A preliminary overview of the plant communities of the Sinai desert, based on an inventory of available phytosociological data from literature and field survey of undersampled areas

M.Z. Hatim, K. Shaltout, J.H.J. Schaminee, J.A.M. Janssen, M. El-sheikh

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingAbstract

Abstract

Egypt has a long history in vegetation research, dating back to the 1930s. However, although several regional studies on plant communities have been carried out, there has never been compiled a complete classification overview documented with vegetation tables. In 2008, a first international workshop was organized by Tanta University for the input and management of the vegetation data. This workshop has resulted in a new spirit for phytosociological research, resulting in a set of initiatives. Among those, there is the aim to compile a National Vegetation Databank for Egypt and a National Vegetation Map, as well as a series of studies dealing with the major biomes of Egypt. The present study on the vegetation of the Sinai desert must be seen within this context. For this area, one of the major biomes in Egypt, several vegetation surveys have been carried out, but so far there was no overview of the existing vegetation data, not all areas have been investigated well, and the data were not available in a standardized way. Starting from these omissions, the present study is aiming at (1) an inventory of all available phytosociological data on desert vegetation of Sinai, (2) a field investigation of areas where no or little research has been carried out, and (3) the compilation of a preliminary overview of the plant communities of Sinai region. The research has shown that four major vegetation groups can be distinguished, which reflect the important geographic regions in the Peninsula: Coastal desert communities, Inland desert communities, Plateau desert communities and Mountain desert communities.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication20th International Workshop of the European Vegetation Survey, A century of phytosociology & 20 years of the new spirit in phytosociology, Rome, Italy, 6 9 April, 2011
Pages49
Publication statusPublished - 2011
Event20th International Workshop of the European Vegetation Survey, A century of phytosociology & 20 years of the new spirit in phytosociology, Rome, Italy -
Duration: 6 Apr 20119 Apr 2011

Workshop

Workshop20th International Workshop of the European Vegetation Survey, A century of phytosociology & 20 years of the new spirit in phytosociology, Rome, Italy
Period6/04/119/04/11

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