Olea europaea | UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants
Taxa
Olea europaea | L.
Publication
Asessment status in full
Vulnerable
Assessment status abreviation
VU
Assessment status criteria
D1
Assessment rationale/justification
This species was first recorded for the UAE in 1997 and is now known to be largely restricted to the 'Olive Highlands' area of the Hajar Mountains in eastern UAE, with additional records from northern slopes of Jebel Jabsah and north of Wadi Ham on the outskirts of Fujairah city. The extent of occurrence (EOO) is less than 200 km<sup>2</sup>. The area of occupancy (AOO) has not been measured as detailed locality records are not available, but it is likely to be less than 200 km<sup>2</sup>. The impact of current and potential threats are not known, however grazing by livestock and feral animals may account for the poor regeneration that was observed in the early 2000's. The species is assessed as Vulnerable (VU D1) because there are thought to be c. 500 mature individuals. No rescue effect is applied as, although the species occurs in Oman, no young trees have been seen. Conservation action and research is required for this species in order to protect significant subpopulations, and to understand the impacts of hybridisation and climate change in the mountains.
Assessment year
2019
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1 + Regional Guidelines v4.0
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Threats listed in assessment
The species is at the northern extent of its range in these mountains. Individuals in wadi beds and the lower parts of ravines are vulnerable to grazing, development (housing, roads etc), and other threats. Grazing by livestock and feral animals might be the cause of the poor regeneration observed by G.R. Feulner (in litt, MEW 2010). There has been localised loss of individuals as a result of development (radio mast construction). In parts of the Olive Highlands, introduced (e.g., from Spain and Italy) olive plantations have been developed. Hybridisation between wild olives and planted olive trees is highly likely by pollinators and wind pollination.
Conservation Measures
Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:
History
Same population size, although the individual trees were in better condition as a a result of higher rainfall.
Scientific Name | Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Olea europaea | Plantae | Tracheophyta | Magnoliopsida | Lamiales | Oleaceae | Olea |