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Dhofar University Hosts
Research Presentations
on “Mist Water”In Dhofar
Region
Dhofar University hosted on
Tuesday the 2nd of February, 2010 a lecture entitled
“The Continuation of the Environmental System in the Dhofar
Mountains” given by researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for
Environmental Research in Germany wo have been conducting
research on the mist water in the dhofar region.. The presenters
were introduced by Dr. Hussein Yaghi, Assistant VC for Academic
Support Services, and attended by Salim Faraj Abdoon,
Directorate General of the General Directorate of Environment
and Climate Affairs and a number of international and local
experts from the GD of Environment and Climate Affairs, Water
Resources, Dhofar Municipality, GD of Agriculture, Weather
Forecast station, supervisors of the Environmental Club at
Dhofar University, and DU faculty members. The lectures were
parts of resolutions that were brought by the Symposium on
Development in the Agricultural Sector which was held lately in
the Royal Camp in Seih Al Rasiyat in Wilayat Samael.
The first presenter was Dr. Anke
Hilderbrandt, a scientist in the Department Computational Hydro
Systems Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research from
Germany. She gave a presentation about the results of her
research on the “Hydrological Effect in the Dhofar Forests”. She
discussed the results of her experimental research about the
effects of gravitational precipitation, horizontal
precipitation, cloud coverage and soil characteristics on the
growth of trees and grass in the Dhofar Region. She demonstrated
that trees play a decisive role in feeding the soil with water
and replenishing the underground water system. As such, the
absence of trees will have devastating effect on precipitation
as great portion of the misty clouds might pass on and dissipate
without being captured.
The second presentation was given
by Dr. Jan Friesen, also from Helmholtz Centre for Environmental
Research. He focused on the importance of using remote sensing
via satellite in studying the behavior of the cloudy zone of the
Dhofar Region during Khareef and the impact of water
precipitation on vegetations during that season. He presented
scientific evidence about the effect of tree density on soil
saturation with water whereby more trees lead to higher
saturation.
The third presentation was given
by Mr. Abdullah Bawain, from the Ministry of Environment and
Climate Affairs who talked about “Mist Harvesting”. He showed
that the collected precipitation in Dhofar varies from 200 to
400 mm per Khareef season, and added that the project that
researchers are involved in is very important in decreasing land
degradation.
Dr. Yaghi moderated a wrap up
discussion session, thanked the speakers and the guests in the
name of Dhofar University for their efforts in finding solutions
to the decrease in water supplies in Dhofar. He concluded that
the demonstrated research results are evidence about the crucial
role the trees play in replenishing the water resources by
capturing the mist in the horizontal precipitation process,
therefore it is of vital importance to keep those trees and
increase their numbers.
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