The Hara forests is the common name for mangrove forests on the southern coast of Iran, particularly on and near the island of Qeshm in the Persian Gulf. Qeshm ( Persian: قشم - pronounced kē´shm is an island situated in the Strait of Hormuz off the south coast of Iran and east of Mangroves (generally are Trees and Shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the Tropics and Subtropics. A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Qeshm ( Persian: قشم - pronounced kē´shm is an island situated in the Strait of Hormuz off the south coast of Iran and east of The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the Dominated by the species Avicennia marina, known locally as the "hara" or "harra" tree, the forests represent an important ecological resource. Avicennia marina, commonly known as grey mangrove or white mangrove, is a Species of Mangrove Tree classified in the Ecology (from Greek grc οἶκος oikos, "house(hold" and grc -λογία -logia) is the scientific study of The "Hara Protected Area" on Quesm and the nearly mainland is a biosphere reserve where commercial use is restricted to fishing (mainly shrimp), tourist boat trips, and limited mangrove cutting for animal feed. The biosphere is the broadest level of ecological study the global sum of all Ecosystems. True shrimp are swimming decapod Crustaceans classified in the Infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh
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Hara tree characteristics
The hara tree, Avicennia marina, grows to heights of three to eight meters and has bright green leaves and twigs. The tree is a salt-water plant that is often submerged at high tide. Characteristics A tide is a repeated cycle of sea level changes in the following stages Over several hours the water rises or advances up a beach in the flood It usually blossoms and bears fruit from mid-July to August, with yellow flowers and a sweet almond-like fruit. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also The Almond ( Prunus dulcis, syn Prunus amygdalus Batsch Amygdalus communis L The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. The seeds fall into the water, where wave action takes them to more stationary parts of the sea. The hara seeds become fixed in the soil layers of the sea and grow. The area on the north shore of Qeshm and the neighboring mainland is particularly suited to the growth of the plant, and large mangrove forests have developed.
The long, narrow, oval leaves of the tree have nutritious value for livestock roughly equivalent to barley and alfalfa. Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa) is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop The roots of the tree are knee-form, aerial, sponge-like and usually external. There is a filtration property in the hara tree's bark which allows the plant to absorb sweet water while salt is eliminated.
Forest extent and significance
The hara forest on Qeshm and the opposite mainland covers an area of approximately 20 km by 20 km, with many tidal channels. The traditional stock breeders of Qeshm Island used the leaves of the hara tree for feeding livestock. In 1972 the Hara Protected Area was established to preserve suitable conditions for the growth and maintenance of the forests.
The area is a major habitat for migratory birds in the cold season, and for reptiles, fish, and varieties of arthropoda and bivalves. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two Arthropods are Animals belonging to the Phylum Arthropoda (from Greek ἄρθρον arthron, " Joint " Bivalves are Molluscs belonging to the class Bivalvia. They have two-part shells and typically both valves are symmetrical along the hinge line Green (or hooked) turtles and venomous aquatic snakes are also indigenous to the forests. Turtles are Reptiles of the Order Testudines (all living turtles belong to the Crown group Chelonia) most of A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. Bird life includes herons, flamingos, pelicans, and angler eagles. The herons are wading Birds in the Ardeidae family Some are called Egrets or Bitterns instead of herons Flamingos or flamingoes ( are gregarious Wading birds in the Genus Phoenicopterus and family A pelican is a large water Bird with a distinctive pouch under the beak belonging to the Bird family Pelecanidae. Eagles are large birds of prey which are members of the Bird order Falconiformes and family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera Another important feature of these forests is the appropriate and suitable seabed conditions for the ovulation of fish in the Persian Gulf.
External links
- Thomas Hopner, Hossein Ebrahimipour, M. Kazem Marashi (2000). "Intertidal Areas of the Persian Gulf". Wadden Sea Newsletter.
- Events Magazine article on Qeshm Island
- Fotopages.com page on Hara Forest
- Discussion of Hara Forest on Minâb website
See also
The International Network of Geoparks (INoG is a UNESCO Geoparks programme established in 1998 Australia Kanawinka Geopark Austria Kamptal Geopark Nature Park EisenwurzenDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic