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 Scientists
have identified more than 1.5 million species of organisms
in the world. There are many more species-awaiting discoveries.
These organisms actually dominate our planet and our lives.
The diversity of nature represents a continuous flow of knowledge,
resources, beauty, heritage and pleasure. Living organisms
exist in natural habitats and ecosystems all over the planet
earth. It is known that man is responsible for the decline
and the extinction of many plbut and animal species by his
continuing damaging effects on nature.
Throughout time, humans affected vegetation cover and species
diversity due to interference. Overgrazing, deforestation,
and hunting are examples of reasons for the spread of the
desert and the extinction of some native animals. Globally,
the risk of extinction for all animal and plant species is
evaluated against a comprehensive global standard developed
by the IUCN Species Survival Commotion. This standard sets
thresholds by which species are identified as globally
threatened, based on population and/or range size, and
rates of decrease in these. This objective enables funds to
be targeted at the most important species, sites and habitats
for action.
Traditionally, Arabs used to protect natural
habitats and prohibit hunting during specific months of the
year, which are called " Al Ashhur Al Hurum ". They also developed
types of protected areas, which were known as "Hema", even
before Islam. During the life of the Prophet Mohammed, the
protected areas were well established and managed to reduce
overgrazing. The Prophet changed the ancient private hema
system, which belonged to selected powerful individuals, into
a legal system that protected the natural areas for more communal
benefits, and subsequent caliphs followed the same system.
Islam prohibited Muslims from killing any animal for the sake
of killing and encouraged conservation of nature and the wise
utilization of natural reserves.
Biological diversity means the variability
among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial,
marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes
of which they are part. Biological diversity includes different
levels: diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.
The different three levels of biological diversity can be
explained as follows:
 Genetic
diversity: The frequency and diversity of different
genes and /or genomes. This includes variation within a population
and also between populations.
Species
diversity: The frequency and diversity of different
species.
Ecosystem
diversity: The frequency and variety of different ecosystems.
The history of the Biodiversity Convention
goes back to the General Assemblies of the IUCN in 1984 and
1987, when the union recommended exploring the possibilities
for a treaty on biological diversity. On the other hand, in
1987, the UNEP Governing Council recognized the need for international
efforts to protect biological diversity. More efforts by the
international organizations led to the adoption of the global
Convention on Biological Diversity on 22 May 1992 in Nairobi.
Later, in the same year, more than 150 states including the
GCC states signed the convention at the UN Conference on Environment
and Development in Brazil.
Maintaining biological diversity at different
levels can only be reached by the conservation of the identifiable
populations. This can be carried out either on site (in- situ)
or off site (ex-situ). The Biodiversity Convention recognizes
in-situ conservation as the primary approach for biodiversity
conservation. The establishment of protected areas system
can achieve this. Ex-situ conservation includes cultivation
or maintaining organisms in captivity, tissue culture, gene
banks such as seed banks, sperm and ova banks.
Biodiversity in the Arab World
The Arab World extends from Arabian Gulf in the East to
Morocco and Mauritania in the West adjacent to the Atlantic
Ocean. Diverse ecosystems can be recorded in the region. Terrestrial
ecosystems include high mountains, Mediterranean forests,
deserts, coastal plains, sabkhas, rivers, natural fresh water
springs and oasis, and wetlands. Marine ecosystems include
mangrove swamps, salt marshes and coastal mudflats, sea grass
beds, coral reefs and small off shore islands. Accordingly,
thousands of species are present in such ecosystems. Although
it is very difficult task due to the inadequate published
information, we are taking this challenge and try to list
the known species according to their main groups.
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