Marine plants of the Arabian Gulf

The marine plants, which are the primary producers in the Arabian Gulf, include the macroalgae, phytoplankton, mangroves, sea grass beds, and intertidal vegetation. The study of the primary producers of the Arabian Gulf is essential to understand the impact of oil pollution on the marine environment. A limited number of such studies is scattered in various publications. An attempt is made here to provide details on the published information on the primary producers of the Arabian Gulf. A total of 1485 species of these primary producers are reported to exist in this region. Information on the important basic oceanographic features of the Arabian Gulf that influence species diversity, standing stock, and seasonal, and spatial variations are also provided. The effects of oil pollution from spills in the Arabian Gulf from the start of large-scale commercial extraction 60 y ago are also discussed.