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Natural Resources of the Red Sea
Living resources
Key Habitat in the Red Sea Coast
- The Arid Coastal Zone
- Coastal Wetlands
- Mangroves
- Seagrasses
- Coral reefs
Key Species in the Red Sea
Coast
- Fishes
- Turtles
- Birds
- Marine Mammals
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Key Habitat in the
Red Sea Coast
The Arid Coastal Zone - Coastal Wetlands
 Brackish
and freshwater ecosystems in the arid coastal zone are unique in
their adaptation to stressful environmental conditions. They contain
particularly high concentrations of flora and fauna with a
biodiversity which far surpasses that of surrounding areas. The
wetland habitat in the coast of the Red Sea is represented by
scattered areas concentrated more or less in the southern half of
the coast, where the percentage of rain during summer season
increases. The aggregation of flood waters in the coastal plan at
the seashore in some areas may also form a different type of wetland
known as Sabakha.
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Mangroves |
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1- Mangrove forest or mangal is a general term used to describe a
variety of tropical inshore communities dominated by several species
of trees or shrubs that have the ability to grow in salt water.
2- Four species , Avicennia marina, Rhizophora mucronata Brugulera
gymnorhiza Cedops tagal.
3- The Mangals of the Red Sea is a mosaic habitat, inhabited by
species typical of muddy, sandy or rocky shore devoid of mangrove
vegetation. Compared with Indian Ocean Mangals, the number of
mangrove and associated species in the Red Sea is low, although most
of the characteristic faunal zone are still present
Distribution of
the mangrove stand
- In total 23 stands along the coast (approximately 800km), out of
them 5 stands are found on the offshore islands.
- Ranged in length from hundreds of meters to several kilometers
- Out of the 23 stands, 19 stands are purely A. marina and 4 stands
(south of Shalateen) R. mucronata codomenated.
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Sea Grasses
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Seagrasses are the
only group of higher plants that have adapted to life submerged in
sea water.
Their high productivity supports turtles, dugong, stocks of
commercially important fish and invertebrates, and the detrital food
chain.
Ten species of seagrasses occur in the Red Sea belonging to 7 genera
extending from the lower shore to at least 70 m depth
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Coral reef |
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The World Conservation
Strategy identifies coral reefs as one of the "essential
life-support systems" necessary for food production, health and
other aspects of human survival and sustainable development.
Reefs protect the coastline against waves and storms surge, prevent
erosion and contribute to the formation of sandy beaches and
sheltered harbors.
18% of the fisheries depend on reef areas. Production rate of 12
ton/y from every 1 km of the reef in pristine areas.
They are a source of raw materials for building, jewelry (black
corals) and ornamental objects. Increasing numbers of reefs species
are being found to contain compounds with medical properties (Wells,
1988).
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Fishes |
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 1-The
Red Sea is related to the Indo-Pacific group and is characterized by
an impoverishment of the stocks and decrease in number of the
species.
2-From the 2000 species of fishes of the Indian Ocean, 800 only are
present in the Red Sea. About 70% of Red Sea fish species are
widespread in the tropical Indo-Pacific region and further 4% are
known from the tropical Indian Ocean.
3-A substantial proportion (17%) of the fish species is endemic to
the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. In addition, 27% of the western
Indian Ocean are confined to the extreme north-west of the area and
are probably of Red Sea origin.
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Turtles |
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Five species of marine turtles have been recorded from Red Sea waters,
these are Leather back turtle Dermochelys coriacea; Loggerhead
turtle Lepidochelys olivacea; the olive ridley turtle Caretta cretta;
green turtle Chelonia mydas and the hawksbill Eretmochelys
imbricate.
The last two species are considered globally the most important. It
is study estimated the Red Sea population of both species at around
3500 individuals.
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Birds |
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the Red Sea provides an important route which birds follow on their
spring and autumn migrations. It also provides wintering grounds for
shore and water birds. The Red Sea also supports internationally
important numbers of some species of seabirds
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Marine Mammals |
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The most famous and vulnerable of all is the Dugong, Dugong dugong.
Other marine mammals include seven to eight species, mostly dolphins
and whales.
In the absence of major human impacts, conservation of dugong is
directed towards conservation of feeding habitats, the seagrass bed
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