Assessing ecosystems collapse risks in hyper arid landscape of Abu Dhabi: Integrating Red list assessment outcomes in identifying conservation priorities

Understanding ecosystem condition and trends is fundamental to biodiversity conservation, particularly in regions where arid climates and rapid development intensify ecological pressures. With the goal of developing the First Red List of Ecosystems for Abu Dhabi, the Emirate’s marine and terrestrial ecosystems were assessed in 2020. This study applied IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Categories and Criteria v2.2 to assess the risk of ecosystem collapse. A total of 16 ecosystem types, 10 terrestrial and 6 marine were assessed from the 17 identified for assessment. Results show that 75% ecosystems are threatened: 13% as Critically Endangered, 31% as Endangered, and 31% as Vulnerable. Currently, there is no evidence of any collapsed ecosystem within Abu Dhabi Emirate. Three ecosystems were classified as Least Concern according to restricted distribution, associated to their current geographic distribution (Criterion B); while one ecosystem (rocky shorelines) was classified as Data Deficient, thus its level of risk could not be estimated. Desert and human-made ecosystems are currently under-represented in RLE assessments worldwide. The descriptions and conceptual models of desert and human made ecosystems are a breakthrough in understanding how these ecosystems work and help in identifying key indicators for assessing functional symptoms of collapse not only for Abu Dhabi, but also for similar ecosystem types around the world. The Abu Dhabi Red List of Ecosystems (RLE) together with the Abu Dhabi Red List of Species provide valuable input to prioritize management plans and public policies that promotes the conservation of Abu Dhabi’s biodiversity. It will help the Emirate meet its strategic targets to protect 90% of Abu Dhabi’s terrestrial and marine habitats and the important and threatened species they support. This study further demonstrates the feasibility of applying global ecosystem-risk frameworks in extreme environments and establishes a foundation for periodic reassessment, restoration planning, and biodiversity policy integration.