Terrestrial Environment and Ecosystems of Kuwait : Assessment and Restoration

• Autore: Suleiman Majda Khalil
• Pubblicazione: Cham : , : Springer International Publishing AG, , 2024; ©2023
• Edizione: 1st ed.
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (428 pages)
• Altri autori: ShahidShabbir Ahmad
• Nota di contenuto: Intro -- Foreword -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- Editors, Contributors, and International Reviewers -- About the Editors -- Contributors -- Reviewers -- Acronyms and Abbreviations -- Part I: Soils, Geographical and Climatic Features, Eco-resources, and Desertification -- Chapter 1: Potential Threats to Soil Functions and Mitigation Options for Sustainable Uses -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Soils of Kuwait -- 1.3 Functions of Soils -- 1.4 Average Composition of Soil -- 1.5 Soil Formation in Kuwait in the Context of Soil Formation Factors and Processes -- 1.5.1 Soil Formation Processes -- 1.5.1.1 Calcification and Decalcification -- 1.5.1.2 Gypsification -- 1.5.1.3 Salinization -- 1.5.1.4 Sodification -- 1.5.1.5 Erosion -- 1.5.1.6 Homogenization and Oxidation -- 1.6 General Description of Soils -- 1.6.1 Sandy Soils -- 1.6.2 Gypsic Soils -- 1.6.3 Saline Soils -- 1.6.4 Calcareous Soils -- 1.7 General Threats to Desert Environment and Proposed Measures -- 1.7.1 Erosion -- 1.7.2 Contamination -- 1.7.3 Salinization -- 1.7.4 Waterlogging -- 1.7.5 Biodiversity -- 1.7.6 Texture -- 1.7.7 Organic Matter -- 1.7.8 Sealing -- 1.7.9 Compaction -- 1.7.10 Dumping -- 1.8 General Soil Types, Threats to Functions, and Mitigation Actions -- 1.9 Conclusions and Recommendations -- References -- Chapter 2: Perspectives of Geography, Environment, and Physiography of Kuwait -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Description of Kuwait Geographical Location and Prominent Terrestrial Features -- 2.2.1 Climate and Weather -- 2.2.2 Kuwait Geomorphology, Topography, and Geology -- 2.2.3 Most Prominent Landforms in the State of Kuwait -- 2.2.3.1 Wadi Al-Batin -- 2.2.3.2 The Current Scenario of Wadis -- 2.2.3.3 Jal Az Zour Escarpment -- 2.2.4 Sabkha -- 2.2.4.1 Northern Coastal Sabkhas -- 2.2.4.2 Southern Inland and Coastal Sabkhas -- 2.2.5 Sand Dunes and Sand Sheets. ; 2.3 General Geographical Features of Kuwait Coast -- 2.4 Kuwait Islands Features -- 2.5 Coastal Geological and Morphological Features -- 2.6 Biodiversity -- 2.6.1 Plant Biodiversity -- 2.6.2 Animal Biodiversity -- 2.6.3 Natural Reserves -- 2.7 Water Resources and Agricultural Aspects -- 2.8 Kuwait Oil Resources and Economy -- 2.9 Ecological Imbalances -- 2.9.1 Urbanization and Population Growth -- 2.9.2 Anthropogenic Activities' Impacts on the Coastal Areas -- 2.10 Climate Change and Global Warming -- 2.10.1 High Temperature -- 2.10.2 Dust Storm -- 2.10.3 Change in Rainfall Pattern -- 2.10.4 Sea Level Rise (SLR) -- 2.10.5 Limited Water Resources and Soil Degradation -- 2.10.6 Land Degradation (Drought, Desertification, Camping) -- 2.11 Conclusions and Recommendations -- References -- Chapter 3: Climate and Climate Change Aspects of Kuwait -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and Conference of Parties -- 3.3 Weather and Climate -- 3.3.1 Climate Recording and Data Processing -- 3.3.1.1 Trends of Temperature Change -- 3.3.1.2 Sun Shine and Solar Radiation -- 3.3.1.3 Clouds -- 3.3.1.4 Rainfall -- 3.3.1.5 Fog -- 3.3.1.6 Relative Humidity -- 3.3.1.7 Wind Speed -- 3.4 Direction and Circulation (Summer and Winter in Relation to Mean Sea Level Pressure) -- 3.5 Impact of Dust on Temperature -- 3.6 Climate Change Features and Consequences in Kuwait -- 3.6.1 Greenhouse Gasses Emission: Carbon Footprint -- 3.6.1.1 Increase in Temperature (Global Warming) -- 3.6.1.2 Sea Level Rise and Impact on Shoreline -- 3.6.1.3 Increased Drought and Crops Water Requirement -- 3.6.1.4 Biodiversity Decline and Ecosystem Distribution -- Habitat Loss and Fragmentation -- Shifts in Species Distribution -- Coral Reef Bleaching -- Disruption of Ecological Interactions -- Increased Vulnerability to Invasive Species. ; Decline in Renewable Water Resources and Use of Treated Waste Water -- Decline in Crops Yield and Impact on Food Security -- 3.7 Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for Kuwait -- 3.7.1 Efficient Irrigation -- 3.7.2 Protected Cultivation -- 3.7.3 Crop Diversification -- 3.7.4 Agroforestry and Conservation Agriculture -- 3.7.5 Improved Fertilization -- 3.7.6 Genetic Adaptation -- 3.8 National Adaptation Plan -- 3.9 Strategies to Mitigate Climate Change -- 3.9.1 Access to Nutritious Food -- 3.9.2 Environmental Conservation -- 3.9.3 Climate Change Mitigation -- 3.9.4 Food Security -- 3.9.5 Economic Benefits -- 3.10 Mitigating Climate Change: Case of Kuwait -- 3.10.1 Renewable Energy Transition -- 3.10.2 Energy Efficiency Measures -- 3.10.3 Sustainable Transport -- 3.10.4 Green Building and Infrastructure -- 3.10.5 Conservation and Restoration -- 3.10.6 Climate Change Adaptation -- 3.10.7 Research and Development -- 3.10.8 Awareness and Education -- 3.11 Conclusions and Recommendations -- References -- Chapter 4: Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity of Kuwait and Proposed Eco-resources Management Strategies: A Review -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity of Kuwait -- 4.2.1 Ecological Footprint (EF) -- 4.2.2 Biocapacity (BC) -- 4.3 Description of Ecological Footprint Measurement Categories -- 4.4 Limitations of Ecological Footprint Calculation -- 4.4.1 Non-ecological Aspects of Sustainability -- 4.4.2 Depletion of Nonrenewable Resources -- 4.4.3 Inherently Unsustainable Activities -- 4.4.4 Ecological Degradation -- 4.4.5 Resilience of Ecosystems -- 4.5 Assumptions on Which EF and BC Measurement is Based -- 4.6 Two Decades Biocapacity and Ecological Footprint of Kuwait (Gha/Capita/Year) -- 4.7 The Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity/Capita/Year (Gha) of Kuwait -- 4.8 The Major Concerns of High EF of Kuwait. ; 4.9 Global Trend of Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity over the Past Six Decades -- 4.10 Comparison of Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity for GCC Countries and the World (2018) -- 4.11 Comparison of Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity for GCC Countries and the World in Gha/Capita/Year -- 4.12 Strategies to Improve Eco-resources of Kuwait -- 4.12.1 Governance of Soil Resources -- 4.12.2 Agriculture Development in the Context of Kuwait Vision 2035 -- 4.12.3 Improving Cropland Component and Biodiversity of the National Biocapacity -- 4.12.4 Carbon Footprint of GCC Countries -- 4.12.5 Mitigations and Adaptations -- 4.12.6 Conservation Agriculture -- 4.12.7 Improving Grazing Lands -- 4.12.8 Combat Desertification to Improve Desert Ecosystems for Carbon Sequestration -- 4.12.9 Strengthening Extension-Research Link -- 4.12.10 Adoption of Kuwait Vision 2035: New Kuwait -- 4.13 Conclusions and Recommendations -- References -- Chapter 5: Desertification: A Central Problem to Restoring Ecosystems -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Global Perspectives of Desertification -- 5.3 UNCCD and Land Degradation Neutrality -- 5.4 Land Degradation and Desertification: Kuwait Perspectives -- 5.5 Soil Particles Movement Mechanisms in the Desert Environment of Kuwait -- 5.6 High Rainfall, Flash Floods, and Water Erosion -- 5.7 Land Degradation Indicators and Associated Types of Land Degradation Depicted in Kuwait Deserts -- 5.8 Determination of Loss or Gain of Soil, Surface Gravels, and Surface Soil Condition -- 5.9 Desertification and Sustainable Management Options in Kuwait -- 5.10 Drifting Sand and Their Management Strategies -- 5.11 Large-Scale Desert Rehabilitation -- 5.12 Conclusions and Recommendations -- References -- Part II: Water Resources, Salinization Aspects and Modeling. ; Chapter 6: Current Status, Challenges, and Future Management Strategies for Water Resources of Kuwait -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Groundwater Studies in Kuwait Based on Scopus Database -- 6.3 Current Status of Water Resources in Kuwait -- 6.3.1 Groundwater Resources -- 6.3.1.1 Groundwater Aquifers -- 6.3.1.2 Water Wells -- Quality of Major Groundwater Fields -- 6.3.2 Desalination -- 6.3.3 Wastewater -- 6.4 Water Utilization -- 6.4.1 Water Demand and Supply -- 6.4.2 Projection -- 6.4.3 Virtual Water and Water Footprint -- 6.5 Challenges and Solutions -- 6.5.1 Water Security -- 6.5.2 Conservation Policy and Pricing -- 6.5.2.1 Rationalizing Tariff and Policy -- 6.5.3 Reducing Desalinization Cost -- 6.5.4 Artificial Recharge -- 6.6 Future Directions for the Management of Water Resources -- 6.6.1 IoT-Based Monitoring and Management -- 6.6.2 Circular Economy -- 6.7 Conclusions and Recommendations -- References -- Chapter 7: Groundwater Salinization in Kuwait: A Major Threat to Indigenous Ecosystems -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Utilized Aquifers in Kuwait -- 7.3 Methodology -- 7.4 Results and Discussion -- 7.4.1 Vertical Salinity Profile -- 7.4.1.1 Upper Dammam Aquifer (Upper Eocene) -- 7.4.1.2 Upper Kuwait Group Aquifer at Jaber Al-Ahmad-Al-Qirawan Region -- 7.4.1.3 Dibdibba Aquifer (Upper Kuwait Group) at Abdaly Farms -- 7.4.2 Sustainable Yield of Brackish Groundwater Reserve in Abdaly Farming Area -- 7.4.3 Estimation of Recharge to Aquifer from Changes in Aquifer Salinity -- 7.4.4 Effects of Groundwater Misuse on the Ecosystem -- 7.5 Conclusions and Recommendations -- References -- Chapter 8: Predicting the Behaviour of the Salt/Fresh-Brackish Water Transition Zone During Scavenger Well Pumping: 1. Numerical Model Development and Testing -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Methodology -- 8.3 Analysis and Discussions. ; 8.3.1 Special Numerical Treatment to the Flow Term of Eq. 8.1.
• Titolo autorizzato: Terrestrial Environment and Ecosystems of Kuwait
• ISBN: 3-031-46262-9
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Record Nr.: 9910799223903321
• Lo trovi qui: Univ. Federico II