Open Gulf Ecosystem
The Gulf has not always been submerged in water. Until about 18,000 years ago, it was a dry desert, like the countries that surround it are now. Slowly, river waters from Mesopotamia in the north and Saudi Arabia in the west, as well as Arabian Sea water flooded the Gulf to current sea levels to an average depth of 40 meters starting at about 8,000 years ago. This is the reason it is often referred to as a “young sea”. The Gulf is an extreme environment in which it is difficult to make a living because it is a very hot and saline sea. Despite this, there are many organisms that make the Gulf their permanent or seasonal home during periods of migration. In approximate numbers, there are 200 different species of fish; 79 species of marine mammals; 32 species of sharks; 25 species of rays; five species of sea turtles; 10 species of sea snakes; innumerable species of free-floating luminescent phytoplankton; and many others.
Other Information
Published in: Earthna publications reports
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
See educational resource on publisher's website: https://www.earthna.qa/publications/educational-materials/qatar-marine-ecosystem-lesson-plans
Project Identifier (PI): EEF-2023-003
History
Language
- English
Publisher
Earthna in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC)Publication Year
- 2023
License statement
This Item is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.Institution affiliated with
- Earthna
- Qatar Foundation
- Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
- Qatar Green Building Council