Establishment of mangrove ecosystems on man-made islands in Kuwait: Sustainable outcomes in a challenging and changing environment

Abstract

Historical attempts to establish mangrove, Avicennia marina in Kuwait resulted in the development of isolated communities along the northern Kuwait coastline. Mangrove establishment in Kuwait coastal waters have already demonstrated positive impacts in terms of enhancing biodiversity and increasing the habitat complexity. This study describes the establishment of a sustainable population of A. marina (Grey mangrove), a euryhaline and cold tolerant species on man-made islands of Sabah-Al Ahmad Sea City (SAASC), along the southern coast of Kuwait during 2006−2015. A total of 62,605 mangrove seeds were collected from the Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) ecotype during 2006−2008. Overall germination rates in the nursery were 71.8 %, and seedlings were hardened through incremental stages of saline irrigation to become acclimatized to ambient salinity (42−43ppt). Seedlings were planted along the shoreline of the man-made islands of SAASC during May (2007–2009) and growth was monitored by measuring stem length (cm) on a monthly basis during 2009−2015. Plantation success increased initially from 8.3%–62%. The success of mangrove establishment was influenced by harsh arid and variable climatic conditions, and wave induced mortality. Effective mitigation measures through management actions and the provision of wind and wave protection ensured the successful establishment of a sustainable mangrove population in SAASC.