Biodiversity and nature conservation in island ecosystems: spatiotemporal changes in Socotra archipelago (Yemen)

Abstract

Island ecosystems are particularly important to biodiversity around as they host a large number of floral communities. Socotra Island contains a number of endemic flora and fauna, which is of great ecological importance. This study investigated the spatiotemporal changes in geomorphological characteristics, shoreline, and vegetation in Socotra Island using satellite imagery between 1988 and 2019. Our results indicated that the shoreline of Socotra Island did not undergo any significant changes and the observed erosion-accretion processes were nearly balanced. High elevation areas are restricted to the surrounding areas of central massif, where endemic woody vegetation is mainly found. There has been an increase in the area covered by grassland and shrub vegetation during the study period, possibly caused by grazing and invasive species.