Field Study to Identify Plant Composition of Vegetation Cover in Wadi Dawan, Hadhramout, Yemen

Abstract

A study was conducted during the period from 18/9/2023 to 26/5/2024 to determine the plant composition of vegetation cover in Wadi Dawan. The field study found that Wadi Dawan’s vegetation cover contained 38 plant families. These families comprised 76 genera consisting of 83 species. Of the 83 plant species, 60 were naturally occurring, while 21 species were cultivated, and 2 species were present as a mixture of naturally occurring and cultivated. The different forms of plant species were also tallied, where 23 species appeared in the form of trees, 35 species appeared in the form of shrubs, and 25 species appeared in the form of herbs. The most common plants in Wadi Dawan were the Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera), Christ’s Thorn Jujube (Zizphus spina – Christi), and Umbrella Thorn (Acacia tortilis). The study noted the importance of ecological awareness among local residents in order to maintain the vegetation cover. The study also recommended passing laws to prevent urban sprawl into farmland which is threatening the local natural environment and habitat.