Wild olive in Oman and its Conservation A Review

Abstract

The wild olive, Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata (Wall. & G.Don) Cif is one of the three dominant species of the common tree exits in the ecosystem of the mountains of northern and southern Oman. There are insufficient studies about the use, ecology and preservation of this species in Oman. The mountain ecosystem habitation is highly sensitive to disturbances and not easy to rehabilitate. These disturbances are caused by range of anthropogenic effects, such as urbanisation, climate change, overgrazing, introducing non-native species, as well as naturally occurring insects pests and diseases. Introduction of cultivated olive orchards (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea) in Oman was introduced in 2001 for oil production and its consumption in western Hajar Mountains has added a genetic threat where wild olives are grown. This paper highlights the importance of this subspecies in Oman and the threats that Oman is currently facing. The question is rising here “do we need to be concerned about wild olive in Oman?” This paper gives a clear picture of the wild olive in Oman including its description, distribution, ecology and current conservation status.