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Ecologia

Year: 2011 | Volume: 1 | Issue: 1 | Page No.: 56-67
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Authors

Tarek M. Galal

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Research Article

Size Structure and Dynamics of Some Woody Perennials along Elevation Gradient in Wadi Gimal, Red Sea Coast of Egypt

Tarek M. Galal
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the population structure of 10 woody perennials in terms of size distribution and density along different elevations. These species are: 5 trees (Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana, Acacia tortilis subsp. tortilis, Balanites aegyptiaca, Tamarix aphylla and Tamarix nilotica), 2 shrubs (Leptadenia pyrotechnica and Nitraria retusa) and 3 shrublets (Pulicaria undulata, Zilla spinosa and Zygophyllum coccineum). The number of individuals of each species was counted and the height (H) and mean crown diameter (D) were measured. The size index of each individual was calculated and then used to classify population into 6 size classes; 20 >size> 80 cm for shrublets, 100 > size > 500 cm for shrubs and 2>size>10 m for trees. The absolute and relative frequency of individuals and mean height, diameter and height to diameter ratio per individual in each size class were then determined. The present study indicated that the density of most species, except B. aegyptiaca, decreased as elevation increased. The height-to-diameter ratio was less than unity for most of the recorded species except T. nilotica. Four forms of size distributions along the different elevations were recognized: more or less inverse J-shaped distribution (T. nilotica along elevation level I and Z. coccineum along elevation levels I and II), positive skewed distribution (B. aegyptiaca along elevation levels I and II), bell shaped distribution (Z. spinosa along elevation level I) and more or less J-shaped distribution (P. undulata along elevation levels I and II).
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