干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Nabkhas are stabilized sand accumulation around native plants. Field studies were conducted and about 240 morphometric parameters (nabkha length, width and height) were collected from nabkhas that developed around 4 dominant perennial halophytes in Kuwait. These perenial native plants are Nitraria retusa, Tamarix aucheriana, Halocnemum strobilaceum and Salicornia europaea.

Nabkhas in saline environment (sabkha) have morphological and ecological characteristics differ from those in desert. The presence of thriving nabkhas within a salty sabkha environment is endorsed to the existence of the shallow fresh groundwater lenses floating on the saline water bodies that are recharged by rainwater and the surface drainage paths. The recharging process was proven in this study through a 15 month period of monthly monitoring for the groundwater level and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in two wells, one in a group of nabkhas in one sand body around Nitraria retusa and the other in sabkha level beside the nabkha. The Nitraria retusa is the most competent plant species within all plant species in Kuwait in trapping mobile sand as it can trap up to 5.5 m(3). The encroached sand around Nitraria retusa complex nabkhas increased with time and this sand body act as a good water storages that can be used efficiently by the plants during dry periods.