Marine and Terrestrial Ecology

The ESC marine and terrestrial ecology cluster is committed to producing outstanding science in a wide research field. More specifically, we have the following research lines:

Biodiversity and Conservation

Taxonomy and systematics
Studies on the taxonomy and systematics of marine organisms are an important component of the ESC’s activities. These include records of new occurrences in the region; biodiversity check-lists from different marine ecosystems; and also the description of new species, such as the crab (Coleusia janani) and two new species of sponge (Chalinula qatari and Suberites luna).
Molecular taxonomy and phylogeny
Genetic identification and classification of target species is in development at the ESC. The geographic position of Qatar within the Arabian-Persian Gulf offers a great opportunity for understanding the vicariance and genetic flow among species from Qatar and other regions provinces.
Citotaxonomy
Study of the number, morphology and behavior of chromosomes of local target species. Cytogenetic studies will unveil structural and functional homologies among taxa due to their evolutionary conservation.
Biogeography
The position of Qatar in the southwest portion of the semi-enclosed Arabian-Persian Gulf, the extreme temperature range and high salinities in the region create water masses that can act as a biogeographic barrier for some species. The Arabian Gulf and the extreme conditions in the Arabian Peninsula also function as a barrier that limit movement/exchange of terrestrial organisms. The lack of permanent fresh water sources and high salinity of soils may also have caused local species and microorganisms to adapt to the extreme conditions.
Population and community Ecology
One of our main objectives is to increase the understanding on the functioning of marine and terrestrial ecosystems in Qatar. For this purpose, we are monitoring the biodiversity in different types of terrestrial and marine habitats, including: coral reefs, oyster beds, seagrasses, mangroves, different plant communities and soil biodiversity.
Conservation and Monitoring of endangered marine species
Anthropogenic impacts and Environmental Monitoring
We are committed with the conservation of the natural resources in Qatar and in the region. Accordingly, several ongoing projects are aiming to identify and monitor the effects of different anthropogenic pressures on natural ecosystems, including the evaluation of the biological effects of genotoxic contaminants, on several sentinel species within the Qatari coastal waters, at the gene, chromosome and cell level. We also cooperate with projects evaluating the impact of human activities on plant communities and soil biodiversity in both natural and urban areas.

Ecosystem Restoration

Natural ecosystems are collapsing worldwide, losing their biological functionality and consequently losing their economic productivity. Aiming to address this severe threat, we are developing new strategies for restoring natural ecosystems.

Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are severely threatened habitats in the region. We are testing different approaches and strategies to increase the local knowledge and capacity in coral reef restoration, including: updating the checklist of local coral species and determining their reproductive cycles; developing the technology for fragmenting, growing and outplanting different coral species.
Oyster Beds
The iconic pearl oyster in Qatar definitely requires our attention for the restoration effort. We are collecting data on the biology, ecology and physiology of this species, in order to develop the ideal approach for restoration.
Mangrove studies component
Mangroves are important for ecosystem services, supporting biodiversity, and recruitment of local fishing populations. At ESC we work on carbon sequestration (both above ground and in sediments), and biodiversity in natural and planted mangroves across Qatar. Importantly, we have shown that compensatory planting of mangrove to support biodiversity and carbon sequestration can be successful over long term (+30 years), but that the positive results take time to be seen. Thus, it is crucial to have a long-term perspective when evaluating the results from mangrove restoration.
New Technologies TRL (Technologial Readiness Level)
We are developing new technologies for supporting marine ecosystem restoration in Qatar. Some of these are already were patented and some new products and technologies are in development and in experimental stages. We are specifically increasing the TRL of products and systems for supporting the restoration of marine ecosystems.
Environmental Management
The ultimate objective of all our projects related to ecosystem restoration is to develop and test science-based strategies for the management of natural resources and ecosystems to the local stakeholders and governmental decision makers