Kamal H. Shaltout

Vegetation analysis of Burullus Wetland: a RAMSAR site in Egypt

We analyzed the vegetation of Lake Burullus at the deltaic Mediterranean coast of Egypt, the sand bar between its northern shore and Mediterranean Sea, the water courses that drain into the lake and the wetland around it. Our ultimate aim was to identify threatened species and communities and the environmental factors that affect their distribution in order to formulate a plan for their conservation. The total number of the recorded species was 197 (100 annuals and 97 perennials), including 12 floating and submerged hydrophytes. Three species are endemic to Egypt: two annuals (Sinapis arvensis subsp. allionii and Sonchus macrocarpus) and one perennial (Zygophyllum album var. album). Thirty-four species are rare allover Egypt (15 annuals and 19 perennials). The lake area included 10 types of habitat (sand formations, salt marshes, lake cuts, terraces, slopes, water edges and open water of the drains, islets, shores and lake). The vegetation was classified into 13 groups (i.e., plant communities). Six groups were dominated or co-dominated by the common reed (Phragmites australis); these groups occupied a wide environmental gradient from xeric to hydric habitats. Five other groups were dominated by halophytic species (Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, Suaeda vera, Sarcocornia fruticosa, Halocnemum strobilaceum and Salsola Kali). The remaining two groups were dominated by the emergent Typha domingensis and the submerged Potamogeton pectinatus. Moisture, salinity and sedimentation were the main factors that governed the plant succession in this wetland.

Structure and standing crop of Egyptian Thymelaea hirsuta populations

The population structure and standing crop of the desert shrubThymelaea hirsuta (L.) Endl. were evaluated in six different habitats in the western Mediterranean desert of Egypt. Under favourable conditions, populations ofT. hirsuta are denser and the size structure has a strong bias towards small, juvenile individuals, whereas the reverse tendency is found under adverse conditions with size structure biased towards big individuals. These results are discussed in the light of hypothesis of intraspecific competition. The standing crop is strongly affected by soil salinity and nature of soil surface (amount of exposed rocks).

Species richness and phenology of vegetation along irrigation canals and drains in the Nile Delta, Egypt

This study evaluates the species richness, phenology and effect of environmental factors on the composition of canal and drain vegetation in the Nile Delta, Egypt. Altogether, 365 stands were sampled along the terraces, slopes, littoral zones and water zones of 28 canals and 10 drains. Smooth species compositional changes were found in the first three zones. The slope plant community has the highest total number of species and species richness and a medium value of species turnover. The water zone has the lowest values of these variables. The number of species with seedlings and vegetative plants had two peaks: one in winter and the second in summer, which was related to the contrasted behaviour of the winter and summer weeds. The number of species with vegetative and fruiting plants was relatively higher, while the number with dormant plants was relatively lower in the canal vegetation when compared to that of the drains. The number of species with vegetative, flowering and fruiting plants increased with the decrease of canal-drain width.

Pattern, phenology and sex ratio of Egyptian Thymelaea hirsuta populations

The distributional pattern, phenology and sex structure of the desert shrub Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) Endl. were evaluated in six major habitat types in the Mediterranean desert of Egypt. The distributional pattern changes from contagious in the less arid-to random in the more arid habitats. Soil salinity, low content of soil moisture, and extremes of temperature are of importance for the phenological activity. The plant is mainly dioecious. Males are more abundant in two of the habitats and are characterized by larger sizes compared with the females in all but one habitat.

Bioaccumulation and translocation of heavy metals by nine native plant species grown at a sewage sludge dump site

ABSTRACT In the present study, nine native plant species were collected to determine their potential to clean up nine heavy metals from soil of a sewage sludge dump site. Almost all nine plant species grown at sewage sludge dump site showed multifold higher concentrations of heavy metals as compared to plants grown at the reference site. All the investigated species were characterized by a bioaccumulation factor (BF) > 1.0 for some heavy metals. BF was generally higher for Cd, followed by Pb, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Mn, Zn, and Fe. The translocation factor (TF) varied among plant species, and among heavy metals. For most studied heavy metals, TFs were <1.0. The present study proved that the concentrations of all heavy metals (except Cd, Co, and Pb) in most studied species were positively correlated with those in soil. Such correlations indicate that these species reflect the cumulative effects of environmental pollution from soil, and thereby suggesting their potential use in the biomonitoring of most heavy metals examined. In conclusion, all tissues of nine plant species could act as bioindicators, biomonitors, and remediates of most examined heavy metals. Moreover, Bassia indica, Solanum nigrum, and Pluchea dioscoridis are considered hyperaccumulators of Fe; Amaranthus viridis and Bassia indica are considered hyperaccumulators of Pb; and Portulaca oleracea is considered hyperaccumulator of Mn.

Germination requirements and seedling growth of Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) ENDL

Summary Optimum conditions were achieved for the seed germination of Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) E ndl ., an evergreen shrub of the Mediterranean costal desert of Egypt. Maximum germination (42 %) was obtained by treating seeds with 95 % H 2 SO 4 for 10 min and GA 3 for 24 h. Optimum temperature for seed germination was 15°C and the 0.3 cm layer the best depth of sowing for seedling emergence. Maximum seedling emergence (46%) was achieved after pretreating the seeds with 95 % H 2 SO 4 and 500 mg 1 -1 GA 3 at a sowing depth of 0.3 cm. About 50% of T. hirsuta seedlings grown in potted desert soil had survived at the end of 5 months. A total length of 11.3 cm per seedling was obtained after 1 year from sowing.

Growth behaviour of the invasive species Ipomoea carnea in the Nile Delta, Egypt.

Ipomoea carnea Jacq., a native shrub of South America, grows in dense populations along river beds, river banks, canals and other waterlogged (wetland) areas. It has become naturalised along canals, drains, road sides and field edges in the Nile Delta, Egypt. The rapid growth rate, spread and adaptability from xeric to aquatic habitats indicates that this plant may potentially become a disastrous invasive species in Egyptian water bodies. Fifty established stands covering seven habitats (railway sides, waste lands, road sides, drain and canal banks, road dividers and field edges) in the Nile Delta were used in this experiment. In each stand, 20 ramets were permanently marked to estimate the monthly variations in such growth variables as phenology, height and diameter of the ramet canopy, number of flowers, leaves and fruits. The results showed a significant variation in growth variables relative to habitat types. Generally, I. carnea populations along the railway sides and field edges had the lowest values for most variables; while those of the road dividers, road sides and canal banks produced the highest values. The growth of I. carnea follows a seasonal pattern where the highest values for most growth variables were obtained during September and October and the lowest were recorded during June and July. The greatest flower and fruit production was observed between September and December. Similarly, it was shown that the flowering time varied in relation to habitat types; it began earlier on road sides and canal banks, but later on railway sides, road dividers and waste lands. Leaf areas of I. carnea populations in the wet habitats (e.g. drain and canal banks) were higher than those in other habitats. These results are discussed in relation to other related studies.

Demography of Bassia indica in the Nile Delta region, Egypt

Summary The present paper studies the demography and growth strategy of the summer annual Bassia indica W ight (old synonym: Kochia indica W ight ) under habitat and experimental conditions in the Nile Delta region, Egypt. Its population in saline lands has smaller individual size, lower density and higher mortality of seedlings than those in other less saline habitats, which indicates that this plant is not a true halophyte. It has two peaks of mortality: that in April (mainly due to the heavy deaths of the seedlings and juveniles) and the second in September (associated with the end of its life cycle). Its canopy development, in terms of leaf and branch production, and the size variables of the whole individual (height, diameter and volume) are density-dependent. The individuals are bigger and have more leaves under low than under high density. Density affected also the pattern of leaf distribution, length and number of branches, and internode length.

Post-agricultural succession in the Nile Delta region

The post-agricultural succession was evaluated in an abandoned military base in the Nile Delta region. Two species new to this region had been recorded ( Ifloga spicata and Cutandia dichotomo ). Their presence was related to transported building materials and/or deterioration of the soil variables towards desert soil. The heavy growth of Tamarix nilotica and Conyza dioscordis populations in the study area was related to their adaptation to significant substrate alterations, while these changes inhibit re-establishment of other long lived species. Under associated growth both populations were denser and their size distributions were biased towards small individuals. The reverse was found under non-associated growth. These findings are discussed in the light of the inhibition model and competition theory.

Biomass, nutrients and nutritive value of Persicaria salicifolia Willd. in the water courses of Nile Delta, Egypt

In the present study, we evaluate the biomass and nutritive value of the living and dead shoots of Persicaria salicifolia and their capacity to accumulate heavy metals and nutrients to be used as phytoremediator. The living and dead parts attained their highest phytomass during autumn. The dead parts accumulated higher amounts of copper, manganese and zinc than the living parts. On the other hand, the living parts had higher amounts of carbohydrates, ether extract, crude fibers and total protein. Due to its higher nutritive value, the living parts were considered excellent forage. Furthermore, the plant in the drains accumulates more nutrients and heavy metals than that in the canals. Some constituents (calcium, iron, digestible crude protein and crude fibers) had significant positive correlation with phytomass. The ability of the dead parts of P. salicifolia to accumulate higher values of nutrients renders this plant as a powerful phytoremediator for removal of pollutants from the aquatic ecosystems.