Current status of ‘ghaf trees’ Prosopis cineraria (sw.) D.c. in the State of Qatar

A critical decline in the native 'ghaf' tree, Prosopis cineraria, threatens its survival in Qatar's hyper-arid ecosystems. The species, already endangered by overgrazing and environmental stress, faces further competition from the invasive Prosopis juliflora. Research identified only three surviving populations—totaling 25 trees—across Qatar, with one site (Rawdat Makin) showing rapid invasion by P. juliflora and a 40% decline in native vegetation over five years. Seeds from the most stable population exhibited high viability (98% germination post-scarification), enabling conservation efforts through Qatar's gene bank. The study recommends immediate removal of invasive species to protect remaining P. cineraria stands, supported by regulatory action from Qatar’s Ministry of Municipality and Environment.

Elazazi, E. M., Al-Mohannadi, R., Al-Qahtani, M., Shahsil, N., Al-Kuwari, A., & Al-Marri, M. (2016). Current status of ‘ghaf trees’ Prosopis cineraria (sw.) D.c. in the State of Qatar. QScience Proceedings, 2016(4). https://doi.org/10.5339/qproc.2016.qulss.21