Question

Land Formation
• UAE part of much larger landmass called Gondwana.
• Gondwana separated from Asia by an ocean called the Tethys.
• Traces can be found at Jebel Dhanna in Al Dhafra.
• Dramatic change in the landscape over 100 million years ago.
• UAE lay on the edge of Arabian Plate. Plate began to move and came in contact with the
ocean floor.
• Next 25 million years, ocean floor was pushed upwards to form mountains.
• Al-Hajar mountains emerged from sea.
The UAE’s Fossils of Global Importance
• Another feature of the UAE is the desert.
• Deserts are younger than the mountains. It formed in the last 20, 000 years.
• Before deserts, climate and landscape was very different and ever changing.
• Miocene epoch – lasted 23 to 5.3 million years ago. Climate warmed and grasslands like
savannahs became common in the Emirate.
• Sea between Mediterranean and Indian ocean closed and Arabia formed bridge between
Asia and Africa.
• The Baynunah Formation in al-Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi was created by land and
rivers in the region.
• Discovery of fossilized remains of plants and animals in outcrops of the Baynunah
Formation.
• Study of fossils gave clues to important information about the way today’s animals have
developed.
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Ice Ages and Deserts: The Quaternary Period in the UAE
• Quaternary period – 2.5 million years ago to present day.
• Major environmental changes and the emergence of modern humans.
• 750,000 years ago - regular changes in the climate every 100,000 years as per Paleo-
climatologists.
• These changes led to glacial and interglacial periods.
• Glacial period – formation of large glaciers.
• Interglacial period – glaciers retreated and earth became warmer and wetter.
• Today, we are in Inter glacial period (Holocene epoch) that started 15,000 years ago.
• Sabkhat Matti in Al Dhafra contained large river and lake system.
• Rain created wadis (valleys) in al-Hajar mountains.
• Wadis contained fertile soil in which crops could be grown.
• Alluvial plain – rain carrying soil and rock away from the mountains and deposited in the
lower part. It is visible today on the edge of mountains of Ras al-Khaimah to Al Ain.
• Quaternary period – changes in the level of the Arabian Gulf.
• 20,000 years ago Arabian Gulf was probably nearly dry.
• One of the effects of lower level of the Arabian Gulf is the formation of the impressive
desert that defines the UAE today.
Offline Activity:
Construct a timeline using the events and dates of at least 8 events from the text given above.

Answer 1

Answer:

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