Vol. 20 Issue 3
F M A AI-Hemaid
An account of fourteen taxa of the Aloe species with two natural hybrids occurring in the flora of Saudi Arabia is given, their taxonomy is discussed, a key is provided and six species of Lavranose & Collenette, A. hijazensis, A. edentata, A. parvicoma, A. cephalophora, A. brunneodentata and A. parvicapsula have been reduced to synonymy.
H A El-Nakhal
In Yemen the Cenozoic igneous rocks consist of intrusive and extrusive rocks with interlayered sediments, all of which are included within the Manakhah Group (latest Cretaceous-Holocene). This group is subdivided into the Haraz Formation which includes the latest Cretaceous-Tertiary volcanics and the interlayered sediments, the Aden Formation which includes the Late Tertiary-Holocene volcanics, and the Bura' Formation which includes the Tertiary alkaline granites. The Manakhah Group, Haraz and Bura' Formations are introduced here as new units. The Haraz Formation replaces the informal names: Trap Series, Yemen Volcanics, and Aden Trap Series. The Aden Formation is a readaptation of the term Aden Volcanic Series. A stratotype for the Aden Formation is designated in the Shuqra-Ahwar area.
K Al-Mutlaq, A I Rushdi, and B R Simoneit
Sand samples from the Riyadh and Al-Qasim areas were collected, extracted with a mixture of dichloromethane and methanol (3:1, v:v), and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in order to characterize the contents and sources of their organic compounds. The major components of the total extracts were straight chain aliphatic compounds from vegetation waxes, fossil fuel combustion, and anthropogenic and agricultural activities. The results showed that anthropogenic inputs had a significant contribution to the organic content of sands near populated areas. This urban component consisted mainly of n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkyl amides, hopane and sterane biomarkers, and pesticide residues. Organic inputs from natural sources included n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanols, methyl alkanoates, sterols, and n-alkanones.
K I Al-Mughrabi
Over two years, replicate plots of lentils (Lens culinaris L.) treated before seeding with methabenzthiazuron at a rate of 0.5 kg a.1. hal. In each year, representative soil, lentil and hay samples were randomly collected from plots of each treatment. Soil samples were tested for residues 24 hrs, after treatment and at harvest. Lentil and hay samples were tested at harvest. A cleanup step was conducted after extraction. Gas chromatograph equipped with a nitrogen/phosphorus detector was used to detect methabenzthiazuron. Overall average of residue levels in soil decreased significantly from 1.16 +- 0.15 mg kg-1, 24 hrs after treatment, to 0.12 +-0.01 mg kg-1 at harvest. No significant difference in the maximum average residue was found in lentil and hay samples collected from various plots and tested at harvest (0.10 + 0.01 and 0.19 +0.02 mg kg-1 in lentils and hay respectively). Recovery tests were conducted with each group of samples tested in order to determine the efficiency of the analytical procedure.
A.M. Alahmed
Eight hundred and sixty heads of Camels were randomly selected and examined for infection by the three larval stages of the camel nasal bot-fly Cephalonia willator, during the period from April, 1999 to May, 2000 in Riyadh abattoir. Middle Province, Saudi Arabia. Three hundred and fifty heads of Camels (41%) were infested with first second and third instars. The highest peak of infested camels was in April, 2000, reaching 99%, while the lowest was in July, 1999 (4%). A total of 1689 larvae of all three instars were collected. The percentage of infestation of the first second and third larvae were 31%, 35% and 34% respectively, with no significant difference. The mean monthly total number of all three instars per camel head (L/C) had two peaks of abundance in August, 1999 (6.8 L/C) and in February, 2000 (7.7 L/C). In two cases, both C. titillator and Oestrus ovis were found in the same camel in May, 1999 and in March, 2000. The explanation of these incidences will be discussed in the paper.
E.A.A. Abdulqader
Finfish bycatch data were collected for the Bahrain shrimp fishery on a bi-weekly basis during the period from February 1999 to January 2000. Sampling was conducted by a commercial fishing boat in the shrimping ground between latitudes 26° 15'47 and 26° 28'38'' N and longitudes 50° 32'27'' and 50° 48' 23''E. In all bycatch collections, 92 finfish species belonging to 44 families were identified. Fish to shrimp ratio monthly means ranged from 1.5-31:1 and 0.9-21:1 on a weight and number basis respectively. Lower ratios were found in February and March 1999, and higher ratios were found in April and November 1999. Monthly mean numbers of fin-fish species in the bycatch ranged from 17 to 28 species, while one to three species were found in 50% of bycatch by numbers. The presence of commercial finfish species in the shrimp bycatch indicates the interference of the shrimp fishery with other fisheries found in Bahrain waters. G. argyreus was the most abundant bycatch species. Higher numbers of small fishes emphasized the importance of reducing small fish numbers in the future development of the Bahrain Bycatch Reduction Device (BRD). Monthly abundances and size information were presented for the 20 most abundant finfish species in the shrimp bycatch.
A. Ali Shariani
The article evaluates legislations and attempts of the GCC Secretariat to increase awareness on conservation of the regional environment and biodiversity, nominated from proceedings of the workshop held in AGU, Bahrain 1998. It refer to the GCC agreements on development and integration of concepts and measurements for conservation, protection and promotion of regional natural sources, migratory species of wildlife, marine zones and threatened with extinction grimals and plants. Series of recommendations are included following each highlighted effort but that on the project for the systematic protection of marine regions might be distinguished for regional political crises and probability of environmental pollution.