Ecology and Natural Resources
Some resources are oil, natural gas, phosphates, and sulfur.
The Rub'al-Khali has very limited floristic diversity. There are only 37 species, 20 recorded in the main body of the sands and 17 around the outer margins. Among these 37 species, only one or two are endemic. Vegetation is very diffuse but fairly evenly distributed, with some interruptions of near sterile dunes.
Some typical plants are
- Calligonum crinitum on dune slopes
- Cornulaca arabica (saltbush)
- Cyperus conglomeratus.
Other widespread species are
- Dipterygium glaucum
- Limeum arabicum
- Zygophyllum mandavillei (Mandaville 1986).
Very little trees may be found except at the outer margin (typically Acacia ehrenbergiana and Prosopis cineraria).
Other species are a woody perennial Calligonum comosum and annual herbs such as Danthonia forskallii
Read more about this topic: Arabian Desert
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