Consequences of protection from grazing on diversity and abundance of the coastal lowland vegetation in Eastern Saudi Arabia

Recovery of rangeland vegetation some 14 years after grazing and human impacts have ended was studied at an experimental site on the south coastal lowlands of Saudi Arabia. Vegetation inside and outside the protected site was sampled and species richness, species turnover, relative evenness, and concentration of dominant species were calculated. Increases of 68% in the total cover, 33% in species richness, and 32% in species relative evenness were observed within the protected site, compared with grazed, impacted areas outside the site. In general, initial increases in density and standing phytomass were seen. Higher abundances were found for many species that are important forage and/or fuel plants. Soil salinity and key soil nutrients are significantly higher in the grazed area.