Biodiversity Map

Welcome to The Pearl and Gewan Island Biodiversity Map

Habitat

Biodiversity

This habitat is characterized by the presence of hard substrate such as caprock, dead corals, rubble, and rocks. It also encompasses man-made structures such as breakwater boulders and concrete walls. The rubble and rocks habitat has the greatest substratum heterogeneity and structural complexity and supports the largest number of species and individuals, either fixed to the substrate (sessile organisms) or mobile on or above the seabed. Large fish (sweetlips, groupers) and shoals of snappers can be seen swimming in the rocky areas around The Pearl and Gewan Islands.

Rubble & Rocks

The Mollusca is a phylum of species with highly variable body forms, most with unsegmented soft, bilaterally symmetrical bodies with a mouth and anus and a visceral mass containing the major body organs, surrounded by a mantle that secretes the external shell if present. The phylum is generally considered to be divided into seven classes, but only four of these (Polyplacophora, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Cephalopoda) are found in the shallow reefs of the Gulf.

Molluscs

Fish and Rays

744 species belonging to 131 families are identified in the Persian Gulf (Eagderi et al, 2019). More than 500 fish species frequent Qatari waters (FishBase) including elasmobranchs (sharks and rays). Very large fish can be seen in the marinas and canals of The Pearl Island where fishing is prohibited. Seagrass beds and rock armor are important nursery areas for many species of fish. The Cowtail stingray (Pastinachus stephen) is widespread in the Indo-Pacific region, from South Africa and the Red Sea to Japan and Australia, including Melanesia and Micronesia. It is large, plain, dark stingray with an angular snout and pectoral disc. Dark brown or black dorsally without conspicuous markings, white ventrally and black tailed. Found in lagoons, reef flats, and reef faces and also, in rivers far from the sea. It feeds on bony fishes, worms, shrimp, and crabs .

Length (adult): 65 cm (max :183 cm)
Depth: 0-60m
Local name : Lukhmah
IUCN Red List Category (World): Near threatened(FishBase)

Soft substrate (sand) is the dominant marine habitat in Qatari waters. In the coastal zone, coarse sand and shell debris form intertidal banks and small islets, finer sand and mud are also present forming extensive sandflats/mudflats. Deeper, subtidal sediments consist of thin layers of relatively pure carbonate sands or mud over consolidated conglomerates (John and George 2006). In areas where currents weaken, sand and shell gravel accumulate and form habitats for infaunal (living inside the sediment) and epibenthic organisms (on the seabed) (John and George 2006). Widespread mudflats contain organic material that supports abundant infaunal organisms (Carpenter et al. 1997). which form the basis of a highly productive ecosystem. Sand grain size (particle size) and biochemistry (temperature, organic carbon, salinity etc.) are key factors for infauna diversity and abundance. These factors are therefore used in most marine surveys as a measure of the ecological quality of marine habitats. Around The Pearl and Gewan Islands, benthic communities are dominated by molluscs with a high diversity of gastropods (snails and slugs) and bivalves (clams, oysters), followed by Arthropods (crustaceans), Annelids (worms), and Echinoderms (urchins, starfish, and sea cucumbers).

Sand

The State of Qatar covers over 11,000 km² of land surface and has more than 600 km of coastline. It supports a wide variety of natural habitats including limestone desert, rocky escarpments, coastal saltmarshes, natural depressions filled with fertile sand and silt, gravel plains and sand dunes together with various man-made habitats that support a surprisingly rich and varied plant life. Nearly 400 species of vascular plants have been recorded in Qatar, including at least 270 that are native and about 125 that are introduced (Norton et al 2009). To date more than 7500 trees have been planted on The Pearl Island creating biodiversity hubs. Parks and gardens also host more than 40 species of trees and plants that are adapted to Qatar climate. Frangipani fragrant flowers and bright red flamboyant trees can be seen all year around.

Terrestrial flora

Cnidaria is a phylum under the kingdom Animalia containing over 11,000 species of aquatic animals found predominantly in the marine environment, including jellyfish, hydroids, sea anemone, corals and some of the smallest marine parasites. Their distinguishing feature is the cnidocytes, specialized cells containing thread-like tubes (commonly barbed and toxic) used for the capture of prey and defence. Cnidarians mostly have two basic body forms: swimming medusae (jellyfish type) and sessile polyps (fixed to the seabed), both of which are radially symmetrical with mouths surrounded by tentacles that bear cnidocytes. Both forms have a single orifice and body cavity that are used for digestion and respiration.

Cnidarians

Seagrass is the only flowering plants that grow in marine environments. Seagrasses have roots, stems and leaves, and produce flowers and seeds. They evolved around 100 million years ago, and today there are approximately 72 different seagrass species that belong to four major groups: Zosteraceae, Hydrocharitaceae, Posidoniaceae and Cymodoceaceae. Their common names, like eelgrass, turtle grass, tape grass, shoal grass, and spoon grass, reflect their many shapes and sizes and roles in marine ecosystems. Seagrasses range from species with long flat blades that look like ribbons to fern or paddle-shaped leaves, cylindrical or spaghetti blades, or branching shoots (Smithsonian NMNH). They have a horizontal stem (rhizome) buried a few centimeters below the sediment surface and at regular intervals they have roots and leaves or short shoots with leaves. Three seagrass species are found in Qatar, Halodule uninervis, Halophila stipulacea and Halophila ovalis. Halodule uninervis can be regarded as the climax or late-succession species in the Gulf area, and a dense cover of Halodule uninervis is therefore a sign of age and stability. Halophila stipulacea, and Halophila ovalis are smaller fast growing opportunistic species with a more uneven distribution. They are often first colonizers of gaps in the vegetation cover but are later replaced by Halodule uninervis. High densities of these two species in shallow areas may therefore indicate physical instability and disturbance.

Seagrass

Crustaceans

Crustaceans are a large group of some 45,000 species mostly aquatic and distributed worldwide. Crustaceans are part of the arthropods and include decapods (crabs, lobsters…), seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, opossum shrimps, amphipods and mantis shrimp. More than 7.9 million tons of crustaceans per year are harvested by fishery or farming for human consumption consisting mostly of shrimp and prawns. Krill and copepods are not as widely fished but may be the animals with the greatest biomass on the planet and form a vital part of the food chain.

Seagrasses are often called foundation plant species or ecosystem engineers because they modify their environments to create unique habitats. These modifications not only make coastal habitats more suitable for the seagrasses themselves, but also have important effects on other animals and provide ecological functions as well as a variety of services for humans. Seagrass meadows significantly support world fisheries production and global food security, providing valuable nursery habitat for over one-fifth of the world’s largest fisheries (Unsworth et al. 2019), as well as shelter and food for thousands of species including threatened charismatic species such as turtles, dugongs and seahorses. Seagrasses are known as the "lungs of the sea" because one square meter of seagrass can generate 10 liters of oxygen every day through photosynthesis. Seagrass leaves also absorb nutrients and slow the flow of water, capturing sand, dirt and silt particles. Their roots trap and stabilise the sediment, which not only helps improve water clarity and quality, but also reduces erosion and buffers coastlines against storms. Seagrasses can further improve water quality by absorbing nutrients in runoff from the land. In nutrient-poor regions, the seagrass plants themselves help nutrient cycling by taking up nutrients from the soil and releasing them into the water through their leaves, acting as a nutrient pump (Smithsonian NMNH).

Seagrass beds

Molluscs

The importance of urban greenspaces is now undergoing a revival, founded on an evidence base of their social, environmental, and economic values and benefits. The Pearl and Gewan’s Islands have numerous parks and gardens hosting a wide range of trees, bushes, and flowers that flourish all year around. Active tree plantation and development of greenspaces contribute to an increased biodiversity. According to the Ministry of Municipality, the green area in the State of Qatar has increased 10 times since 2010 until now, through the expansion of the establishment of parks and green spaces.

Parks & Gardens

Molluscs

Some 352 species of birds have been seen in Qatar. A number are present throughout the year, but many others visit during the cooler winter months, or pass through the country during spring and autumn migration (qatarbirds.org). Sea birds including ospreys and flamingoes can be seen from The Pearl Island beaches.

Birds

This marine habitat is mostly found in reworked areas such as navigation channels where filamentous algae compete with spontaneous seagrass colonization or in transition zones like sand-dominated backreef areas where dense seagrass and brown macroalgae co-exist among sponges and bivalves such as pen shells (Pinna sp.) and pearl oysters (Pinctada radiata) growing on protruding rocks.

Mixed Algae & Seagrass beds

Ascidians are marine invertebrates from the Chordata phylum commonly called sea-squirts or tunicates. They have often colorful solitary and colonial members that are present and sometimes conspicuous on almost all types of hard substrata including reefs within the Gulf. Like sponges, pharmaceutical companies have shown a special interest in this group because of the possible medicinal value of some of its chemical compounds (George, 2012).

Ascidians

The phylum Echinodermata is one of the most conspicuous and familiar macroinvertebrate groups within the Gulf. The higher classification of the group is relatively simple with five main classes occurring in shallow waters that are easy to distinguish from one another, even in the field. These are the Crinoidea (feather stars), Asteroidea (starfishes), Ophiuroidea (brittlestars), Echinoidea (sea-urchins), and the Holothuroidea (sea-cucumbers). It is a fully marine phylum whose members are mainly bottom dwellers that have a basic 5-rayed symmetry as adults that is radial in most, but bilateral in some.

Echinoderms

Cnidaria is a phylum under the kingdom Animalia containing over 11,000 species of aquatic animals found predominantly in the marine environment, including jellyfish, hydroids, sea anemones, corals, and some of the smallest marine parasites. Their distinguishing feature is the cnidocytes, specialized cells containing thread-like tubes (commonly barbed and toxic) used for the capture of prey and defense. Cnidarians mostly have two basic body forms: swimming medusae (jellyfish type) and sessile polyps (fixed to the seabed), both of which are radially symmetrical with mouths surrounded by tentacles that bear cnidocytes. Both forms have a single orifice and body cavity that are used for digestion and respiration.

Cnidarians

Marine megafauna

Large marine animals such as dolphins, turtles, and dugongs (sea cows) can be spotted in the area. Two types of dolphins are commonly seen in Qatar: the bottlenose dolphins often in large pods and the humpback dolphin with its easy-to-spot lump on its back by the dorsal fin. Green turtles and hawksbill turtles are also commonly seen in Qatar. Green turtles and dugongs feed on seagrass which is abundant around The Pearl and Gewan Islands.

Porifera (sponges), a phylum of primitive multicellular invertebrates, is represented by a large number of species on the shallow coral and algal reefs in the Arabian Gulf. The two classes of sponge present on the reefs are the Calcarea with skeletal spicules composed of calcite, and the Demospongiae whose skeletal elements are made of silica and/or spongin fibres. The Demospongiae is by far the largest group on reefs and plays an important role in reef ecosystems elsewhere in the world. All are sessile suspension feeders, efficiently filtering large quantities of particulate organic debris and planktonic organisms from the water column. Water enters their bodies through small holes on their surface (pores) and circulates in a network of canals. After filtration, water is exhaled through larger pores visible to the naked eye.

Sponge

Fish and Rays

744 species belonging to 131 families are identified in the Persian Gulf (Eagderi el al, 2019). More than 500 fish species frequent Qatari waters (fishBase) including elasmobranchs (sharks and rays). Very large fish can be seen in the marinas and canals of The Pearl Island where fishing is prohibited. Seagrass beds and rock armor are important nursery areas for many species of fish.

The phylum Echinodermata is one of the most conspicuous and familiar macroinvertebrate groups within the Gulf. The higher classification of the group is relatively simple with five main classes occurring in shallow waters that are easy to distinguish from one another, even in the field. These classes are Crinoidea (feather stars), Asteroidea (starfishes), Ophiuroidea (brittlestars), Echinoidea (sea-urchins), and Holothuroidea (sea-cucumbers). It is a fully marine phylum whose members are mainly bottom dwellers that have a basic 5-rayed symmetry as adults that is radial in most, but bilateral in some.

Echinoderms

Compared to higher land plant communities, algae are more primitive in structure . Although they have less distinctive features there are an amazing number of shapes, designs, patterns, and textures. About 70 species have been recorded in Qatari waters to date. Algae can be divided into three main groups based on their colors: the green algae (Chlorophyta), the red algae (Rhodophyta) and the brown algae (Phaeophyta).

Algae

Algae also known as seaweeds, refer to a variety of photosynthetic organisms living in the ocean ranging in size from filamentous turf only millimeters in height to giant kelps, which can be 30 meters long. Generally, algae grow wherever there is enough light and life-supporting conditions exist. They live on coral reefs, rocks, rocky reefs, rubble, sand and mud from above the intertidal zone down to more than 20 meters in clear waters During the winter months, shallow rocky areas are covered by dense “forest” or “beds” of foliose brown algae from the genera Cystoseira, Hormophysa and Sargassum. These flourishing algae beds are home to numerous species of fish and invertebrates. In the summer, green filamentous algae take advantage of the calm and hot seas to form extensive mats covering the seabed.

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Transcript

Welcome to The Pearl and Gewan Island Biodiversity Map

Habitat

Biodiversity

Rubble & Rocks

Molluscs

Fish and Rays

Sand

Terrestrial flora

Cnidarians

Seagrass

Crustaceans

Seagrass beds

Molluscs

Parks & Gardens

Molluscs

Birds

Birds

Mixed Algae & Seagrass beds

Ascidians

Echinoderms

Cnidarians

Marine megafauna

Sponge

Fish and Rays

Echinoderms

Algae

Algae Beds