Vegetation and Environment of the Western Mediterranean Coastal Land of Egypt: I. The Habitat of Sand Dunes

1973 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 509 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Ayyad
Keyword(s):  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Coastal Land

Ancient pine forest on inland dunes in the Spanish northern meseta

2005 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fátima Franco-Múgica ◽  
Mercedes García-Antón ◽  
Javier Maldonado-Ruiz ◽  
Carlos Morla-Juaristi ◽  
Helios Sainz-Ollero
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Aquatic Plants ◽  
Initial Phase ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Progressive Increase ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Pine Forests ◽  
Charcoal Particle ◽  
Inland Dunes ◽  
Ams Dates

We present a new stratigraphic (pollen and nonpollen microfossils and charcoal particle) sequence with five AMS dates, covering about the last 9000 yr, of a core collected from the Spanish northern meseta, one of the territories of the Iberian Peninsula for which little paleobotanical information is available. The results support the hypothesis of the permanence of the pine forests, in more or less pure masses or large timber stands, during the Holocene in some Iberian continental zones. The typical substitution in postglacial dynamics of heliophyllous species, such as pines or Cupressaceae, by broadleaf trees did not occur in this inland region. Presumably, factors linked to the substrate, in this case very deep sand dunes covering vast areas, may have contributed to the scarce local competitiveness of the broadleaf trees, which would account for the hegemony of pines in this region. Based on the dynamics of aquatic plants and nonpollen microfossils, an initial phase previous to 7500 14C yr B.P. of high levels in the lake can be identified by high percentages of hydrophytes. A progressive increase in helophytes and the gradual infilling of the lake over the last 5000 yr appear to indicate a phase of aridification similar to those established for the western Mediterranean. Study of charcoal particles, more abundant in the last 2500 yr, has given rise to certain hypotheses regarding the incidence of recurring fires of a local or regional nature.

scholarly journals Intraspecific Variations in Functional and Molecular Traits of Near-Endemic Onopordum alexandrinum Boiss. in Natural and Anthropogenic Habitats along the Western Mediterranean Coast of Egypt: Implications for Conservation

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1041
Author(s):  
Aya Yahia ◽  
Ibrahim Mashaly ◽  
Magdy El-Bana ◽  
Rehab Rizk ◽  
Ghada El-Sherbeny
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Anthropogenic Activity ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Soil Resources ◽  
Anthropogenic Habitats ◽  
Abandoned Fields

Onopordum alexandrinum is a near-endemic to Egypt and neighboring countries. Its habitats are designated as priority sites for conservation in the south and east Mediterranean regions. We hypothesize that variation in morphological, reproductive, and molecular traits could provide a survival strategy that allows the species to occupy landscapes including anthropogenic habitats (barley and abandoned fields) and natural habitats (sand dunes and desert plateau) with different soil resources along the western Mediterranean coast of Egypt. The results indicated that plant functional traits associated with high rates of resource acquisition and growth (e.g., high values of vegetative height and specific leaf area, and low values of leaf dry matter content) occurred in populations located in abandoned fields with high soil resources. The genetic diversity analyses indicated similarity in genetic diversity of the present populations of O. alexandrinum in barley and abandoned fields with those of sand dunes. However, the genetic structures of these populations were different from those of natural desert plateau, which suggests reduced rates of gene flow. In this framework, it is essential to monitor and reduce the anthropogenic activity which will not only support the conservation of genetic diversity within populations but will also help ensure the resilience of O. alexandrinum in the face of environmental and climatic changes.

scholarly journals Genetic and Biochemical Studies of Thymelaea hirsuta L. Growing Naturally at the North Western Coast of Egypt

2020 ◽  
pp. 28-37
Author(s):  
Mohamed M. Abd El- Maboud ◽  
Mohamed Abd S. El- Zayat
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marshes ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Efficiency Index ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Soluble Carbohydrate ◽  
Western Coast ◽  
Total Carbohydrate ◽  
The North ◽  
Thymelaea Hirsuta

This study aims to elucidate the biochemical and genetic behaviors of Thymelaea hirsuta L. growing naturally at the following habitats; ooletic sand dunes, slope of salt marshes, non-saline depression, road side, plateau, upstream of Wadi Halazeen, and wadi bed of Wadi Halazeen along the western Mediterranean coast of Egypt. Soil and plant samples were collected in May, 2017. Water content recorded the highest value in Thymelaea growing at slope of salt marshes. Total soluble carbohydrate attained the highest value in Thymelaea growing at up-stream of Wadi Halazeen while the highest values in none-souble carbohydrate and proline were observed in plants growing at ooletic sand dunes. Total carbohydrate recorded the highest value in Thymelaea growing at plateaue. Total lipids and total phenols attained the highest content in Thymelaea growing at wadi bed. Genetically, ISSR & SRAP molecular markers were done. Seven ISSR and four SRAP primes produced 73.78% and 68.57% of polymorphism, respectively. PIC value, assay efficiency index, effective multiples ratio and marker index, were higher in SRAP than in ISSR.

Geomorphology

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Anwar Maun
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Arid Regions ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Mass Movement ◽  
Coastal Dunes ◽  
High Water ◽  
Sandy Beaches ◽  
Dune Form ◽  
River Valleys ◽  
Coastal Land

Geomorphology is the study of form and structure of sand dunes. Dunes are found in three types of landscapes: sea coasts and lakeshores, river valleys, and arid regions. Coastal dunes are formed along coasts in areas above the high water mark of sandy beaches. They occur in both the northern and southern hemi sphere from the Arctic and Antarctic to the equator, and in arid and semi-arid regions. They are very common in temperate climates but are less frequent in tropical and subtropical coasts. Dunes are also common around river mouths where the sand carried in water is deposited (Carter et al. 1990b). During floods rivers overflow their banks and deposit sand in river valleys that is subsequently dried by wind and shaped into dunes. In dry regions with less than 200 mm of precipitation per year, the weathering of sandstone and other rocks produce sand that is subject to mass movement by wind because of sparsity of vegetation. There are many similarities in processes and patterns of dune form and structure among these three systems, however each location has its own unique features. In this chapter the emphasis will be on the geomorphology of dune systems along the coasts of oceans and lakes. Coastal geomorphologists have been attempting to classify the coastal land forms but they defy a simple classification because of tremendous variability in plant taxa, sand texture, wind velocity, climate, sand supply, coastal wave energy and biotic influences including human impact. According to Carter et al. (1990b) the great variety of coastal land forms around the world is primarily related to sediment availability, climate, wave energy, wind regime and types of vegetation. Classification based on these criteria would be more useful in distinguishing between shoreline dune forms than the use of subjective terms—for example white, grey or yellow dunes—sometimes employed by plant ecologists (Tansley 1953). Cowles (1899) said ´a dune complex is a restless maze´ because the great topographic diversity depends on changes in the dune terrain from day to day, month to month, season to season and year to year.

scholarly journals Geological Evidence of Shoreline Erosion and Mitigation Challenges

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-13
Author(s):  
Anthony Woode ◽  
David Kwame Amoah
Keyword(s):  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Coastal Protection ◽  
Sea Waves ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Geological Evidence ◽  
Waves And Currents ◽  
Coastal Cliffs ◽  
Coastal Landform ◽  
Coastal Land

A survey was carried out along parts of the coastal stretch of Accra, the capital of Ghana, to determine the existence andthe extent of erosion. The survey was also to determine the effectiveness of the engineering solutions that have been put inplace. Coastal land forms as evidence of erosion were identified during the field survey. These include landslides of steepcoastal cliffs, coastal caves and arches, retreat of coastal cliffs, headlands, stacks and sand dunes. These pieces of evidenceconfirm earlier findings that the coastal shoreline of Accra is being eroded. The extent of erosion, however, is high in soft rocks and low in hard rocks. Several coastal protection measures have been put in place to address the effects of erosion by the sea waves and currents. These include revetments, jetties, ripraps and beach nourishment. Some of the mitigation measures however have shown signs of failure. The signs include rusted metal basket supporting cobbles of gabions, jetties causing down-current erosion of shoreline cliffs, and reduction in coconut population along the shoreline owing to human activities, such as sand winning and diseases attacks. Sand winning along the shore is lowering shoreline morphology and enhancing sea transgression and the destruction of coastal structures. Keywords: Erosion; Coastal landform; Coastal protection; Revetments; Shoreline morphology

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