CYANOBACTERIA AND ALGAL FLORA OF WADI EL-TAAL DESERT, ABU-ZENIMA AREA, SOUTH SINAI, EGYPT.

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Ain shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

Cyanobacteria and algal flora of Wadi El-Taal in Abu-Zenima area have been studied by the georeferenced field survey using the Global Positioning System. Twenty one Cyanobacteria and algal taxa were identified in this investigation. The lentic habitats of El-Diesa Spring favoring the dominancy of thick mat structures of Cyanobacterial taxa of Hammatoidea simplex, Oscillatoria foreaui, Gloeocapsa decorticans and Gloeocapsa gelatinosa. In addition, the yellowish green colored algal filamentous mat of Rhizoclonium was recorded as a dominant green taxon overgrown by the epiphytic diatom of Mastogloia braunii. The lotic habitats of El-Gowisa Spring revealed the abundancy of the cyanobacterial mat of Oscillatoria salina. The physico-chemical parameters, in particular the alkaline pH, high salinity and the lower content of phosphorus of water and soil may be contributed in the dominancy of Cyanobacteria in this area. Three taxa of Oscillatoria were identified and added to the updated list of Cyanobacteria of Egypt as new records.

References

Anagnostidis, K. and Komarek, J. (1985). Modem approach to the classification system of cyanophytes. 1- Introduction. Arch. Hydrobiol Suppl. 71, 1/2 Algological studies, 38/39: 291 - 330
 Anagnostidis, K. and Komarek, J. (1988). Moderm approach to the classification system of cyanophytes. 3- Oscillatoriales. Arch. Hydrobiol. Suppl. 80 Algological Studies, 50/53: 327-372.
Desikachary, T. V. (1959). Cyanophyta. New Delhi. Indian Council Agricultural Research, 686 pp.
El-Awamri, A. A., Shaaban, A. S. and Hamed, A. F. (1996). Algae in Saint Catherine region (South Sinai) Egypt. Egyp. J. Bot., 36: 145-168.
El-Otify, A. M. and Mahalel, U. A. (2000). Ecological studies on the soil algae of Wadi Allaqi biosphere reserve area in south eastern desert, Egypt. Egypt. J. Phycol., 1:107-119.
Evans, R. D. and Johansen, J. R. (1999). Microbiotic crusts and ecosystem processes. Crit. Rev. Pl. Sci., 18: 183-225.
Hamed, A. F. (2001). Geographical distribution of aquatic and soil algae of Wadi Gharandel, Southwest Sinai, Egypt. Az. J. Microbiol., 53: 54-77.
Hamed, A. F. (in press). Survey of distribution and diversity of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) in Egypt. Acta Botanica Hungarica.
Hamouda, M. S. A. (1981). Studies on the algal flora and its role in the northern coastal ecosystem of Egypt. M. Sc. Thesis, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, 185 pp.
Hawkes, C. V. and Flechtner, V. R. (2002). Biological soil crusts in xeric Florida shrubland: composition , abundance, and spatial heterogeneity of crusts with different disturbance histories. Microb. Ecol., 43: 1-12.
Hustedt, F. (1957). Die Diatomeenflora des Fluss-Systems der weser in Gebiet der Hansestadt Bremen. Abh. Naturw. Ver Bremen, 34: 181-440.
Ibrahim, B. M. I. (2002). Preliminary survey of microalgal soil crusts in a xeric habitats (Wadi Araba, eastern desert, Egypt). Egypt. J. Phycol., 2: 1-17.
Jackson, M. L. (1973). Soil Chemical Analysis. Printice Hall of India Private, New Delhi, 498 pp.
Jouse, A, P., Proschkina-Laverenko, A. I. and Sheshykova, V. C. (1949). Diatom Analysis Vol. 1 Pub. Geol. Liter. Leningrad, 339 pp.
Kobbia, I. A, (1985). Nitrogen-fixing blue-green algae of the semiarid regions along the gravel and limestone deserts of Cairo-Suez Road, Egypt. Sohag Pure and Appl. Sci. Bull. Fac. Sci. Egypt, 2:15.
Kobbia, I. A, and El-Batanouny, K. H. (1975). Studies on the algal flora of Egyptian soil. I. Different sites along a lake in the salines of Wadi El-Natrun. Pub. Cairo Univ.Herb.,6:61-72.
Kobbia, I. A. and Shabana, E. F. (1988). Studies on the soil algal flora of Bahraiya Oasis. Egypt. J. Bot., 31 (13): 23-43.
Komarek, J. and Anagnostidis, K. (1986): Modern approach to the classification system of cyanophytes. 2- Chroococcales. Arch. Hydrobiol. Suppl., Algological Studies, 73: 157-226.
Krammer, K. and Lange-Bertalot, H. (1986). Bacillariophyceae , Naviculaceae. Gustav Fisher Verlag. Stuttgart, New York, 876 pp.
Krammer, K. and Lange-Bertalot, H. (1988). Bacillariophyceae, Nitzschiaceae. Gustav Fisher Verlag. Stuttgart, New York, 821 pp.
Lewis, L. A. and Flechner, V. R. (2002). Green algae (Chlorophyta) of desert microbiotic crusts: diversity of North American Taxa. Taxon, 443-451.
Lindsay, W. I. and Norvel, W. A. (1978). Development of DTPA Soil Test. Soil Sci. Soc. Amr. Proc., 42: 1-8.
Patrick, R. and Reimer, C. W. (1966). The diatoms of the United States. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia. Monograph, 13(1): 1-688.
Patrick, R. and Reimer, C. W. (1975). The diatoms of the United States. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia. Monograph, 13(2,1): 1-213.
Prescott, G. W. (1961). Algae of the Western Great Lakes Area. Wm, C. Brown Publisher, Dubuque, Iowa, U.S. A., 977 pp.
Rejmankova, E. and Komarkova, J. (2000). A function of cyanobacterial mats in phosphorus - limited tropical wetlands. Hydrobiologia, 43(1-2); 135-153.
Salama, A. M. and Kobbia, I. A. (1982). Studies on the soil algal flora of Egyptian soils. II. Different sites of a sector in the Libiyan Desert. Egypt. J. Bot., 25: 139.
Shaaban, A. S. (1985). The algal flora of Egyptian Oases- II- On the algae of Siwa Oasis. Proc. Egyp. Bot. Soc., 4: 1-9.
Shaaban, A. S. and El-Habibi, A. M. (1978). The algal flora of the Egyptian Oases. I-The algal flora of Kharga Oasis. The Desert Inst. Bull., 28: 227-232.
Shaaban, A. S. and Hamed, A. F. (1997). Fresh water algae of El-Arish Valley and its vicinity (North Sinai), Egypt. The Desert Inst. Bull., 47: 101-118.
Shaaban, A. S., Gebrell, H. M. and Hamed, A. F. (1997). Cyanobacteria of Haimnam Faroun hot spring. Egyp. J. Microbiol., 32: 49-57.
Shaaban, A. S., Hamed, A, F. and Hoda, M. A. (2000). Algal flora of Egyptian soils.1. The occurrence of cyanobacteria and algae in some habitats. Taeckholmia, 20(2): 159-171.
Swanberg, C. A.; Morgan, P.; Hennin, S. F.; Daggett, P. H.; Melic, Y. S. and El-Sherif, A. A. (1976). Preliminary report on the thermal springs of Egypt. Proc.Inter. Cong. on Thermal Waters, Geothermal Energy and Vulcanism of the Mediterranean Area. Natl. Univ. Athens, Greece, 2: 540-554.
Swanberg, C. A., Morgan, P. and Boulous, F. K. (1984). Geochemistry of the ground water of Egypt. Annals of the Geological Survey of Egypt., XIV: 127-150.
USDA (1954). Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkali soils. USDA Handbook,No. 60, Riverside, Calif:, USA., 240 pp.

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics