1. Abu Dhabi Eastern Corniche Abu Dhabi Eastern Corniche
Marine water Quality Impact on Mangrove Trees in Eastern Corniche Asma Al Muharram / Supervisor: Dr.Ahmad Bin Touq
Result
Abstract
Discussion
Because of globalization and new world challenges, people started to change their way of practicing their activities which may sometimes pose a threat on environment. This change is doesn’t happen in land only, but also, it take place in marine environment and all ecosystems. Our study area, Abu Dhabi eastern corniche marine environment is affected significantly because of human urban expanding as a result of fast increase of AD population. The increasing pressure on demands to over exploitation and pollution of marine resources and destroying hundreds of marine habitats.
Effected Mangrove area
Factors Causing the Problem
Area
Nutrients
Current concentration
Recommended concentration value
Abu Dhabi Eastern Corniche
Dissolved oxygen
3.5 (µg/L)
4 (µg/L)
CHLOROPHYLL-a
0.6 (µg/L)
0.7 (µg/L)
NITRATE-N
180 (µg/L)
220 (µg/L)
PHOSPHATE-P
977 (µg/L)
150 (µg/L)
ENTEROCOCCI
313 MPN/100ml
280 MPN/100ml
Map (1): Eastern Corniche Marine Water Quality
Picture (2): Mangrove Area Picture (3): Mangrove Area 2014
Background
These two satellite images show the change in the size of the studied Mangrove trees from 2008~2014, the study area is identified by yellow circle. In 2008 , we can see that the density and the size are bigger compared to Later in 2014, the trees size and density decreased significantly.
Area
Nutrients
Current concentration
Recommended concentration value
Abu Dhabi Eastern Corniche
Dissolved oxygen
3.5 (µg/L)
4 (µg/L)
CHLOROPHYLL-a
0.6 (µg/L)
0.7 (µg/L)
NITRATE-N
180 (µg/L)
220 (µg/L)
PHOSPHATE-P
977 (µg/L)
150 (µg/L)
ENTEROCOCCI
313 MPN/100ml
280 MPN/100ml
This change indicates a possibility of environmental pollution and mostly caused by human activities. As we mentioned before , the nutrients are highly concentrated in the water until it reached a toxic value. High phosphate and Enterococci value in marine water, cause algae and weeds rapid growth. As a result of their growth large amounts of DO will be consumed resulting in oxygen deletion. Moreover , dissolved oxygen didn’t meet the recommended value, it’s important for organisms existence and activities, especially that Eastern Cornish area includes a wide variety of different marine habitats in addition to large mangrove habitat.
UAE marine and coastal environment is experiencing a high pressures caused by many years of development, expansion and over-exploitation of the coastal line. Abu-Dhabi’s Eastern corniche area is suffering from marine pollution. The water quality in this areas is bad as a result of coastal development which affected the mangrove habitats negatively, the size of the natural mangrove trees habitat has declined.
As we can see in map (1), the Eastern Corniche mangrove trees are nearly located in the center of different human activities such as Um Al Nar desalination plant, Um Al Lulu oil field and hotels. The pressure on this location increase the marine pollution especially the water quality that is affected by chemical substances and brine discharges which in it turn affect mangrove trees and the marine habitat.
Conclusion
The Eastern Corniche mangrove trees population size is declining because of the water pollution that is caused by human activities. The water quality in the study areas is very poor to support mangrove trees .Regulation and policies need to be determined to monitor the change in water quality.
Table (1): Nutrients Concentration in Eastern Mangrove area water
Objectives
Mangrove trees can be saved by establishing protection programs such as :
Establishing marine protected areas (MPA’s) .
Marine water quality monitoring programs.
Enforcing laws and regulations.
The purpose of choosing this topic is to get more information about marine water pollution in Abu Dhabi, many people don’t know a thing about it, by making the general status of a habitat issue, and people can notice what’s happening and increase their knowledge about it.
This poster will :
Identify eastern corniche water quality .
Investigate the causes of marine water pollution..
To shine the light on the human activities consequences on the marine habitat.
Explore the problem of marine water pollution and its impact on the mangrove trees in Eastern corniche area.
References
In table (1), Phosphate-P and Enterococci has exceeded the recommended concentration value .Moreover, the DO didn’t reach the recommended value. This is another impact of human activities in the Eastern mangrove area, the water quality surrounding the mangrove habitat is polluted.
Google Earth
Abu Dhabi Environmental Atlas
Abu Dhabi Environmental Agency