A Natural History Of The Emirates: An Introduction -- Part 1: An Extreme Environment: Physical Setting Of The Emirates -- Geography And Geology Of The United Arab Emirates: A Naturalist's Introduction -- Climate Of The United Arab Emirates: Present, Past And Impacts On Life -- The Marine Environment Of The Emirates -- Part 2: Ecosystems Of The Emirates -- The Vegetation Of The United Arab Emirates And Ecosystem Management Issues -- The Mountain Regions Of The United Arab Emirates: An Ecosystem Perspective -- Mangrove Ecosystems Of The United Arab Emirates -- Coastal Lagoons (Khors) Of The Emirates -- Seagrasses Of The United Arab Emirates -- Seaweeds Of The Emirates -- Coral Reefs Of The Emirates -- Oyster Beds And Reefs Of The United Arab Emirates -- Part 3: Organisms And Their Environment -- The Vascular Flora Of The United Arab Emirates -- Terrestrial Mammals Of The United Arab Emirates -- An Introduction To The Birds Of The United Arab Emirates -- Terrestrial Reptiles And Amphibians Of The United Arab Emirates -- Terrestrial Arthropod Diversity In The United Arab Emirates -- Marine Mammals Of The Emirates: Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises And Dugongs -- Marine Reptiles Of The United Arab Emirates -- Sharks And Rays Of The United Arab Emirates -- Fishes Of The Emirates -- Part : Human Interactions With The Environment -- Human - Environment Interactions In The United Arab Emirates: An Archaeological Perspective -- Cities As Ecosystems In The Emirates -- Part 5: The Future Emirates -- The Emirates At 2050.

For many people, thoughts of the United Arab Emirates conjure images of ultramodern skyscrapers and rolling sand dunes. However, the Emirates are a rich mosaic of ecosystems and habitats that support surprisingly diverse communities of organisms, and there is growing awareness of the importance of these previously underappreciated natural assets. A Natural History of the Emirates provides a comprehensive overview of the unusual environmental setting of this young nation, and surveys the major ecosystems and the marine and terrestrial organisms occurring across the nation. From freshwater streams in the hyperarid Hajar Mountains to the world's most temperature-tolerant coral reefs, the UAE is home to an astounding variety of uniquely adapted organisms that are providing insights into climate change and how organisms cope with and respond to extreme environmental conditions. The book closes with a section on human interactions with this unique environment, and proposes initiatives to ensure the protection of these unique natural assets into the future. This is an open access book.