Geochemistry of island arc assemblage in the Eastern Desert of Egypt and the role of Pan-African magmatism in crustal growth of the Arabian–Nubian Shield:A review

Neoproterozoic island arc assemblage of the Arabian–Nubian Shield(ANS)in the Eastern Desert(ED)of Egypt comprises juvenile suites of metavolcanics(MV),large amounts of meta-sedimentary rocks(MS),and voluminous metagabbros-diorites(MGD)and syn-tectonic intrusions of older granitoids(OG).We report here the updates of these four rock units in terms of classification,distribution,chemical characteristics,geodynamic evolution,metamorphism,and ages.In addition,we discuss these integrated data to elucidate a reasonable and reliable model for crustal evolution in the ANS.The main features of these rock units indicate their relation to each other and the geodynamic environment dominated by early immature oceanic island arcs to primitive continental arcs.Integrated information of the island arc metavolcanic and plutonic rocks(gabbros,diorites,tonalites,and granodiorites)furnish evidence of the genetic relationships.These include proximity and a coeval nature in the field;all protolith magmas are subalkaline in nature following calc-alkaline series with minor tholeiitic affinities;common geochemical signature of the arc rocks and subduction-related magmatism;their similar enrichment in LREEs;and similar major element compositions with mafic melts derived from metasomatized mantle wedge.The volcano-sedimentary and the OG rocks underwent multiphase deformation events whereas the MGD complexes deformed slightly.Based on the magmatic,sedimentological,and metamorphic evolutions constrained by geochronological data as well as the progressive evolutionary trend from extensional to compressional regimes,a possible gradual decrease in the subducted slab dip angle is the most infl uential in any geodynamic model for arc assemblage in the ED of Egypt.

Tonian–Ediacaran Tectonometamorphic History of the Sa'al Complex,Sinai(Egypt):Implications for the Tectonostratigraphic Framework of the Northern Arabian–Nubian Shield

The Sa'al Metamorphic Complex(SMC;southern Sinai)encompasses the oldest arc rocks in the Arabian–Nubian Shield,comprising two non-consanguineous metavolcanic successions(the Agramiya Group and the Post-Ra'ayan Formation)separated by the metasediments of the Ra'ayan Formation.It experienced three distinct deformational events(D_(1)–D_(3))and two low-medium grade regional metamorphic events(M_1–M_(2)).The Agramiya Group and the Ra'ayan Formation experienced all tectonometamorphic events(D_1–D_(3)and M_(1)–M_(2)),whereas the Post-Ra'ayan volcanic rocks were only affected by the D_(3)and M_(2)events.D_(1)is an extensional event and is connected to the late Rodinia break-up(~Tonian;900–870 Ma).The M_(1)metamorphism variably affected the older Agramiya Group,the rhyolitic tuffs experiencing lower to upper greenschist facies conditions and the basic and intermediate volcanic rocks undergoing amphibolite facies metamorphism.The Ra'ayan Formation metasediments experienced upper greenschist to amphibolite facies metamorphism.The upper greenschist facies M_(2)affected the youngest Post-Ra'ayan volcanic rocks and other stratigraphic successions.The compressive D_(2)and D_(3)events were coeval with the accretion of dismembered terranes in the assembly of Gondwana.D_(2)can be linked to the Tonian–Cryogenian arc-arc assembly(~880–760 Ma;in Elat and Sinai),whereas D_(3)and the accompanying M_(2)is constrained to 622–600 Ma(Ediacaran).

Late Neoproterozoic adakitic magmatism of the eastern Arabian Nubian Shield

Late Neoproterozoic adakitic magmatism within the Eastern Arabian Nubian Shield has been dated at633.2±9.0 Ma(2σ).These magnas intrude the forearc Ad Dawadimi Basin,which is composed of metapelitic schists and greywacke along with ophiolitic melanges of boninitic affinity which underwent inversion and deformation by^620 Ma.This adakitic magmatism,while intruding parts of the Ad Dawadimi Basin,predates this deformation,but is possibly coincident with basin closure.As adakitic magmatism requires melting of an amphibolite or eclogitic source,empirical and experimental constraints require anomalously hot supra-subduction zone mantle.Considering that this magmatism immediately predates basin inversion,these magmas possibly pinpoint the timing of the slab breaking,marking the terminal stages of arc magmatism,terrane accretion and the influx of hot oceanic asthenospheric mantle.This influx of hot asthenospheric mantle may also be responsible for postcolltsional A-type magmatism.

Transpressive Structures in the Ghadir Shear Belt, Eastern Desert, Egypt: Evidence for Partitioning of Oblique Convergence in the Arabian-Nubian Shield during Gondwana Agglutination

Transpressional deformation has played an important role in the late Neoproterozoic evolution of the ArabianNubian Shield including the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt.The Ghadir Shear Belt is a 35 km-long,NW-oriented brittleductile shear zone that underwent overall sinistral transpression during the Late Neoproterozoic.Within this shear belt,strain is highly partitioned into shortening,oblique,extensional and strike-slip structures at multiple scales.Moreover,strain partitioning is heterogeneous along-strike giving rise to three distinct structural domains.In the East Ghadir and Ambaut shear belts,the strain is pure-shear dominated whereas the narrow sectors parallel to the shear walls in the West Ghadir Shear Zone are simple-shear dominated.These domains are comparable to splay-dominated and thrust-dominated strike-slip shear zones.The kinematic transition along the Ghadir shear belt is consistent with separate strike-slip and thrustsense shear zones.The earlier fabric(S1),is locally recognized in low strain areas and SW-ward thrusts.S2 is associated with a shallowly plunging stretching lineation(L2),and defines^NW-SE major upright macroscopic folds in the East Ghadir shear belt.F2 folds are superimposed by^NNW–SSE tight-minor and major F3 folds that are kinematically compatible with sinistral transpressional deformation along the West Ghadir Shear Zone and may represent strain partitioning during deformation.F2 and F3 folds are superimposed by ENE–WSW gentle F4 folds in the Ambaut shear belt.The sub-parallelism of F3 and F4 fold axes with the shear zones may have resulted from strain partitioning associated with simple shear deformation along narrow mylonite zones and pure shear-dominant deformation in fold zones.Dextral ENEstriking shear zones were subsequently active at ca.595 Ma,coeval with sinistral shearing along NW-to NNW-striking shear zones.The occurrence of upright folds and folds with vertical axes suggests that transpression plays a significant role in the tectonic evolution of the Ghadir shear belt.Oblique convergence may have been provoked by the buckling of the Hafafit gneiss-cored domes and relative rotations between its segments.Upright folds,fold with vertical axes and sinistral strike-slip shear zones developed in response to strain partitioning.The West Ghadir Shear Zone contains thrusts and strikeslip shear zones that resulted from lateral escape tectonics associated with lateral imbrication and transpression in response to oblique squeezing of the Arabian-Nubian Shield during agglutination of East and West Gondwana.

Zooplankton community response to eddy during dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans blooms off Pakistan,northern Arabian Sea

Eddies are major elements of ocean dynamics that affect ocean production.Understanding their effects on plankton distribution may help understand the dynamics of harmful phytoplankton blooms.Previous studies on the effects of eddies in the northern Arabian Sea have primarily focused on the zooplankton community,and few have observed zooplankton dynamics during winter blooms of Noctiluca scintillans.We investigated zooplankton community structure and the related environmental variability during a N.scintillans bloom that was affected by an eddy in February 2018.The sampling stations were deployed at eddy core and eddy edge distinguished in salinity,temperature,and velocity.Results show that N.scintillans bloomed at the eddy core with high-velocity currents induced by warm eddies that moved from eddy core to eddy edge.As a result,blooms significantly changed the zooplankton community structure.Non-bloom stations had higher zooplankton diversity than bloom stations.Zooplankton at non-bloom stations were dominated by either tunicates or copepods,such as Thalia democratica and Pleuromamma gracilis.In addition to the influence of N.scintillans blooms,the velocity of eddy currents was a crucial factor on the similarities in the zooplankton community composition between eddy edge and eddy core.Moreover,the lower abiotic factors in bloom area contribute to the structuring of the zooplankton community during N.scintillans blooms.

The Current Conservation Efforts and Future Prospects for the Endangered Nubian Ibex (Capra nubiana ibex) in Sudan

A comprehensive action plan for the conservation of the endangered species, the Nubian ibex in Sudan, can be developed by gaining a thorough understanding of their current status, conservation strategy, and relevant laws and regulations, as well as raising awareness about the importance of protecting endangered species. The Nubian ibex is listed as an endangered species on The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, highlighting the need for further research on population conservation efforts due to insufficient population data. To address this knowledge gap, a questionnaire was conducted with various stakeholders, including police officers, researchers, and lecturers, representing a diverse range of organizations and universities. The findings revealed that hunting is the primary factor contributing to endangerment. Mammals account for 80% of endangered species, while reptiles comprise less than one-tenth. Research centers are recognized as the main governing body, and 85% of participants are concerned about the declining population. Hunting accounted for less than half of the threats to the ibex population in Sudan, while habitat loss made up a quarter. Mining, climate change, human activity, and agriculture were also identified as risks. However, there were no plans, strategies, procedures, or measures in place to conserve the Nubian ibex. There were also no initiatives to preserve its biodiversity, and awareness about endangered species was lacking. Although participants believed that laws were effective in protecting the ibex, no licenses were issued for its conservation, and annual surveys were not conducted. Additionally, there were no recorded instances of Mukhalfat related to the Nubian ibex. In light of these findings, we propose various conservation measures to address these challenges. These measures include the implementation of laws and regulations, conducting annual surveys to monitor population trends, protecting habitats, establishing breeding and releasing programs, launching awareness campaigns, undertaking rehabilitation efforts, enhancing research efforts, and developing comprehensive conservation strategies. Additionally, it is crucial to foster cooperation among wildlife institutes to ensure the effective implementation of these conservation measures.

Analysis of Temperature Trends and Variations in the Arabian Peninsula’s Upper Atmosphere

In this study, the trends of upper-air temperatures are analysed by utilising radiosonde observations for the barometric levels at 700, 500, 300, 200, 150, 100 and 50 hPa from five meteorological stations within the Arabian Peninsula from January 1986 to August 2015. The mean monthly variations of the temperatures at these levels are characterised and established. The magnitudes of the annual trends of the mean temperatures for each site for the selected barometric levels are studied and statistically tested using Mann-Kendall rank statistics at different significance levels. The temperature trends at different pressure levels show that the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere are warming, while the middle troposphere is cooling which is consistent with the findings of other studies. The variations in upper air temperature observed in this study can be attributed to a range of factors, including increasing greenhouse gas concentrations, changes in atmospheric circulation patterns, variations in solar activity, aerosols and volcanic eruptions, and land use and land cover change.

Slaughtering Performance and Meat Quality of Hainan Black Goat and Its Hybrid Offsprings with Nubian Black Goat

In order to compare the slaughter performance and meat quality of Hainan black goats and hybrid offsprings of Nubian Black Goat and Hainan Black Goat, six 7-month-old Hainan black goats and six hybrid offsprings were selected to determine slaughter performance and muscle quality. The results showed that hybridization of Nubian black goat and Hainan black goat significantly improved the production performance and slaughter performance of hybrid offsprings (P>0.05). The meat quality of F1 hybrid black goat had no significant difference with that of Hainan black goat except for the hardness and elasticity (P<0.05). Therefore, the crossbred progenies of Nubian black goat and Hainan black goat have advantages in meat yield and meat performance, and the main meat quality indexes are not significantly different, which meets the market requirements for high-yield and high-quality hybrid combinations, and can be used for cross promotion.

Morphometric Analysis of Drainage Basins in the Western Arabian Peninsula Using Multivariate Statistics

The uplift of the Arabian Shield and the opening of the Red Sea led to the development of steep drainage systems in the Western Arabian Peninsula. Although the Peninsula has been studied from a geological perspective, in relation to oil production, plate tectonics and eolian systems such as sand dunes, the steep mountainous drainage basins have received much less attention. This paper aims to assess the characteristics and development of 36 drainage basins in the Western Arabian Peninsula, using a digital elevation model (DEM), principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (CA). Three major principal components (PC1 to PC3) are found to explain 73% of total variance. CA divided the basins into two or four groups. The division by CA strongly reflects PC1, showing that the two analyses give comparable results. PC1 strongly reflects basin dimensions and drainage texture, and their positive correlations indicate the significant effect of basin relief and slope on mass wasting and limited stream incision in small basins under an arid climate. PC2 mainly reflects the effect of bedrock geology, suggesting that volcanic rocks tend to produce more elongated and less eroded immature basins than crystalline rocks do. PC3 mainly reflects the basin relief and slope and the length of each stream segment, which may also reflect the effect of mass wasting on stream development.

Upper ocean high resolution regional modeling of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal

In this paper, effort is made to demonstrate the quality of high-resolution regional ocean circulation model in realistically simulating the circulation and variability properties of the northern Indian Ocean(10°S–25°N,45°–100°E) covering the Arabian Sea(AS) and Bay of Bengal(BoB). The model run using the open boundary conditions is carried out at 10 km horizontal resolution and highest vertical resolution of 2 m in the upper ocean.The surface and sub-surface structure of hydrographic variables(temperature and salinity) and currents is compared against the observations during 1998–2014(17 years). In particular, the seasonal variability of the sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, and surface currents over the model domain is studied. The highresolution model's ability in correct estimation of the spatio-temporal mixed layer depth(MLD) variability of the AS and BoB is also shown. The lowest MLD values are observed during spring(March-April-May) and highest during winter(December-January-February) seasons. The maximum MLD in the AS(BoB) during December to February reaches 150 m (67 m). On the other hand, the minimum MLD in these regions during March-April-May becomes as low as 11–12 m. The influence of wind stress, net heat flux and freshwater flux on the seasonal variability of the MLD is discussed. The physical processes controlling the seasonal cycle of sea surface temperature are investigated by carrying out mixed layer heat budget analysis. It is found that air-sea fluxes play a dominant role in the seasonal evolution of sea surface temperature of the northern Indian Ocean and the contribution of horizontal advection, vertical entrainment and diffusion processes is small. The upper ocean zonal and meridional volume transport across different sections in the AS and BoB is also computed. The seasonal variability of the transports is studied in the context of monsoonal currents.

Comparisons of the suture zones along a geotraverse from the Scythian Platform to the Arabian Platform

The area from the Greater Caucasus to the southeast Turkey is characteri：;.ed and shaped by several major continental blocks. These are Scythian Platform, Pontian-Transcaucasu.,; Continent-Arc System （PTCAS）, the Anatolian-lranian and the Arabian Platforms. The aim of this paper is to define these continental blocks and describe and also compare their boundary relationships along the suture zones. The Scythian Platform displays the evidence of the Hercynian and Alpine orogens. This platform is separated from the PTCAS by the Greater Caucasus Suture Zone. The incipient collision began along this suture zone before middle-late Carboniferous whereas the final collision occurred before Oligocene. The PTCAS can be divided into four structural units： （1） the Georgian Block - northern part of the Pontian-Transcaucasian island-arc, （2） the southern and eastern Black Sea Coast-Adjara-Trialeti Unit, （3） the Artvin-Bolnisi Unit, comprising the northern part of the southern Transcaucasus, and （4） the Imbricated Bayburt-Garabagh Unit. The PTCAS could be separated from the Anatolian Iranian Platform by the North Anatolian-Lesser Caucasus Suture （NALCS） zone. The initial collision was developed in this suture zone during Senonian-early Eocene and final collision before middle Eocene or Oligocene-Miocene. The Anatolian-lranian Platform （AIP） is made up of the Tauride Platform and its metamorphic equivalents together with Iranian Platform. It could be separated from the Arabian Platform by the Southeastern Anatolian Suture （SEAS） zone. The collision ended before late Miocene along this suture zone. The southernmost continental block of the geotraverse is the Arabian Platform, which constitutes the northern part of the Arabian-African Plate. This platform includes a sequence from the Precambrian felsic volcanic and clastic rocks to the Campanian-early Maastrichtian fiyschoidal clastics. All the suture zones include MORB and SSZ-types ophiolites in different ages. However, the ages of the suture zones and the crustal thicknesses along the suture zones are different, as the age becoming younger, the thickness decreasing from north to south. The emplacements of the ophiolites have similar pattern of a flower structure, reflecting both the north- and south-dipping overthrusts along the suture zones.

Comparison of summer chlorophyll a concentration in the South China Sea and the Arabian Sea using remote sensing data

The South China Sea（SCS） and the Arabian Sea（AS） are both located roughly in the north tropical zone with a range of similar latitude（0°–24°N）. Monsoon winds play similar roles in the upper oceanic circulations of the both seas. But the distinct patterns of chlorophyll a（Chl a） concentration are observed between the SCS and the AS.The Chl a concentration in the SCS is generally lower than that in the AS in summer（June–August）; the summer Chl a concentration in the AS shows stronger interannual variation, compared with that in the SCS; Moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer（MODIS）-derived data present higher atmospheric aerosol deposition and stronger wind speed in the AS. And it has also been found that good correlations exist between the index of the dust precipitation indicated by aerosol optical thickness（AOT） and the Chl a concentration, or between wind and Chl a concentration. These imply that the wind and the dust precipitation bring more nutrients into the AS from the sky, the sub-layer or coast regions, inducing higher Chl a concentration. The results indicate that the wind velocity and the dust precipitation can play important roles in the Chl a concentration for the AS and the SCS in summer. However aerosol impact is weak on the biological productivity in the west SCS and wind-induced upwelling is the main source.

Isolation and identification of desert habituated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi newly reported from the Arabian Peninsula

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi（AMF） are known to facilitate the growth and vigour of many plants, particularly in arid ecosystems. In a survey of AMF in a date palm plantation and two natural sites of a desert in Oman, we generated many single spore-derived cultures of AMF. We identified a number of these isolates based on spore morphotyping and molecular phylogenetic analysis using the sequence of the LSU-rDNA. Here, we presented the characteristics of four species of AMF recovered, namely Claroideoglomus drummondii, Diversispora aurantia, Diversispora spurca and Funneliformis africanum. The four species have been described previously, but for the Arabian Peninsula they are reported here for the first time. Our endeavor of isolation and characterization of some AMF habituated to arid sites of Arabia represents a first step towards application for environmental conservation and sustainable agriculture in this region.

Chemical composition of essential oil of Thymus vulgaris collected from Saudi Arabian market

Objective: To focus on the analysis of chemical constituents of the Thymus vulgaris L.(locally known as "Zaitra" or "Za'atar"; Family: Lamiaceae) which is available in the market of Saudi Arabia.Methods: The Zaitra oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The mass spectra were compared with the standard spectra available in National Institute Standard and Technique library.Results: The results indicated that the Thymus oil is composed of many chemical compounds including a pinene, thymol and caryophyllene which are biologically active and also used in various diseases.Conclusions: It can be concluded that the Thymus vulgaris due to presence of many bioactive compounds can be used as a new potential source of medicine for the treatment of various types of illness.

Watershed Characterization of Wadi Aurnah, Western Arabian Peninsula

The Western part of Arabian Peninsula constitutes a shield-like mega-structure, in which mountain chains are oriented in the NW-SE direction. Along this mountainous region, surface runoff is almost diverted to-wards the Red Sea in the west. Thus, several catchment topographic units exist to capture rainfall water among them. Even tough, the precipitation rate in the Western part of Arabian Peninsula is low (i.e. <200mm), yet a number of drainage systems occur and reveal empirical stream networking. However, stud-ies belong to the watersheds located in the Western part of Arabian Peninsula are still rare and sometimes they show erroneous morphological characterization, notably in the catchments delineation. This is attributed mainly to the complicated drainage pattern, which is structurally-controlled. Thus, related morphological and hydrological studied obtained on these drainage systems reveal discreditable results and measures. This study aims to characterize Wadi Aurnah Watershed (~3113 km2), which comprises a typical catchment in the Western part of Arabian Peninsula. In addition to topographic maps, remotely sensed data (ASTER and IKONOS satellite images) were utilized to delineate water divides with the most precision. Consequently, relevant morphological and hydrological characteristics of Aurnah watershed were obtained.

Lactation Performance of Primiparous Nubian Ewes and Yunling Black Ewes

[ Objective] To evaluate lactation performance of primiparous Nubian ewes and Yunling Black ewes. [ Method] Healthy primiparous Nubian ewes （20 ewes lambing twins and 19 ewes lambing single） and Yunling Black ewes （4 ewes lambing twins and 15 ewes lambing single） were used to study the effects of breeds and litter size on lactation performance. [Result] The total milk yield of the Nubian ewes lambing twins was 14.81% higher than that of the Nubian ewes lambing single （ P 〈 0.05） and 22.93% higher than that of the Yunling Black ewes lambing twins （ P 〈 0.05）. The total milk yield of the Yunling Black ewes lambing twins was 32.80% higher than that of the Yunling Black ewes lambing single （ P〈 0.05 ）, but the total milk yield of the Nubian ewes lambing single was 42.20% higher than that of the Yunling Black ewes lambing single （ P 〈 0.05）. The Nubian goats and the Yunling Black goats had similar lactation curves. The milk yield gradually increased during the early lactation period （5 - 15 d post partum）, and the lactation peak lasted for 20 d （15 -35 d post partum）. Then the milk yield gradually decreased. The predicted values showed the milk yield of the ewes may rapidly decrease during 80 -120 d post partum. Until Day 70 post partum, the Nubian ewes lambing twins had lost 3.06% more body weight than those lambing single had （P〈0.05）; the Yunling Black ewes lambing twins had lost 0.89% more body weight than those lambing single had （P〈0.05）. The Nubian ewes lambing lost 3.22% -5.39% more body weight than those with the same litter size did （ P 〈 0.05）. [ Conclusion] The regular pattern of primiparous lactation is similar between the Nubian ewes and the Yunling Black ewes, and their lactation performance is closely related to breeds and litter size.

Statistical and Comparative Analysis of Tropical Cyclone Activity over the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal(1977-2018)

A statistical comparative analysis of tropical cyclone activity over the Arabian Sea (AS) and Bay of Bengal(BoB) has been conducted using best-track data and wind radii information from 1977 to 2018 issued by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Results show that the annual variation in the frequency and duration of tropical cyclones has significantly increased over time over the AS and insignificantly decreased over the BoB. The monthly frequency of tropical cyclones over the AS and the BoB shows a notable bimodal character, with peaks occurring in May and OctoberNovember, respectively. The maximum frequency of tropical cyclones occurs in the second peak as a result of the higher moisture content at mid-levels in the autumn. However, the largest proportion of strong cyclones (H1-H5 grades) occurs in the first peak as a result of the higher sea surface temperatures in early summer. Tropical cyclones over the AS break out later during the first peak and activity ends earlier during the second peak, in contrast with those over the BoB. This is related to the onset and drawback times of the southwest monsoon in the two basins. Tropical cyclones over the AS are mainly generated in the eastern basin, whereas in the BoB the genesis locations are meridionally (zonally) distributed in May-June (October-November) as a result of the seasonal movement of the low-level positive vorticity belt. The Arabian Sea is dominated by tropical cyclones that track west and northwest, accounting for about 74.6%of all the tropical cyclones there, whereas the tropical cyclones with a NE track account for only 25.4%. The proportions of the three types of tracks are similar in the BoB, with each accounting for about 33%of the tropical cyclones. The mean intensity and size of tropical cyclones over the AS are stronger and larger, respectively, than those over the BoB and the size of tropical cyclones over the North Indian Ocean in early summer is larger than that in the autumn. The asymmetrical structure of tropical cyclones over the North Indian Ocean is affected by topography and the longest radius of the 34 kt surface wind often lies in the eastern quadrant of the tropical cyclone circulation in both sea areas.

THE WARMING MECHANISM IN THE SOUTHERN ARABIAN SEA DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN OCEAN DIPOLE EVENTS

This study aims to explore the relative role of oceanic dynamics and surface heat fluxes in the warming of southern Arabian Sea and southwest Indian Ocean during the development of Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD) events by using National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research(NCEP/NCAR) daily reanalysis data and Global Ocean Data Assimilation System(GODAS) monthly mean ocean reanalysis data from 1982 to2013,based on regression analysis,Empirical Orthogonal Function(EOF) analysis and combined with a 21/2layer dynamic upper-ocean model.The results show that during the initial stage of IOD events,warm downwelling Rossby waves excited by an anomalous anticyclone over the west Indian Peninsula,southwest Indian Ocean and southeast Indian Ocean lead to the warming of the mixed layer by reducing entrainment cooling.An anomalous anticyclone over the west Indian Peninsula weakens the wind over the Arabian Sea and Somali coast,which helps decrease the sea surface heat loss and shallow the surface mixed layer,and also contributes to the sea surface temperature(SST) warming in the southern Arabian Sea by inhibiting entrainment.The weakened winds increase the SST along the Somali coast by inhibiting upwelling and zonal advection.The wind and net sea surface heat flux anomalies are not significant over the southwest Indian Ocean.During the antecedent stage of IOD events,the warming of the southern Arabian Sea is closely connected with the reduction of entrainment cooling caused by the Rossby waves and the weakened wind.With the appearance of an equatorial easterly wind anomaly,the warming of the southwest Indian Ocean is not only driven by weaker entrainment cooling caused by the Rossby waves,but also by the meridional heat transport carried by Ekman flow.The anomalous sea surface heat flux plays a key role to damp the warming of the west pole of the IOD.

Coral Assemblages in the Southeastern Arabian Gulf (Qatar and Abu Dhabi, UAE): Various Stages of <i>Acropora</i>Recovery a Decade after Recurrent Elevated Temperature Anomalies

This study describes the coral communities near Qatarand Abu Dhabi (UAE) ten years after the recurrent elevated temperature anomalies of 1996, 1998 and 2002 which resulted in the mass mortality of Acropora spp. Data derived from photo transects taken over a four-year period were analyzed to characterize the existing coral communities, to compare these to the pre- and post-disturbance communities in the adjacent waters near Dubai, and to project the time-frames required for the communities to return to pre-disturbance levels. The massive corals, dominated by Porites spp. and faviids, showed no long-terms affects associated with exposures to the three thermal anomalies;whereas acroporids, comprising 0% - 8% of the live coral cover, were in various stages of recovery. Projections indicated that acroporid regeneration will require 15 - 32 years to achieve the ≥40% pre-disturbance area cover. The existing communities are too small in size and number to be self-seeding;thus, they are dependent upon the recruitment of larvae from remote refuges of colonies that survived the thermal anomalies. Efforts to identify these refuges and to establish appropriate multi-national conservation programs shall become critical to the future survival of acroporids throughout the southeasternArabian Gulfas the projected regeneration times exceed the periods between disturbances, which are expected to occur more frequently as a result of global climate change.

Effects of Multi-Stage Flash and Reverse Osmosis Desalinations on Benthic Assemblages in Bahrain,Arabian Gulf

Marine environment of the Arabian Gulf is naturally stressed due to marked fluctuations in sea temperatures and high salinities. Anthropogenically induced stresses including waste water discharges from desalination plants could pose additional threats to the coastal and marine ecosystems in the Arabian Gulf. Macrobenthic assemblages in the proximity of two major desalination plants that use Multi-Stage Flash (MSF) and brackish water Reverse Osmosis (RO) technologies in Bahrain were investigated. Reduced levels of biodiversity and abundance were recorded in sampling stations adjacent to the outlet of MSF reflecting severe impacts on macrobenthic assemblages caused by brine effluents that associated with high temperatures, salinities, and a range of chemical and heavy metal pollutants. Although localized severe impacts on macrobenthic assemblages were detected, collective discharges of desalination effluents, may synergistically contribute to the degradation of the naturally stressed marine ecosystems and natural resources in the Arabian Gulf.