Habitats and Plant Communities in the Nile Delta of Egypt I. Deltaic Mediterranean Coastal Habitat

Abstract

The present study aims at investigating the vegetation-soil relationships in the Deltaic Mediterranean coastal land of Egypt. The Deltaic coast of the Mediterranean Sea of Egypt can be distinguished into five habitat types, namely: sand dunes, salt marshes, sand sheets, sandy fertile lands and lake shorelines (Manzala, Burullus and Idku). These habitats are categorized into four vegetation groups namely, group A dominated by Rumex pictus, group B codominated by Pancratium maritimum-Cyperus capitatus-Lolium perenne, group C codominated by Arthrocnemum macrostachyum-Atriplex portulacoides-Typha domingensis and group D codominated by Echinochloa stagnina-Typha domingensis-Phragmites australis. One hundred and thirty plant species are recorded in this coast and belonging to 38 families. Out of the recorded species, about 41.54% are annuals, 2.31% biennials and 56.15% perennials. The percentages of the life-form indicated that, therophytes attained the highest representation (43.85%). The floristic analysis revealed that, 55.38% of the recorded species are Mediterranean elements. The ecological amplitudes of the leading species along the gradient of edaphic factors are discussed.

Associated species and threats upon Lycium schweinfurthii var. schweinfurthii in the Deltaic Mediterranean coast, Egypt

“…The lifeform spectra are important physiognomic attributes which have widely used by ecologists and chorologists in the vegetation and floristic studies (Cain and Castro 1959). In the present study, the life-form spectrum is predominantly therophytes (43 % as reported by Mashaly et al, 2008).…”

“…The vegetation of the present study was classified by TWINSPAN into thirteen groups. G1 was dominated by Lotus halophilus and represent island sand dunes Mashaly (2008). G2 and G 5 dominated by Alhagi graecorum, Stipagrostis lanata respectively.…”

“…schweinfurthii population in the study area. Stands represent its distribution in five urban habitats recognized according to Shaltout et al (2010), Mashaly et al (2008) and Zahran et al (1990). Habitats are: coastal sand dunes (28 stands), flat sand sheets (4 stands), roadsides (4 stands), island sand dunes (3 stands) and canal banks (1 stand).…”

Land use assessment of barren areas in Damietta Governorate, Egypt using remote sensing

“…4 e Poor soils; those include bare soils which have a finer texture (sample 14). 5 e Very poor soils; those comprise all the other bare soils (samples 7,8,9,10,11,12,13,15,16,17,18,19,20). The most obvious results of these classification systems indicate that bare lands of Damietta Governorates are not suitable for agricultural purposes.…”

“…The only vegetation cover is represented by halophytic vegetation. Plant species occurring at the region are Arthrocnemum macrostachyum and Atriplex portulacoides [20].…”