Present Condition of Rangelands of Saudi Arabia: Degradation Steps and Management Options PDF

Keywords

Saudi Arabia, rangelands management, degradation levels, population, livestock, hema system

Abstract

Most of the Saudi Arabia land can be classified as arid or semi arid ecosystems, thus, rangelands make up over 74% of the total area. Grazing and agriculture have traditionally been the pattern of life for centuries. Before the turn of the century, rangelands offered most of the livestock needs, when the country population was low and the hema system existed. During the last few decades, livestock population in the country increased in association with an increase in human population, because of change in dietary and lifestyle, and a significant increase in demand for meat and milk. Overgrazing, over exploitation of rangelands, human activities, and poor management policies disrupted desert ecosystem causing dramatic changes in vegetation and soil leading to rangeland deterioration and thus desertification. This paper highlights the significance of the rangelands of Saudi Arabia, their features and distribution, and a conceptual model of three levels of degradation and management inputs. It is important to recognize early degradation, because costs increase with increased levels of degradation