Research on sabkha (sand flat) ecology commenced only in the latter half of the 20th century, previously sabkhat were considered as wasteland. However, contemporary environmental managers realize that sabkhat are ecosystems with a research, development, and conservation value. This multidisciplinary volume is a comprehensive documentation of sabkha research in the Arabian peninsula region, including contributions from 16 countries. Topics covered include: aspects of geology; hydrology; geomorphology; zoology; botany; ecology; ecosystem analysis; past; present and future land use methods and development; and nature conservation at the landscape level.