Oman Cultural Diversity & Biodiversity Oman is located at the northeastern tip of Arabian Peninsula with a climate of arid

subtropical. The coastal area is surrounded by the Sea of Oman and Arabian Sea. Inland Oman is more of a low arid desert and some mountainous regions. Low precipitation in this country influences type of trade and cultural support. Throughout history, fishing and farming has been a major economic factor for Oman. Their trade routes include Mediterranean, India, Iran, and Pakistan. The sustainability of their culture over history has come from their fishing, farming, and plant life. Coral reefs are an important ecosystem for sea life because they support different biodiversity which has a significant impact on fishing. Sustaining the habitat of the wildlife is a future investment for the economic structure of fishing and the culture. Ironically, the human impact of fishing has a negative effect on the coral reefs. According to Al-Jufaili, Al-Jabri, AlBaluchi, Baldwin, Wilson, West, & Matthews (1999), whilst natural phenomena likely represent a severe threat to coral reef ecology, fishery and other human activities have been repeatedly implicated in damage and degradation caused to coral reefs (p 73). Fishing nets pose a great threat to the coral reefs because of their ability to become entangled in among the relatively fine, uneven branches of coral reef (Al-Jufaili, et al., 1999). The cultural impact of fishing is economical and the focus should be on the importance of management and awareness. The Oman Coral Reef Management Plan involves the local communities through programs that educate how the nets from fishing affect the coral reefs and the importance of management (AlJufaili, et al., 1999). The history of Frankincense tree, Boswellia sacra, for medicinal and cultural value extends to ancient Egyptians (Coppi, Cecchi, Selvi, & Raffaelli, 2009). There are twenty species of this tree and it is known to grow in the Arabian Peninsula of Oman and the Horn of Somalia

(Coppi, et al., 2009). The trees produce a fragrant gum and resin that are burned as incense. In the past, 3,000 tons of incense was exported to the Mediterranean, Iran, or India because of the healing properties of the fragrant gum the tree produces (Coppi, et al., 2009). They are successful in growing in the desert because of their low water tolerance. However, overtime the tree has been impacted by the climate with lower rainfall and higher temperatures, animal grazing on the tree, and use for firewood. The limited genetic diversity in Dhofar, where the trees are located, has also prompted strategies for conserving the tree. Protection includes fencing that limits access for grazing animals and awareness to discourage the use of the tree for firewood, all of which will help encourage growth (Coppi, et al., 2009). Omans geographical location has historically given the country trade connects with other countries that include the export goods such as wheat or grain. Within the last decade six new botanical varieties of wheat was found near the Hajar Mountains in northern Oman (Filatenko, Hammer, Al Khanjari, & Buerkert, 2010). Finding these new varieties emphasizes the importance of genetic variety and conservation in Oman. Climate is a key factor in the cultural sustainability of Omans biodiversity. Naturally, the climate in Oman is arid subtropical, therefore it does not experience harsh winters as often. Climate change is exhibited through the decrease in rainfall, higher temperatures and the increases of saline groundwater due to the rise in sea level affecting the crops and water consumption (Ahmed & Choudri, 2012). Some ways to deal with the effects of the changes include using solar energy, energy efficiency, sustaining ecosystems through integrated water resource management and developing crops that are thermal and saline resistant (Ahmed & Choudri, 2012).

Awareness and research has helped Oman to be tolerant of the necessary changes needed to sustain its future. Consideration of the economic impact of over grazing and limited genetic diversity promotes new innovative ways to address the needs of nature and the human influence. Some of the innovative ways include embracing technology to assist in energy usage and discovering new plant life. Oman has progressively shown the interest it has in maintaining its culture while being aware of the impact it has on the ecosystems around them.

References: Ahmed, M & Choudri B. S. (2012). Climate change in Oman: current knowledge and way forward. Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues, 5(4), 228-236. doi:10.1109/17537981211284416 Al-Jufaili, S., Al-Jabri, M., Al-Baluchi, A., Baldwin, R. M., Wilson, S. C., West, F., & Matthews, A. D. (1999). Human impacts on coral reefs in the Sultanate of Oman. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, (65-75). Coppi, A., Cecchi, L., Selvi, F., & Raffaelli, M. (2009). The Frankincense tree (Boswellia sacra, Burseraceae) from Oman: ITS and ISSR analyses of genetic diversity and implications for conservation. Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010 Genet Resour Crop Evol, 57, 1041-1052. doi:10.1007/s10722-010-9546-8 Filatenko, A. A., Hammer, K., Al Khanjari, S., & Buerkert, A., (2010). Six new botanical varieties of Triticum from Oman. Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010 Genet Resour Crop Evol, 57, 1135-1139. doi:10.1007/s10722-010-9610-4