International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN: 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2016): 79.57 | Impact Factor (2017): 7.296 Volume 7 Issue 10, October 2018 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY Plant Diversity in the King Saud University Female Campus Mona S. Alwhibi 1 ; Bashaer Al Otaibi 2 ; Sarah Al Harbi 3 ; Aljwahrah Aljulefi 4 , Alaa Aldosari 5 Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, P.O.Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia Abstract: Vegetation one of types of biological diversity, which is an important element on which human and animal depend on providing the energy sources necessary for the continuation of their lives, in addition to its environmental importance in preserving the soil from erosion by water erosion and aerobic and desertification resistance. Therefore, the study aimed to define the vegetation cover of the University City for female students of King Saud University in Riyadh and the documentation of existing species to be a reference for women interested in conducting studies and research in the field of Botany or other related sciences. The study also aims to encourage the student community to take care of the biodiversity of their university, where flora was the studied area. A total of 52 different plants were observed between local and exotic flora plants, and plants planted for decoration and shade. The number of flora plants was 31 different plant species. Cultivated plants for decoration 21 different species. The study also recorded five plant species of Monocotyledon represented by the two groups poaceae and Cyperaceae, while the remaining 48 species of Dicotyledon belong to 21 different plant species Keywords: Vegetation- Biodiversity- King Saud University- Al-Diriyah 1. Introduction Biodiversity is wide range of different species of organisms that are naturally present in one environment. This environment includes plants of all kinds, sizes and shapes, and also includes vertebrate animal organisms such as mammals, birds, invertebrates Such as worms and insects, and also microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae and others. In the last years of this century, where various human activities contributed to the extinction of some plant and animal species. But the expansion of environmental studies and the deepening of the precise specialization of species relations have demonstrated the great importance and great role of biodiversity in the environment and human life, which makes biodiversity synonymous with the beauty of nature. Vegetation is one of the types of biological diversity. It is one of the important elements on which humans and animals depend on the provision of energy sources for the continuation of their lives, as well as their environmental importance in preserving the soil from erosion due to erosion and resistance to desertification (Oudat et al., 1993). Vegetation is associated with a series of related interactions in the environment. When a part of the chain breaks down, it causes a disruption in the chain resulting in global economic, industrial and aesthetic losses. If plants are diversified into the environment, on farms and orchards, they will yield different benefits. The most important of which is the continuity and sustainability, increase the fertility of the soil and protect it from erosion and sand crawling, the presence of different species of organisms in the environment is very important. Because the physiological difference and the difference in the chemical composition (secondary compounds) and the structure between these species provide a variety of sources of food, clothing, shelter and medicine for humans, and it is a source of food for animals (herbs, fruits, seeds,….. etc) (Patrick et al., 2009). On the other hand, biodiversity provides the base for the improvement of agricultural crops, decoration Plants, foliage and fruit trees. It also preserves the functions of natural ecosystems such as Photosynthesis, pollination, biological cycle of elements, etc., on evolutionary processes in nature and contributes to the balance of local and regional climate. Global and sustainable development at the local, regional and global levels (Nahal, 2003). Maintaining biodiversity means providing food, housing, medicine and other sources of human life on the planet. According to many studies what has been recorded from the threat of many types of plant and animal kingdoms located on the planet, which is estimated 10 to 14 million species have documented the exposure of 1.2 million species of the threat of extinction for many reasons, including natural, including human activities Different. The disappearance of plant species, which have been an important part of the discovery of treatments for human and animal diseases, has forced humans to compensate for this with chemical compounds and drugs that pose a threat to their health. For these and other reasons, interest in biological heritage has become important for any country. This is why local and international plant banks have been formed, as well as the establishment of nature reserves to provide suitable habitat for threatened animals. This was agreed at the UN General Assembly on December 22, 2010, 2011 to 2020 Biodiversity Conservation Decade based on the Convention on Biological Diversity Convention on Biological Diversity. Attention to biodiversity is not the responsibility of governments alone, but of all civil society organizations and individuals in general, because, as we have already pointed out, the greatest threat to living organisms through activities and behaviors is more damaging than natural disasters. In this regard, we believe that as students in the field of Botany, we must be proactive in preserving plant biodiversity and its importance and spreading the culture of utilization of natural plant resources while preserving it as a sustainable biological resource, especially under environmental conditions that are often inappropriate to increase plant biodiversity. , And the work of studies and research on the conservation of plant biodiversity and encourage propagation by natural or laboratory methods and the use of modern genetic engineering methods. Therefore, the objective of this study is to shed light on the vegetation Paper ID: ART20192112 DOI: 10.21275/ART20192112 1066