DNHG Lecture: "A Celebration of the Natural History of the Emirates" by Dr. John Burt
Channel: DNHG Public Lectures
Date: 2024-03-06

Speaker: Dr John Burt
Lecture Date: Monday, 04 March 2024

Talk Synopsis:
​​In this lecture Dr. John A. Burt will introduce A Natural History of the Emirates that was recently published by Springer. This book provides an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the unique environmental setting of this young nation, and surveys the major ecosystems and the marine and terrestrial organisms occurring across the UAE. 

For many people, thoughts of the United Arab Emirates conjure images of ultramodern skyscrapers and rolling sand dunes. However, the Emirates are a rich mosaic of ecosystems and habitats that support surprisingly diverse communities of organisms, and there is growing awareness of the importance of these previously under-appreciated natural assets.

The presentation includes:
- Insights on the evolution of the natural history field in the UAE and the genesis of this book delve into aspects of the physical environment that serve as the stage on which life plays out in our shared nation brief overview of the book contents, providing the audience with a 'sneak peek' of the amazing breadth and depth of coverage that is available in this fully open-access resource. 



Biography of Speaker:
Academic responsibilities include Associate Professor of Biology and Head of Environmental Studies, Co-Director of the Mubadala Arabian Center for Climate and Environmental Science, New York University, Abu Dhabi.

- Dr. John A. Burt is a marine biologist at New York University Abu Dhabi. He utilizes the Arabian Gulf, the world's warmest sea, as a 'natural laboratory' to study marine organisms' adaptation to extreme environmental conditions. This research offers insights into the potential effects of future climate change on tropical marine ecosystems.
Burt's work, encompassing corals, reef fishes, mangroves, and seagrasses, spans genomics, molecular ecology, physiology, and ecosystem processes
- Published over 130 scholarly articles and book chapters describing the marine environment and ecosystems of the Arabian region. His efforts not only advance scientific understanding but also inform policy, management, and conservation in the region.
- Burt holds leadership roles in marine conservation organizations, including the Mideast Coral Reef Society and the International Coral Reef Society. In the UAE, he contributes to the Mohammed bin Rashid Academy of Sciences and leads a research cluster for the Climate Change Research Network under the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
Recognized for his contributions, Burt received the 2017 "Sheikh Mubarak bin Mohammed Al Nahayan Award" from the Emirates Natural History Group, and the 2022 "Faculty Research Award" at NYUAD.
- As a registered biologist, he consults for regional governments and industries. Burt has long championed for improved understanding and awareness of the amazing environment, ecosystems and organisms of the UAE, and was the editor of the book A Natural History of the Emirates (Springer, 2023), which is fully open-access and freely available online.

This book has been published as PDF with open access:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375185664_A_Natural_History_of_the_Emirates

This book is also available at all Magrudy's bookstores in the UAE.


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