Unlike animals, plants cannot readily move in cases of habitat loss, making them particularly vulnerable to extinction and presenting a real challenge for nature conservationists.
Plants play a critical role in the natural ecosystem, and their abundant presence is an indication of a well-functioning and habitable environment.
On land, plants and their root systems are essential to purify and oxygenate environments, combat desertification and soil erosion, sequester carbon emissions, control rainfall and weather patterns, and to provide several functions as sources of shelter, sustenance, and tertiary products.
In marine environments, plants such as seagrasses are an important source of sustenance while providing shelter to small vertebrates and invertebrates. Abu Dhabi is home to 436 native plant species, including the national tree of the UAE, the Ghaf, as well as the Dwarf Palm and the White Saxaul, among others.
