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Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2001 | Volume: 1 | Issue: 7 | Page No.: 628-635
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Authors

Ibrahim A. Mashaly

Keywords

Research Article

Contribution to the Ecology of the Deltaic Mediterranean Coast, Egypt

Ibrahim A. Mashaly
The ecology of the western section of the Deltaic Mediterranean Coast of Egypt provides a quantitative assessment of the vegetation structure, the main soil characteristics and an evaluation of the relationships between the recognized vegetation groups and environmental attributes. Vegetation and soil were sampled in 75 stands representing the physiographic variation and/or different habitat types in the study area. Relative values of frequency, density and cover for each perennial and the annuals were also recorded. The soil characteristics of collected samples were determined for each stand. 75 sampled stands were classified according to multivariate analysis (classification & ordination) into nine defined vegetational groups, namely: group A dominated by Alhagi graecorum Boiss., group B codominated by Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. and Halocnemum strobilaceum (Pallas) M. Bieb, group C dominated by Arthrocnemum macrostachyum (Moric.) Moris et Delponte, group D dominated by Sporobolus spicatus (Vahl) Kunth, groups E & F dominated by Sporobolus viriginicus (L.) Kunth, group G dominated by Stipagrostis scoparia (Trin. & Rupr.) De Winter, group H dominated by Echium sericeum Vahl and group I dominated by Lotus creticus L. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) were used to evaluate vegetation-environment relationships. Moisture content, soil texture (coarse & fine sand), soil reaction (pH), calcium carbonate content, sodium adsorption ratio, extractable cations (calcium and potassium) and electrical conductivity were highly correlated with the first and second ordination axes. Thus, these soil variables seem to be the main important environmental factors affecting the distribution of vegetation in the study area.
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