Papers by David Gallacher
Salsola schweinfurthii is a perennial branched halophytic shrub that inhabits arid environments i... more Salsola schweinfurthii is a perennial branched halophytic shrub that inhabits arid environments in and around the Arabian Peninsula. Its tolerance to extreme drought renders it suitable for urban arid landscaping. Germinability of intact and de-winged seeds (winged perianth removed) was determined under two photoperiods (0 and 12 hours light per day), three thermoperiods (daily low/high of 15/25, 20/30 and 25/35°C) and five salinity levels (0, 100, 200, 400 and 600 mM NaCl). Germination was maximised (93%) by de-winging and incubation in 12 hours light at 25/35°C. Intact and de-winged seeds both exhibited positive photoblastism. Germination of intact seeds was entirely prevented by the lowest level of salinity, and only slightly less prevented in de-winged seeds. Ability to germinate returned after saline solution was replaced with distilled water. The ability for S. schweinfurthii seeds to remain viable through a temporary period of salinity indicates an adaptation to unpredictable soil surface conditions in arid environments. Artificial propagation rates might be increased by removing perianths and sowing before or after midwinter .
Ecological monitoring in arid rangelands is highly suited to the use of low-altitude aerial image... more Ecological monitoring in arid rangelands is highly suited to the use of low-altitude aerial imagery captured by drone, due to the habitat consisting of large areas with low biomass and biodiversity. Adoption of the technology requires broad expertise in ecology, drone hardware, and data interpretation, usually by a very small team or even an individual. Typically, an ecologist will first understand hardware, and only later develop the skills for interpretation. The aim of this paper is to facilitate this final step, by providing a detailed guide for optimizing image quality during data collection, combining images into a 3D photomosaic, and then using object based image analysis to extract useful information. Two case studies illustrate methods; Vegetation footprint calculation in a Prosopis cineraria plant community and distribution of Uromastyx aegyptia leptieni population via analysis of burrow entrances.
Aerial surveillance can detect visual, heat, vegetation, and atmospheric changes over time, and a... more Aerial surveillance can detect visual, heat, vegetation, and atmospheric changes over time, and aerial transport can facilitate the collection of air, liquid and solid samples for later analysis in laboratory conditions. Drones have great potential for urban environmental analysis, but also raise valid concerns about safety, security and privacy. Ground-based monitoring (Internet of Things) can achieve many of these potentials with no risk to safety and a lower perceived risk to privacy and security. Low altitude drones may become limited to clearly defined geographic regions spatially and altitudinally, while higher altitude drones are likely to be accepted for security reasons, and then also used for environmental purposes. Safety records of military drones are still substandard for civilian application, but the technology is rapidly evolving. Whether society will rank safety of drones against that of vehicle traffic, or shark attacks, is not yet clear.
Movement behavior of ungulates within a mid-sized arid rangeland reservation has implications for... more Movement behavior of ungulates within a mid-sized arid rangeland reservation has implications for both
conservation management and tourism. In this qualitative study, one male and one female Arabian oryx
were tracked each 15 minutes for eight months using GPS collars in the 226 km2 Dubai Desert Conservation
Reserve. Results were consistent with wild animals of the species for movement response to time of day,
temperature, and rainfall. However, the oryx routinely used only 4.5% of their available range, despite
having much larger ranges in wild populations. During summer months,the oryx actively sought drinking
water on an almost daily basis, but utilized shade only opportunistically. Results were consistent with
domesticated ungulates for toleration of anthropogenic proximity in exchange for artificial food and water,
but avoidance of the DDCR boundary fence. An edge of 0.5 -1.5 km from the fence was breached only
occasionally at night, and was unrelated to anthropogenic activity outside the fence. As the edge represents
18-48% of the reserve, carrying capacity could be improved by using artificial feed and water points to
encourage animals into this area.
Protected rangelands in desert shrub habitats are typically large spaces with low biodiversity an... more Protected rangelands in desert shrub habitats are typically large spaces with low biodiversity and sparse biomass. These conditions are optimal for monitoring by drone, since alternatives are prohibitively expensive. Over 600 plants were photographed at 2, 6 and 20 mm ground sampling distances. Each was identified in situ by a resident botanist, and then by two botanists familiar with the region, but not the specific location. At the highest resolution of 2mm, plants were classified to the genus level with 70% accuracy or more. At the lowest resolution of 20mm, 40% of annuals, biennials and dwarf shrubs were classified correctly. Results indicate that it would be feasible in this habitat to conduct repeated measures over a predefined sample area with reasonable accuracy, and thus estimate biomass change within plant categories.
Proceedings of the 5th KIDF, 2015
Traditional ecological monitoring of arid rangelands is labor intensive due to large areas involv... more Traditional ecological monitoring of arid rangelands is labor intensive due to large areas involved, and high spatial variation in biodiversity distribution. The recent emergence of micro-drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) provides a new tool that has the potential to replace much of the monitoring currently done at ground level or by satellite and manned aircraft, thus reducing costs and improving outputs. Methods such as block sampling (e.g.; photographs covering 1 km2), transects (e.g.; photographs of 0.1 x 30 km), stills and video could assist arid rangeland management in the monitoring of animal populations, animal health, plant diversity, plant biomass, and anthropogenic influences, as well as the classification of microhabitats. The aim of this paper is to identify how the technology could be used to deliver practical results for the desert rangeland manager, and identify the tools required to collect and analyze data.
Recruitment frequency of Prosopis cineraria in the United Arab Emirates is poorly understood, tho... more Recruitment frequency of Prosopis cineraria in the United Arab Emirates is poorly understood, though heavy browsing by camels is often assumed to be a limiting factor. Macromorphological characteristics were recorded at eight locations from the northern United Arab Emirates. Tree size (canopy diameter, trunk diameter, and tree height) showed conformity within locations. Height of browse line was strongly affected by camels, which removed foliage to a height of 3 meters whenever present. Recruitment by seed was not observed during the study, and observed asexual recruitment was limited to root suckers produced only within the season. Presence of suckers was unrelated to browsing but strongly affected by a shifting ground surface. Viable theories for the absence of sexual recruitment include seedling destruction by herbivores, a lack of safe sites for seedling growth and establishment, and that sexual recruitment events might naturally occur rarely, but produce many recruits in the rare successful seasons. Significant recruitment of new individuals is likely to occur only with protection from current herbivory systems.
Proceedings of Sixth Health and Environment Conference, HBMsU Congress 2015
Statement of the Problem
Arid rangelands throughout the Middle East / North Africa (MENA) region... more Statement of the Problem
Arid rangelands throughout the Middle East / North Africa (MENA) region are currently managed without clear information of long term trends in vegetation, stocking rates, or ecological health. It is often stated that rangelands suffer from overgrazing and excess water extraction, but there is a lack of reliable historical data to support these claims. Data exists in well managed reserves such as the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR), but it is labor intensive and expensive to maintain a routine system of monitoring.
Recent years have seen the rapid emergence of low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles (micro-UAVs) for civilian use. Dramatic developments in the platforms (drones) have been accompanied by the development of lightweight specialty sensors (e.g.; infra-red and multispectral cameras) and orthomosaic software. These new platform / sensor combinations present a dramatic new tool for the management of conservation zones as well as agricultural areas. Micro-UAVs have clear potential use for spatial ecology studies (Anderson and Gaston 2013) and for biodiversity assessments (Getzin, Wiegand, and Schöning 2012). They offer the potential of providing far more detailed information than previous technologies (from satellite and manned aircraft platforms) at a much lower cost (Walton et al. 2013), and with greater flexibility to gather information at specific times or frequencies. Aerial monitoring is now feasible at pixel resolutions that range from meters to millimeters, which brings imagery to a scale that is relevant to many ecological processes (Anderson and Gaston 2013).
This presentation will review how this emerging technology can be applied to better manage rangelands in the Middle East, and will draw on preliminary results from the author.
Significance and relevance of the work
The long-term aims of this project are to (1) reduce the cost of rangeland monitoring for organizations that are already doing this work manually, and (2) to provide a tool that non-specialists in the region can use, thus encouraging the gathering of much better information for land management decisions.
Applications of the technology for the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) have been identified as follows:
• Habitat classification
• Animal population monitoring via aggregated sites (water / feeding sites) dispersed areas (open rangeland) and indirect methods (e.g.; lizard holes, carcasses)
• Animal condition monitoring. Mammalian body width is indicative of good health and/or pregnancy
• Plant monitoring, including estimations of biodiversity and biomass.
• Anthropogenic monitoring; evaluation of whether safari companies are compliant with regulations for operation within the DDCR.
Tools that are developed for the DDCR will be directly applicable to rangelands throughout the MENA region. The region is highly suited to aerial monitoring, since success of classifying individual plants to species level is inversely proportional to biodiversity within a size class (Féret and Asner 2012), and is improved when individuals are discretely separated by bare ground. Larger herbivores are rarely obstructed by trees. Privacy and safety regulations are of less concern in rangelands due to their remoteness and low human population densities (Laliberte 2012).
Description of research method
Preliminary research has been conducted using a DJI s1000 octocopter equipped with a 24MP RGB and a 3.2 MP multispectral camera, and a SenseFly eBee fixed-wing drone equipped with 12 MP RGB and multispectral cameras. Preliminary trials were conducted to identify the maximum ground sampling distance (related to drone altitude and camera resolution) required to be able to identify individual species with reasonable accuracy. Images were collected at 10 m intervals from 10 to 300m above animal and plant species. From this, trials will be conducted at selected altitudes, and species observation from resulting images will be checked for accuracy against ground-based data.
Results
At time of writing, observational data of known species taken from different altitudes has been collected, illustrating the viability of the technology. By the time of the conference presentation, results should include at least one structured study evaluating the reliability of the technology at a specific ground sampling distance.
Conclusions
Micro-UAVs have an enormous potential for improving rangeland management in the MENA region. However, much work still needs to be done to streamline processes and evaluate the enormous amount of data produced.
International Journal for Excellence in Education, 6 (2)., Oct 2014
Since the launch of a national initiative to equip all UAE federal tertiary students with iPads i... more Since the launch of a national initiative to equip all UAE federal tertiary students with iPads in 2012, there has been considerable discussion among UAE academics on the adoption of touch-screen portable devices. In contrast, there has been almost no discussion on the impact of massive open online courses (MOOCs) to higher education. Internationally this emphasis is reversing. MOOCs have the potential to upend the currently established model of higher education through the emergence of global university brands, while touchscreen mobile devices will have only marginal impact. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that the potential for dramatic change in higher education is being overlooked, while academia focuses on the marginal but necessary advancements that can be made through the adoption of new devices.
INTED2014 Proceedings
Higher education in northern America is witnessing an unprecedented level of innovation, epitomiz... more Higher education in northern America is witnessing an unprecedented level of innovation, epitomized loosely through massive open online courses (MOOCs). The Australian Trade Commission has stated that the world's higher education system is disaggregating, with strong implications for the international student market. A United Kingdom White Paper agrees that MOOCs fit the classification of a disruptive technology. To make a dangerous prediction, new educational models will become internationally entrenched by approximately 2022. By then, a handful of global brands will be awarding degrees, including several Ivy League, Oxbridge, and Chinese namesakes, along with a scattering of other successful institutions. Universities and colleges outside this network will remain independent only if they have a niche market. Disaggregation will see the emergence of five subsectors, which might reaggregate in unpredictable ways:
• The global University brand, of which 15-20 will be successful
• Thousands of curriculum managers, operating individual MOOCs within the parameters of their global University brand.
• The MOOC host, providing technological infrastructure, and big data solutions to generic problems of assessment and accreditation
• The campus, providing a physical location for infrastructure, student socialization, and learning communities
• Miscellaneous third-party services
Change will initially be driven partly to reduce costs, and partly to improve student access. As a new structure emerges, the combination of revenue, data mining, and global branding will facilitate improvements in the way education is delivered. It will be far easier for employer groups to influence undergraduate curriculum to suit their particular needs, and to blend employment with study. Automated assessment tools will save labor and produce new metrics of student learning, thus tracking student progress throughout their study. Consequently, MOOC hosts will become the accreditors of courses and institutions, putting further pressure on institutions to opt in. Institutions will be judged more by their effectiveness at facilitating student progress. Fears of widespread job losses among educators are therefore unfounded. For those who love educating, change may bring greater job satisfaction through more stimulating student-instructor interactions.
How should the United Arab Emirates prepare for and benefit from this readjustment? This paper differentiates between immediate adaptive responses, and unbundling responses that require significant investment and good timing. Examples of the former include creating MOOCs for which the country has a competitive advantage, and blending MOOCs into existing programs. Examples of the latter involve the launch of new businesses, such as a translation/cultural adaptation service, and specialized campuses. Existing universities will need to adapt to changing market conditions to remain relevant, requiring them to redefine how they add value for their clients. They will need to choose between a niche or a global brand of education, and to modify their physical spaces and policies accordingly. All aspects of the current education model will be questioned; the graduate qualification, the credit hour, the educator/researcher paradigm, the measure of student success, and the medium of learning.""""
11th International Conference on Development of Drylands, Beijing, China, Mar 21, 2013
Distribution of Prosopis cineraria in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) varies from open forests in ... more Distribution of Prosopis cineraria in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) varies from open forests in gravelly wadi beds, to tight clusters in low sand dunes. Observations of pod production were used to test the hypothesis that clustering was due to asexual reproduction, while open forests were derived sexually. Flowers are self-incompatible and insect pollinated, thus requiring pollination from a genetically different tree to produce fruit. Observations of pod distributions on 591 trees in open, clustered, and mixed forests could all be explained by the hypothesis. Findings indicate that large clusters containing hundreds of genetically identical trees are common, and that asexual reproduction is far more frequent in the region than is sexual. Conservation efforts should facilitate both forms of reproduction within the species' natural range. Food sources for native wildlife, and for livestock, could both be enhanced by increasing the rate of outcrossing during pollination in clonal forests.
In recent years there has been a large increase of Higher education options in the United Arab Em... more In recent years there has been a large increase of Higher education options in the United Arab Emirates. Emirati school leavers must choose among newly established institutions that provide unproven qualifications, at the same time as their society undergoes a rapid transformation. Online surveys were administered to female Emirati students in the first (n = 407) and second (n = 188) semester of the Zayed University general education program, to investigate entering student awareness and perceptions of the seven majors available. Respondents indicated they were motivated by a desire to learn, and had selected their institution for its high academic standards. Half thought they had already decided their major, and while most felt they had made the decision themselves, they were influenced mostly by their immediate family members. Business was ranked highest for potential salary and job availability, and was second only to International Studies for potential social status. All other majors effectively compete with Business for students. Student awareness of Health Sciences and International Studies lagged behind other majors, indicating a need for promotion and/or rebranding. Respondents expressed a clear desire for the introduction of Engineering, Medicine and Law to the course offerings.
Over the last 35 years land management and farmer lifestyles have changed dramatically on the ran... more Over the last 35 years land management and farmer lifestyles have changed dramatically on the rangelands of the United Arab Emirates. The human relationship with rangelands has moved from subsistence to a secondary income or hobby. Both ecological health and indigenous knowledge of rangelands are in decline. Large areas of the inland desert of the country are rapidly becoming urbanized. This paper reviews threats to the 225 km 2 Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR). Inland desert rangelands are threatened by groundwater depletion, habitat fragmentation, exotic species introductions and overgrazing. The paper argues that overgrazing is currently the most serious threat to the inland desert, reducing range species diversity, production and available forage. Reduction of stocking rates requires a revision of pro-agricultural policies and resolving the legal ambiguity surrounding common grazing lands. It can be reasonably expected that environmental attitudes will shift from anthropocentric to ecocentric over time, but a shift in cultural heritage perceptions may also be needed to reassert a balanced approach to rangeland management.
Germination in the arid rangelands of the UAE occurs as an ‘event’ following a mid-winter to spri... more Germination in the arid rangelands of the UAE occurs as an ‘event’ following a mid-winter to spring rainfall. A fence line study of germination events was conducted in 2005 and 2006 to identify the response to differential grazing regimes. Fifty-six 1m2 seedling plots were destructively sampled each season. Heavy grazing reduced species richness and diversity without significantly reducing seedling density. Both annual and perennial species were impacted, though the reduction in richness of annual species was less pronounced than the natural variation among locations. Direct grazing of seedlings is limited to a few weeks, due to the short annual plant life span. Reduction of perennial seedling density and species richness was likely caused by the reduced size of adult plants under grazing. Recruitment of perennial species could be affected by heavy grazing, leading to loss of habitat, though under moderate grazing levels this could easily be compensated by greater survival.
"Grazing of the Dubai inland desert has changed substantially over the last century, and particul... more "Grazing of the Dubai inland desert has changed substantially over the last century, and particularly over the last three decades. Populations of oryx, ostriches and gazelles have been replaced by an increased camel herd, which is at least 2.5 times historical levels. Camel grazing patterns differ to smaller herbivores, affecting plant species composition. Camels are given supplementary feed, so their population is not limited by seasonal availability of vegetation. Desert plants face longer periods of heavy grazing from a larger camel population, and shorter periods for recovery. Plant chemical defenses may also be less effective from the different grazing regime.
Although widely considered to be overgrazed, there is little information in the UAE on appropriate stocking levels for purposes of ecological sustainability or for maximizing pastoral production. The effect of grazing on vegetation was studied within the recently formed Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR). Camel farms on the DDCR release camels during the day, allowing them to graze natural vegetation within the Reserve. It also contains an inner enclosure of five years in which camels were replaced by oryx and gazelles, separated by a 20 km fence. Fence line studies were made of (1) small (<1 m high) perennial plants, (2) seedling emergence during the winter of 2004/5, and (3) size and distribution of large shrubs (> 1 m high). In addition, telephone surveys were conducted on DDCR farmers, and spatial distribution of trees was recorded.
Heavy grazing in the DDCR has reduced the cover of small perennial plant species, reducing their capacity for annual forage production. The extent of overgrazing on gravel substrata was severe, but it was also significant on sand substrata. There was some evidence of localized dune stabilization in the camel exclosure, due to increased vegetation. Germination density of perennial species was greater in the camel exclosure, probably caused by higher seed production of the larger plants. Germination density of annual plant species was not affected by grazing, but was much greater in closer proximity to established small shrubs. No germination was observed to be associated with feces of camels, oryx, gazelle or dhub lizards (Uromastyx aegyptiaca). Plants reached reproductive maturity at a height of 10 cm or less. Large shrubs were differentially impacted by grazing systems. Calligonum comosum was devastated by camel grazing. Leptadenia pyrotechnica and Lycium schawii were substantially reduced in size, though their long term impact is not yet known. Two species benefited from heavy grazing; the large shrub Calotropis procera and the sedge Cyperus conglomeratus. Among trees, the regeneration of Prosopis cineraria appears to have been severely reduced by herbivory at the small shrub stage, but no evidence of effects on Acacia tortilis was recorded.
Observed vegetation differences were primarily due to a greater level of grazing in the DDCR than the exclosure, but the ecological impact of camel grazing differs to that of oryx and gazelles. Rapid recovery within the camel exclosure indicates that plant species are well adapted to periods of heavy grazing, and ecological degradation in the DDCR is reversible. Nevertheless, complete recovery of plant species composition may take decades after a reduction of stocking rate. Recovery would benefit native wildlife, and also farmers by reducing their reliance of supplementary feed. Several options for reducing the impact of camel grazing are considered."
Over the last 35 years land management and farmer lifestyles have changed dramatically on the ran... more Over the last 35 years land management and farmer lifestyles have changed dramatically on the rangelands of the United Arab Emirates. The human relationship with rangelands has moved from subsistence to a secondary income or hobby. Both ecological health and indigenous knowledge of rangelands are in decline. Large areas of the inland desert of the country are rapidly becoming urbanized. This paper reviews threats to the 225 km2 Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR). Inland desert rangelands are threatened by groundwater depletion, habitat fragmentation, exotic species introductions and overgrazing. The paper argues that overgrazing is currently the most serious threat to the inland desert, reducing range species diversity, production and available forage. Reduction of stocking rates requires a revision of pro-agricultural policies and resolving the legal ambiguity surrounding common grazing lands. It can be reasonably expected that environmental attitudes will shift from anthropocentric to ecocentric over time, but a shift in cultural heritage perceptions may also be needed to reassert a balanced approach to rangeland management.
Camel grazing is recognized as a primary cause of ecological degradation in the UAE. A study of p... more Camel grazing is recognized as a primary cause of ecological degradation in the UAE. A study of perennial plant species o1m in height was conducted along a fence separating continuously camel grazed land from land in which camels had been replaced by oryx and gazelle species for 5 years (Al Maha). Vegetation regeneration in Al Maha in the absence of camels was considerable on all substrates (gravel, stable sand, and semi-stable sand) but was greatest on the gravel substratum, indicating that ecology in this habitat is most at risk. Observed regeneration was primarily through vegetative reproduction and growth of existing plants, showing that existing species can tolerate heavy grazing. Therefore, an equilibrium grazing model of continuous and reversible vegetation dynamics is most suitable for management of this ecological zone. Species richness was greater in Al Maha due to the greater number of plants, but biodiversity was unaffected. There was some evidence of localized dune stabilization within Al Maha due to increased vegetative cover. Further recovery of vegetation within Al Maha is discussed. This study highlights the need for reduced grazing pressure throughout the Dubai inland desert, and in particular on gravel substrata.
RIRDC Publication No 04/028, 2004
Trials were conducted by co-operators across the country over a number of years on a wide range o... more Trials were conducted by co-operators across the country over a number of years on a wide range of crops, including Asian cucurbits (melons and gourds) and kabocha, burdock, daikon, kailaan, taro, Japanese bunching onion, sweet potato and okra. Much verification of the information collected by the cooperating researchers from the various research and development institutes around the country has taken place, and the final commodity reports for four of the commodities were reviewed by all involved. The reports on these trials detail multiple field experiments and laboratory quality assessments. These have already been of use to those getting involved in the kabocha industry. A series of short articles relating to the salient points on each crop researched in the project was prepared for a more popular audience than that for the more informative commodity reports. Reports on other commodities have been published by RIRDC and HAL since the completion of this project.
The cooperative meetings between researchers, growers and others involved in the industry initiated through this project have continued with RIRDC support. As a consequence of this a series of workshops conducted for producers in southern Qld and northern NSW culminated in the formation of the Asian Vegetables Grower Association (AVGA). The AVGA is currently working primarily on a domestic marketing strategy.
CQU posted a website in which information on many Asian vegetable species is provided on a 'whole demand chain' basis, including general information on genetic, production, post-harvest,
disease, quality, and status of domestic and international markets. Details of these crops are to be found at the following www site:
http://www.ahs.cqu.edu.au/info/science/psg/AsianVeg/AsianVeg.html, and have been supplemented by additional information on the parallel Asian Root Crop project (UCQ-13A) funded by RIRDC. CQU continues to receive numerous requests for information and
contacts for a range of Asian vegetables. Contacts have been made and nurtured with interested buyers from Hong Kong (specialty vegetables), Singapore (winter melon), Beijing (cucurbits) and New Zealand (taro and winter melon).
An experiment was conducted to determine whether open-hearted Asian Brassicas can be grouped for the sake of chemical registration. Through this project, the National Registration Authority (now the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) became aware of problems in current registration groupings, and producers have worked with QFVG and AusVeg to put together applications for minor use permits. Some of these have been approved, and have been frequently listed in the QFVG News.
There has been considerable interest in developing root crops (taro, yam bean, sweet potato and, to a lesser extent, yam) for domestic and export markets. Networking from the current project has enabled a large number of producers and processors/exporters to discuss and undertake collaboration
in another project funded by RIRDC, focussing on the Japanese and US markets.
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Papers by David Gallacher
conservation management and tourism. In this qualitative study, one male and one female Arabian oryx
were tracked each 15 minutes for eight months using GPS collars in the 226 km2 Dubai Desert Conservation
Reserve. Results were consistent with wild animals of the species for movement response to time of day,
temperature, and rainfall. However, the oryx routinely used only 4.5% of their available range, despite
having much larger ranges in wild populations. During summer months,the oryx actively sought drinking
water on an almost daily basis, but utilized shade only opportunistically. Results were consistent with
domesticated ungulates for toleration of anthropogenic proximity in exchange for artificial food and water,
but avoidance of the DDCR boundary fence. An edge of 0.5 -1.5 km from the fence was breached only
occasionally at night, and was unrelated to anthropogenic activity outside the fence. As the edge represents
18-48% of the reserve, carrying capacity could be improved by using artificial feed and water points to
encourage animals into this area.
Arid rangelands throughout the Middle East / North Africa (MENA) region are currently managed without clear information of long term trends in vegetation, stocking rates, or ecological health. It is often stated that rangelands suffer from overgrazing and excess water extraction, but there is a lack of reliable historical data to support these claims. Data exists in well managed reserves such as the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR), but it is labor intensive and expensive to maintain a routine system of monitoring.
Recent years have seen the rapid emergence of low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles (micro-UAVs) for civilian use. Dramatic developments in the platforms (drones) have been accompanied by the development of lightweight specialty sensors (e.g.; infra-red and multispectral cameras) and orthomosaic software. These new platform / sensor combinations present a dramatic new tool for the management of conservation zones as well as agricultural areas. Micro-UAVs have clear potential use for spatial ecology studies (Anderson and Gaston 2013) and for biodiversity assessments (Getzin, Wiegand, and Schöning 2012). They offer the potential of providing far more detailed information than previous technologies (from satellite and manned aircraft platforms) at a much lower cost (Walton et al. 2013), and with greater flexibility to gather information at specific times or frequencies. Aerial monitoring is now feasible at pixel resolutions that range from meters to millimeters, which brings imagery to a scale that is relevant to many ecological processes (Anderson and Gaston 2013).
This presentation will review how this emerging technology can be applied to better manage rangelands in the Middle East, and will draw on preliminary results from the author.
Significance and relevance of the work
The long-term aims of this project are to (1) reduce the cost of rangeland monitoring for organizations that are already doing this work manually, and (2) to provide a tool that non-specialists in the region can use, thus encouraging the gathering of much better information for land management decisions.
Applications of the technology for the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) have been identified as follows:
• Habitat classification
• Animal population monitoring via aggregated sites (water / feeding sites) dispersed areas (open rangeland) and indirect methods (e.g.; lizard holes, carcasses)
• Animal condition monitoring. Mammalian body width is indicative of good health and/or pregnancy
• Plant monitoring, including estimations of biodiversity and biomass.
• Anthropogenic monitoring; evaluation of whether safari companies are compliant with regulations for operation within the DDCR.
Tools that are developed for the DDCR will be directly applicable to rangelands throughout the MENA region. The region is highly suited to aerial monitoring, since success of classifying individual plants to species level is inversely proportional to biodiversity within a size class (Féret and Asner 2012), and is improved when individuals are discretely separated by bare ground. Larger herbivores are rarely obstructed by trees. Privacy and safety regulations are of less concern in rangelands due to their remoteness and low human population densities (Laliberte 2012).
Description of research method
Preliminary research has been conducted using a DJI s1000 octocopter equipped with a 24MP RGB and a 3.2 MP multispectral camera, and a SenseFly eBee fixed-wing drone equipped with 12 MP RGB and multispectral cameras. Preliminary trials were conducted to identify the maximum ground sampling distance (related to drone altitude and camera resolution) required to be able to identify individual species with reasonable accuracy. Images were collected at 10 m intervals from 10 to 300m above animal and plant species. From this, trials will be conducted at selected altitudes, and species observation from resulting images will be checked for accuracy against ground-based data.
Results
At time of writing, observational data of known species taken from different altitudes has been collected, illustrating the viability of the technology. By the time of the conference presentation, results should include at least one structured study evaluating the reliability of the technology at a specific ground sampling distance.
Conclusions
Micro-UAVs have an enormous potential for improving rangeland management in the MENA region. However, much work still needs to be done to streamline processes and evaluate the enormous amount of data produced.
• The global University brand, of which 15-20 will be successful
• Thousands of curriculum managers, operating individual MOOCs within the parameters of their global University brand.
• The MOOC host, providing technological infrastructure, and big data solutions to generic problems of assessment and accreditation
• The campus, providing a physical location for infrastructure, student socialization, and learning communities
• Miscellaneous third-party services
Change will initially be driven partly to reduce costs, and partly to improve student access. As a new structure emerges, the combination of revenue, data mining, and global branding will facilitate improvements in the way education is delivered. It will be far easier for employer groups to influence undergraduate curriculum to suit their particular needs, and to blend employment with study. Automated assessment tools will save labor and produce new metrics of student learning, thus tracking student progress throughout their study. Consequently, MOOC hosts will become the accreditors of courses and institutions, putting further pressure on institutions to opt in. Institutions will be judged more by their effectiveness at facilitating student progress. Fears of widespread job losses among educators are therefore unfounded. For those who love educating, change may bring greater job satisfaction through more stimulating student-instructor interactions.
How should the United Arab Emirates prepare for and benefit from this readjustment? This paper differentiates between immediate adaptive responses, and unbundling responses that require significant investment and good timing. Examples of the former include creating MOOCs for which the country has a competitive advantage, and blending MOOCs into existing programs. Examples of the latter involve the launch of new businesses, such as a translation/cultural adaptation service, and specialized campuses. Existing universities will need to adapt to changing market conditions to remain relevant, requiring them to redefine how they add value for their clients. They will need to choose between a niche or a global brand of education, and to modify their physical spaces and policies accordingly. All aspects of the current education model will be questioned; the graduate qualification, the credit hour, the educator/researcher paradigm, the measure of student success, and the medium of learning.""""
Although widely considered to be overgrazed, there is little information in the UAE on appropriate stocking levels for purposes of ecological sustainability or for maximizing pastoral production. The effect of grazing on vegetation was studied within the recently formed Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR). Camel farms on the DDCR release camels during the day, allowing them to graze natural vegetation within the Reserve. It also contains an inner enclosure of five years in which camels were replaced by oryx and gazelles, separated by a 20 km fence. Fence line studies were made of (1) small (<1 m high) perennial plants, (2) seedling emergence during the winter of 2004/5, and (3) size and distribution of large shrubs (> 1 m high). In addition, telephone surveys were conducted on DDCR farmers, and spatial distribution of trees was recorded.
Heavy grazing in the DDCR has reduced the cover of small perennial plant species, reducing their capacity for annual forage production. The extent of overgrazing on gravel substrata was severe, but it was also significant on sand substrata. There was some evidence of localized dune stabilization in the camel exclosure, due to increased vegetation. Germination density of perennial species was greater in the camel exclosure, probably caused by higher seed production of the larger plants. Germination density of annual plant species was not affected by grazing, but was much greater in closer proximity to established small shrubs. No germination was observed to be associated with feces of camels, oryx, gazelle or dhub lizards (Uromastyx aegyptiaca). Plants reached reproductive maturity at a height of 10 cm or less. Large shrubs were differentially impacted by grazing systems. Calligonum comosum was devastated by camel grazing. Leptadenia pyrotechnica and Lycium schawii were substantially reduced in size, though their long term impact is not yet known. Two species benefited from heavy grazing; the large shrub Calotropis procera and the sedge Cyperus conglomeratus. Among trees, the regeneration of Prosopis cineraria appears to have been severely reduced by herbivory at the small shrub stage, but no evidence of effects on Acacia tortilis was recorded.
Observed vegetation differences were primarily due to a greater level of grazing in the DDCR than the exclosure, but the ecological impact of camel grazing differs to that of oryx and gazelles. Rapid recovery within the camel exclosure indicates that plant species are well adapted to periods of heavy grazing, and ecological degradation in the DDCR is reversible. Nevertheless, complete recovery of plant species composition may take decades after a reduction of stocking rate. Recovery would benefit native wildlife, and also farmers by reducing their reliance of supplementary feed. Several options for reducing the impact of camel grazing are considered."
The cooperative meetings between researchers, growers and others involved in the industry initiated through this project have continued with RIRDC support. As a consequence of this a series of workshops conducted for producers in southern Qld and northern NSW culminated in the formation of the Asian Vegetables Grower Association (AVGA). The AVGA is currently working primarily on a domestic marketing strategy.
CQU posted a website in which information on many Asian vegetable species is provided on a 'whole demand chain' basis, including general information on genetic, production, post-harvest,
disease, quality, and status of domestic and international markets. Details of these crops are to be found at the following www site:
http://www.ahs.cqu.edu.au/info/science/psg/AsianVeg/AsianVeg.html, and have been supplemented by additional information on the parallel Asian Root Crop project (UCQ-13A) funded by RIRDC. CQU continues to receive numerous requests for information and
contacts for a range of Asian vegetables. Contacts have been made and nurtured with interested buyers from Hong Kong (specialty vegetables), Singapore (winter melon), Beijing (cucurbits) and New Zealand (taro and winter melon).
An experiment was conducted to determine whether open-hearted Asian Brassicas can be grouped for the sake of chemical registration. Through this project, the National Registration Authority (now the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) became aware of problems in current registration groupings, and producers have worked with QFVG and AusVeg to put together applications for minor use permits. Some of these have been approved, and have been frequently listed in the QFVG News.
There has been considerable interest in developing root crops (taro, yam bean, sweet potato and, to a lesser extent, yam) for domestic and export markets. Networking from the current project has enabled a large number of producers and processors/exporters to discuss and undertake collaboration
in another project funded by RIRDC, focussing on the Japanese and US markets.
conservation management and tourism. In this qualitative study, one male and one female Arabian oryx
were tracked each 15 minutes for eight months using GPS collars in the 226 km2 Dubai Desert Conservation
Reserve. Results were consistent with wild animals of the species for movement response to time of day,
temperature, and rainfall. However, the oryx routinely used only 4.5% of their available range, despite
having much larger ranges in wild populations. During summer months,the oryx actively sought drinking
water on an almost daily basis, but utilized shade only opportunistically. Results were consistent with
domesticated ungulates for toleration of anthropogenic proximity in exchange for artificial food and water,
but avoidance of the DDCR boundary fence. An edge of 0.5 -1.5 km from the fence was breached only
occasionally at night, and was unrelated to anthropogenic activity outside the fence. As the edge represents
18-48% of the reserve, carrying capacity could be improved by using artificial feed and water points to
encourage animals into this area.
Arid rangelands throughout the Middle East / North Africa (MENA) region are currently managed without clear information of long term trends in vegetation, stocking rates, or ecological health. It is often stated that rangelands suffer from overgrazing and excess water extraction, but there is a lack of reliable historical data to support these claims. Data exists in well managed reserves such as the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR), but it is labor intensive and expensive to maintain a routine system of monitoring.
Recent years have seen the rapid emergence of low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles (micro-UAVs) for civilian use. Dramatic developments in the platforms (drones) have been accompanied by the development of lightweight specialty sensors (e.g.; infra-red and multispectral cameras) and orthomosaic software. These new platform / sensor combinations present a dramatic new tool for the management of conservation zones as well as agricultural areas. Micro-UAVs have clear potential use for spatial ecology studies (Anderson and Gaston 2013) and for biodiversity assessments (Getzin, Wiegand, and Schöning 2012). They offer the potential of providing far more detailed information than previous technologies (from satellite and manned aircraft platforms) at a much lower cost (Walton et al. 2013), and with greater flexibility to gather information at specific times or frequencies. Aerial monitoring is now feasible at pixel resolutions that range from meters to millimeters, which brings imagery to a scale that is relevant to many ecological processes (Anderson and Gaston 2013).
This presentation will review how this emerging technology can be applied to better manage rangelands in the Middle East, and will draw on preliminary results from the author.
Significance and relevance of the work
The long-term aims of this project are to (1) reduce the cost of rangeland monitoring for organizations that are already doing this work manually, and (2) to provide a tool that non-specialists in the region can use, thus encouraging the gathering of much better information for land management decisions.
Applications of the technology for the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) have been identified as follows:
• Habitat classification
• Animal population monitoring via aggregated sites (water / feeding sites) dispersed areas (open rangeland) and indirect methods (e.g.; lizard holes, carcasses)
• Animal condition monitoring. Mammalian body width is indicative of good health and/or pregnancy
• Plant monitoring, including estimations of biodiversity and biomass.
• Anthropogenic monitoring; evaluation of whether safari companies are compliant with regulations for operation within the DDCR.
Tools that are developed for the DDCR will be directly applicable to rangelands throughout the MENA region. The region is highly suited to aerial monitoring, since success of classifying individual plants to species level is inversely proportional to biodiversity within a size class (Féret and Asner 2012), and is improved when individuals are discretely separated by bare ground. Larger herbivores are rarely obstructed by trees. Privacy and safety regulations are of less concern in rangelands due to their remoteness and low human population densities (Laliberte 2012).
Description of research method
Preliminary research has been conducted using a DJI s1000 octocopter equipped with a 24MP RGB and a 3.2 MP multispectral camera, and a SenseFly eBee fixed-wing drone equipped with 12 MP RGB and multispectral cameras. Preliminary trials were conducted to identify the maximum ground sampling distance (related to drone altitude and camera resolution) required to be able to identify individual species with reasonable accuracy. Images were collected at 10 m intervals from 10 to 300m above animal and plant species. From this, trials will be conducted at selected altitudes, and species observation from resulting images will be checked for accuracy against ground-based data.
Results
At time of writing, observational data of known species taken from different altitudes has been collected, illustrating the viability of the technology. By the time of the conference presentation, results should include at least one structured study evaluating the reliability of the technology at a specific ground sampling distance.
Conclusions
Micro-UAVs have an enormous potential for improving rangeland management in the MENA region. However, much work still needs to be done to streamline processes and evaluate the enormous amount of data produced.
• The global University brand, of which 15-20 will be successful
• Thousands of curriculum managers, operating individual MOOCs within the parameters of their global University brand.
• The MOOC host, providing technological infrastructure, and big data solutions to generic problems of assessment and accreditation
• The campus, providing a physical location for infrastructure, student socialization, and learning communities
• Miscellaneous third-party services
Change will initially be driven partly to reduce costs, and partly to improve student access. As a new structure emerges, the combination of revenue, data mining, and global branding will facilitate improvements in the way education is delivered. It will be far easier for employer groups to influence undergraduate curriculum to suit their particular needs, and to blend employment with study. Automated assessment tools will save labor and produce new metrics of student learning, thus tracking student progress throughout their study. Consequently, MOOC hosts will become the accreditors of courses and institutions, putting further pressure on institutions to opt in. Institutions will be judged more by their effectiveness at facilitating student progress. Fears of widespread job losses among educators are therefore unfounded. For those who love educating, change may bring greater job satisfaction through more stimulating student-instructor interactions.
How should the United Arab Emirates prepare for and benefit from this readjustment? This paper differentiates between immediate adaptive responses, and unbundling responses that require significant investment and good timing. Examples of the former include creating MOOCs for which the country has a competitive advantage, and blending MOOCs into existing programs. Examples of the latter involve the launch of new businesses, such as a translation/cultural adaptation service, and specialized campuses. Existing universities will need to adapt to changing market conditions to remain relevant, requiring them to redefine how they add value for their clients. They will need to choose between a niche or a global brand of education, and to modify their physical spaces and policies accordingly. All aspects of the current education model will be questioned; the graduate qualification, the credit hour, the educator/researcher paradigm, the measure of student success, and the medium of learning.""""
Although widely considered to be overgrazed, there is little information in the UAE on appropriate stocking levels for purposes of ecological sustainability or for maximizing pastoral production. The effect of grazing on vegetation was studied within the recently formed Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR). Camel farms on the DDCR release camels during the day, allowing them to graze natural vegetation within the Reserve. It also contains an inner enclosure of five years in which camels were replaced by oryx and gazelles, separated by a 20 km fence. Fence line studies were made of (1) small (<1 m high) perennial plants, (2) seedling emergence during the winter of 2004/5, and (3) size and distribution of large shrubs (> 1 m high). In addition, telephone surveys were conducted on DDCR farmers, and spatial distribution of trees was recorded.
Heavy grazing in the DDCR has reduced the cover of small perennial plant species, reducing their capacity for annual forage production. The extent of overgrazing on gravel substrata was severe, but it was also significant on sand substrata. There was some evidence of localized dune stabilization in the camel exclosure, due to increased vegetation. Germination density of perennial species was greater in the camel exclosure, probably caused by higher seed production of the larger plants. Germination density of annual plant species was not affected by grazing, but was much greater in closer proximity to established small shrubs. No germination was observed to be associated with feces of camels, oryx, gazelle or dhub lizards (Uromastyx aegyptiaca). Plants reached reproductive maturity at a height of 10 cm or less. Large shrubs were differentially impacted by grazing systems. Calligonum comosum was devastated by camel grazing. Leptadenia pyrotechnica and Lycium schawii were substantially reduced in size, though their long term impact is not yet known. Two species benefited from heavy grazing; the large shrub Calotropis procera and the sedge Cyperus conglomeratus. Among trees, the regeneration of Prosopis cineraria appears to have been severely reduced by herbivory at the small shrub stage, but no evidence of effects on Acacia tortilis was recorded.
Observed vegetation differences were primarily due to a greater level of grazing in the DDCR than the exclosure, but the ecological impact of camel grazing differs to that of oryx and gazelles. Rapid recovery within the camel exclosure indicates that plant species are well adapted to periods of heavy grazing, and ecological degradation in the DDCR is reversible. Nevertheless, complete recovery of plant species composition may take decades after a reduction of stocking rate. Recovery would benefit native wildlife, and also farmers by reducing their reliance of supplementary feed. Several options for reducing the impact of camel grazing are considered."
The cooperative meetings between researchers, growers and others involved in the industry initiated through this project have continued with RIRDC support. As a consequence of this a series of workshops conducted for producers in southern Qld and northern NSW culminated in the formation of the Asian Vegetables Grower Association (AVGA). The AVGA is currently working primarily on a domestic marketing strategy.
CQU posted a website in which information on many Asian vegetable species is provided on a 'whole demand chain' basis, including general information on genetic, production, post-harvest,
disease, quality, and status of domestic and international markets. Details of these crops are to be found at the following www site:
http://www.ahs.cqu.edu.au/info/science/psg/AsianVeg/AsianVeg.html, and have been supplemented by additional information on the parallel Asian Root Crop project (UCQ-13A) funded by RIRDC. CQU continues to receive numerous requests for information and
contacts for a range of Asian vegetables. Contacts have been made and nurtured with interested buyers from Hong Kong (specialty vegetables), Singapore (winter melon), Beijing (cucurbits) and New Zealand (taro and winter melon).
An experiment was conducted to determine whether open-hearted Asian Brassicas can be grouped for the sake of chemical registration. Through this project, the National Registration Authority (now the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) became aware of problems in current registration groupings, and producers have worked with QFVG and AusVeg to put together applications for minor use permits. Some of these have been approved, and have been frequently listed in the QFVG News.
There has been considerable interest in developing root crops (taro, yam bean, sweet potato and, to a lesser extent, yam) for domestic and export markets. Networking from the current project has enabled a large number of producers and processors/exporters to discuss and undertake collaboration
in another project funded by RIRDC, focussing on the Japanese and US markets.
Arid rangelands throughout the Middle East / North Africa (MENA) region are currently managed without clear information of long term trends in vegetation, stocking rates, or ecological health. It is often stated that rangelands suffer from overgrazing and excess water extraction, but there is a lack of reliable historical data to support these claims. Data exists in well managed reserves such as the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR), but it is labor intensive and expensive to maintain a routine system of monitoring.
Recent years have seen the rapid emergence of low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles (micro-UAVs) for civilian use. Dramatic developments in the platforms (drones) have been accompanied by the development of lightweight specialty sensors (e.g.; infra-red and multispectral cameras) and orthomosaic software. These new platform / sensor combinations present a dramatic new tool for the management of conservation zones as well as agricultural areas. Micro-UAVs have clear potential use for spatial ecology studies (Anderson and Gaston, 2013) and for biodiversity assessments (Getzin et al., 2012). They offer the potential of providing far more detailed information than previous technologies (from satellite and manned aircraft platforms) at a much lower cost (Walton et al., 2013), and with greater flexibility to gather information at specific times or frequencies. Aerial monitoring is now feasible at pixel resolutions that range from meters to millimeters, which brings imagery to a scale that is relevant to many ecological processes (Anderson and Gaston, 2013).
This presentation will review how this emerging technology can be applied to better manage rangelands in the Middle East, and will draw on preliminary results from the author.
Significance and relevance of the work
The long-term aims of this project are to (1) reduce the cost of rangeland monitoring for organizations that are already doing this work manually, and (2) to provide a tool that non-specialists in the region can use, thus encouraging the gathering of much better information for land management decisions.
Applications of the technology for the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) have been identified as follows:
• Habitat classification
• Animal population monitoring via aggregated sites (water / feeding sites) dispersed areas (open rangeland) and indirect methods (e.g.; lizard holes, carcasses)
• Animal condition monitoring. Mammalian hip bone prominence is used to assess health
• Plant monitoring, including estimations of biodiversity and biomass.
• Anthropogenic monitoring; evaluation of whether safari companies are compliant with regulations for operation within the DDCR.
Tools that are developed for the DDCR will be directly applicable to rangelands throughout the MENA region. The region is highly suited to aerial monitoring, since success of classifying individual plants to species level is inversely proportional to biodiversity within a size class (Féret and Asner, 2012), and is improved when individuals are discretely separated by bare ground. Larger herbivores are rarely obstructed by trees. Privacy and safety regulations are of less concern in rangelands due to their remoteness and low human population densities (Laliberte, 2012).
Description of research method
Preliminary research has been conducted using a DJI s1000 octocopter equipped with a 24MP RGB and a 3.2 MP multispectral camera, and a SenseFly eBee fixed-wing drone equipped with 12 MP RGB and near-infrared cameras. Preliminary trials were conducted to identify the maximum ground sampling distance (related to drone altitude and camera resolution) required to be able to identify individual species with reasonable accuracy. Images were collected at 10 m intervals from 10 to 300m above animal and plant species. From this, trials will be conducted at selected altitudes, and species observation from resulting images will be checked for accuracy against ground-based data.
Results
Research is still at an early stage. The authors have verified reliability for estimating dhub (Uromastyx aegyptia microlepis) populations by detecting burrows. They have also demonstrated the use of the method for evaluating populations of Oryx leucoryx and Phoenicopterus roseus, and plant biomass and biodiversity within vegetation categories, though further work is required to verify the accuracy of these applications.
Conclusions
Micro-UAVs have an enormous potential for improving rangeland management in the MENA region. However, much work still needs to be done to streamline processes and evaluate the enormous amount of data produced.
• The global University brand, of which 15-20 will be successful
• Thousands of curriculum managers, operating individual MOOCs within the parameters of their global University brand.
• The MOOC host, providing technological infrastructure, and big data solutions to generic problems of assessment and accreditation
• The campus, providing a physical location for infrastructure, student socialization, and learning communities
• Miscellaneous third-party services
Change will initially be driven partly to reduce costs, and partly to improve student access. As a new structure emerges, the combination of revenue, data mining, and global branding will facilitate improvements in the way education is delivered. It will be far easier for employer groups to influence undergraduate curriculum to suit their particular needs, and to blend employment with study. Automated assessment tools will save labor and produce new metrics of student learning, thus tracking student progress throughout their study. Consequently, MOOC hosts will become the accreditors of courses and institutions, putting further pressure on institutions to opt in. Institutions will be judged more by their effectiveness at facilitating student progress. Fears of widespread job losses among educators are therefore unfounded. For those who love educating, change may bring greater job satisfaction through more stimulating student-instructor interactions.
How should the United Arab Emirates prepare for and benefit from this readjustment? This paper differentiates between immediate adaptive responses, and unbundling responses that require significant investment and good timing. Examples of the former include creating MOOCs for which the country has a competitive advantage, and blending MOOCs into existing programs. Examples of the latter involve the launch of new businesses, such as a translation/cultural adaptation service, and specialized campuses. Existing universities will need to adapt to changing market conditions to remain relevant, requiring them to redefine how they add value for their clients. They will need to choose between a niche or a global brand of education, and to modify their physical spaces and policies accordingly. All aspects of the current education model will be questioned; the graduate qualification, the credit hour, the educator/researcher paradigm, the measure of student success, and the medium of learning.
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Gallacher, D. J., Skuba, A., & Al Bahri, R. (2010). Awareness and perceptions of available Major programs by first year Zayed University students. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, 7(1).
The UAE faces a bind that is common to all GCC countries. It has benefited greatly from expatriate labor which is cheap and versatile, and can provide everything from manual labor to professional expertise. Through this labor they have sustained rapid growth over decades. On the other hand, although Emiratis have benefited financially from this growth, most are not yet active participants in it. Now, the country must create jobs for its youth in the private sector (1) to prevent youth unemployment from skyrocketing, (2) to minimize spiraling government wages and pension costs, (3) to integrate Emirati society into the Emirati economy and (4) to embrace innovation and entrepreneurship. However, how can the country ask its youth to compete for jobs with expatriates, sourced from wherever in the world they are cheapest?
Emirati lifestyle expectations have grown in line with the economy. Expectations for the quality of housing, cars, holidays, and weddings have all risen, as has the quantity of domestic assistance. However, an efficient work ethic is yet to emerge to sustain these expectations. Many jobs have too low a status for Emiratis to take, and this includes most technical and trade based jobs. Consequently, entrepreneurship has become limited because Emiratis are not involved in a large segment of the economy. Women’s participation in the workforce is increasing rapidly, though they are still expected to prioritize child rearing over work. Emiratis tend to undervalue workplace performance, since a person who has been given a management job has already earned their status. Finally, Emiratis have a high expectation for free government services, which has broken the conceptual link between work and income.
Among oil-rich economies, the UAE government has been exceptional in using its wealth to raise lifestyles of all its citizens, while building the country’s non-oil economy. The primary goal of labor policy is to sustain that lifestyle for future generations.
In this presentation, I will outline some of the issues that make the job market for Emiratis unique, and unusually unpredictable. The presentation draws from census data, the Strategic Plans of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, consultancies (McKinsey, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Booz & Co), United Nations organizations (IMF, WEF), scholarly articles, and other sources.