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The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of protection from grazing on species diversity in Wadi Tarabat protected area, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. This study was conducted during spring and summer to identify the species diversity using Shannon-Wiener, Brillouin and Simpson species diversity indices in addition to the importance value (IV). A total of 106 different species was recorded. Shannon-Wiener index was significantly higher in the protected area in comparison to the unprotected one (2.64 and 2.15; respectively) and during spring than summer seasons (2.50 and 2.28; respectively). The Simpson index did only reveal significant protection effect (P<0.001). Shannon-Wiener and Brillouin indices are suggested to be more appropriate to express diversity in the study sites. Acacia tortilis, Cenchrus ciliaris and Pennisetum divisum had the highest IV in both protected and unprotected areas during spring and summer. The IV values for A. tortilis ranged between 38.9%, in protected areas during spring, to 44.3% in unprotected areas during summer.