Vegetation types of the deltaic Mediterranean coast of Egypt and their environment

Zahran, M. A.; El-Demerdash, Mohamed; Mashaly, Ibrahim

doi:10.2307/3235705

Cited by 50 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Many studies assert that a few gradients, often comprising simple factors, are responsible for the variation in distribution of population of the species (Zahran et al, 1990;ter Braak, 1994). In the present study the CCA ordination diagram (Figure 3(a)) indicates that dense growth of aquatic vegetation is con®ned to sites of relatively low salinity and richness of nutrients, e.g., T-PO 4 and total nitrogen.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 50%

Vegetation–environment relationships along El‐Salam Canal, Egypt

Serag

Khedr

2001

Environmetrics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SUMMARYThe bank and open water vegetation along El-Salam Canal in north-eastern Egypt were studied in relation to the prevailing environmental factors. The hypothesis that terresterial and aquatic species would show different downstream patterns of species richness was tested by sampling species composition and environmental variables along 80 km of the canal. Species richness was highest in the ®rst 30 km of the canal. The downstream decrease in species richness exhibits interpretable downstream patterns. Total species richness increased with increasing organic matter in the soil and decreased with both increasing soil and water salinity along the gradient.The indicator species of TWINSPAN analysis are: Azolla ®liculoides, Echinochloa stagnina, Eichhornia crassipes and Saccharum spontaneum (cluster I); Ceratophyllum demersum, Ludwigia stolonifera and Typha domingensis (cluster II); Potamogeton pectinatus and Phragmites australis (cluster III); Tamarix nilotica and Suaeda vera (cluster IV).The environmental factors in¯uencing the vegetation clusters were analysed using canonical correspondence analysis ordination (CCA). The water salinity, total nitrogen and total phosphorus appeared to be the most important factors controlling the abundance of aquatic plant distribution along the canal. The shoreline vegetation is mainly controlled by salinity, K and organic carbon of the soil. Water analysis indicated that the salinity of the water increases southwards and the minimum salinity of the water (0.78 mS/cm) was recorded at the intake of the canal. The maximum value (7.5 mS/cm) of water salinity was recorded near the Suez Canal.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 50%

Vegetation–environment relationships along El‐Salam Canal, Egypt

Serag

Khedr

2001

Environmetrics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…TWINSPAN classified the island vegetation into eight groups (A -H), coinciding with moisture and salinity gradients. In the present study, group A is characterized by Lycium schweinfurthii, which is a dominant species on sand formations on the Nile delta coast (Zahran et al 1990). Three groups B -D are dominated by halophytic shrublets that represent a successional series ranging from dry salt marshes with dominance of Halocnemum strobilaceum, to the wet salt marshes where Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, Inula crithmoides and Juncus acutus are the characteristic species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Determinants of floristic diversity and vegetation composition on the islands of Lake Burollos, Egypt

Khedr

Lovett‐Doust

2000

Applied Vegetation Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. A floristic and environmental survey was carried out on 22 uninhabited islands (0.1‐8.4 ha) in Lake Burollos, Egypt. A total of 58 vascular plant species was recorded. The number of habitats on each island was counted. There was a positive correlation between island area and number of habitat types. Island area was significantly positively correlated with various measures of floristic diversity, including the total number of species present, and the numbers of annual, herbaceous, and shrublet species. Perennial and shrub species numbers did not differ significantly with island area. In addition to island area, elevation and soil salinity, as well as distance to the Mediterranean Sea, all contributed significantly to variation in species composition in the terrestrial habitats. Water salinity and transparency accounted for 69% of the variation in aquatic species numbers. There was a weak effect of isolation on similarity of species composition on islands. Eight vegetation types, represented by 13 indicator species identified after TWINSPAN analysis, were distinguished by soil characteristics. Species richness was inversely correlated with clay, organic carbon and total nitrogen in the soil, but positively correlated with calcium carbonate content. From a management perspective, long‐term monitoring of threatened habitats in the lake is urgently required as a starting point to preserve biodiversity. Finally, we conclude that the present study supports the hypothesis indicating that larger areas feature higher species richness due to increased numbers of habitats.

show abstract

“…The situation in Lake Manzala is very different and this site is characterised by the presence of more than 1,000 small irregular islands, which consists of clay, sand or mollusc shells. These island range up to several square kilometres in area and many are densely vegetated (Zahran et al, 1988(Zahran et al, , 1990). An extensive community of emergent vegetation (mainly Phragmites and Typha) occurs on and around these islands.…”

Section: Contemporary Status Of the Coastal Lagoonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of remote sensing to site characterisation and environmental change analysis of North African coastal lagoons

et al. 2009

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article describes the use of satellite imagery for identifying key environmental characteristics within three North African coastal lagoons (Merja Zerga, Morocco; Ghar El Melh, Tunisia and Lake Manzala, Egypt) and for detecting the major environmental changes within these environments. A combination of Landsat MSS, Landsat TM, Landsat ETM? and ASTER imagery was acquired for the three sites for a period covering the last three decades . Following geometric correction and enhancement, the interpretation of the most recent image acquired for each of the three lagoons provides important insights into their current conditions. For Merja Zerga, these include the distribution of the largest channels which drain extensive inter-tidal mudflats and the two major depositional features associated with sources of freshwater. The distribution of marginal aquatic vegetation is highlighted as is the intensive use of the surrounding landscape for agriculture. Intensive agriculture around Ghar El Melh is also indicated. The influence of the Mejerda River, which was diverted away from the lagoon over 100 years ago, is shown to persist as a residual area of deltaic deposits in shallow water that has been eroded over time. Coastal processes including the direction of the alongshore sediment transport and the influence of engineering work associated with port construction can also be recognised. Within Lake Manzala, vegetated islands divide the lake into a series of sub-basins which can be clearly distinguished. The large influence of human activities within this lake can be identified and include reclamation for agriculture and the conversion of parts of the lake bed for fish farms.works, such as the El Salam Canal and road embankments, are shown to have resulted in significant lake change. The distribution of emergent vegetation within the lake has also changed. Classification of images for this lake into open water, vegetation and land enables the quantification of these changes. Between 1973 and 2003, the lake declined in area by approximately 50%. Changes at Merja Zerga over the last three decades include reconfiguration of the marine outlet and the expansion of the internal delta at the end of the Nador Canal. The images of this site clearly demonstrate the intensification of agriculture around the lagoon. The most marked changes evident within the images of Ghar El Melh concern the sand bars that separate the lagoon from the sea. Geomorphological processes operating within the coastal zone have resulted in the straightening of the bars with central sections migrating out towards the sea. Remote sensing is established as a promising application for detecting the quantitative surface cover changes in coastal lagoons and their near landscapes.

show abstract

Vegetation types of the deltaic Mediterranean coast of Egypt and their environment

Cited by 50 publications

References 8 publications

Vegetation–environment relationships along El‐Salam Canal, Egypt

Vegetation–environment relationships along El‐Salam Canal, Egypt

Determinants of floristic diversity and vegetation composition on the islands of Lake Burollos, Egypt

Application of remote sensing to site characterisation and environmental change analysis of North African coastal lagoons

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About