Journal of Geology & Geophysics
Open Access
ISSN: 2381-8719
ISSN: 2381-8719
Noor Al-Dousari
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Geol Geophys
Arid regions are affected by many environmental challenges such as the absence of vegetation cover, lack of rain fall, increase wind erosion, which eventually increases sand and dust storm events. The upper surface of soil is vulnerable to land degradation causing the accumulation of sand around building, roads, and different man made infrastructure that cost the country tremendous amount of money yearly for mechanical sand removal. The cost of mechanical sand removal is 5.20 USD for 1 m3. Therefore, this study focuses on three different types of nabkhas namely; single plant, double plants and group of plants nabkhas. The physical and chemical properties of nabkha i.e., particle size, organic matter, moisture content, acidity, electrical conductivity were also covered. The volume of trapped sand accumulated around nabkhas are measured in cubic meters (m3), and converted to calculated cost of mechanical sand removal. A single nabkha of Nitraria retusa, is capable of trapping mobile sand with a maximum of 21.9 m3 and an average of 2 m3. The equivalent cost of trapped sand in forming single nabkha is 10.4 USD. Hence, the efficiency of native plant species in trapping mobile sand reduces the cost of sand removal in the different forms of nabkhas. Therefore, Nitraria retusa as a dominant native plant in Kuwait represents valuable and efficient control measure for mobile sand and dust.
Email: ndousari@kisr.edu.kw