conse a ion Rese e, DDCR
Open-access dese s o he A abian Gul S a es con inue o be hea ily
impac ed by camels, a species ha has high cul u al bu li le economic
alue. In p o ec ed a eas ha exclude camels, he p oblem is equen ly
eplaced by o he ungula es, such as he A abian O yx. This p esen a ion
will examine he di icul y o p o iding scien i ic e idence o
en i onmen al deg ada ion in his hype -a id habi a and he sociocul u al
con ex a ec ing land use policy, wi h examples om wo emi a es o he
Uni ed A ab Emi a es. Rees ablishing a na u al, his o ical balance in
p o ec ed a eas is un ealis ic due o habi a agmen a ion and land-use
expec a ions. We a gue ha al hough he con o e sial e m ‘ca ying
capaci y’ encou ages a ocus on single species a he han habi a s, i
emains he mos explici way o communica e sus ainable land use policy.
We p opose ha e es ial ecologis s adop a wo old app oach; i s ly
ha a gene ic maximum o 100 kg la ge he bi o e pe km2 be chosen, and
secondly ha p o ec ed a eas p o ide ca ying capaci y es ima es o he
wild and semi-wild auna o public in e es . The au ho s belie e his will
imp o e communi y awa eness o angeland heal h, and suppo calls o und
u u e moni o ing.