Diversity and Vegetation Analysis of Plant species Associated with Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus indica L. Mill.) in Nile Delta, Egypt
Al Saidi, F., Khalafalla, A., Said, W. (2016). Diversity and Vegetation Analysis of Plant species Associated with Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus indica L. Mill.) in Nile Delta, Egypt. EKB Journal Management System, 33(part1), 1-21. doi: 10.21608/jsrs.2016.15620
Fatema M. Al Saidi; Ahmed A. Khalafalla; Wafaa M. Said. "Diversity and Vegetation Analysis of Plant species Associated with Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus indica L. Mill.) in Nile Delta, Egypt". EKB Journal Management System, 33, part1, 2016, 1-21. doi: 10.21608/jsrs.2016.15620
Al Saidi, F., Khalafalla, A., Said, W. (2016). 'Diversity and Vegetation Analysis of Plant species Associated with Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus indica L. Mill.) in Nile Delta, Egypt', EKB Journal Management System, 33(part1), pp. 1-21. doi: 10.21608/jsrs.2016.15620
Al Saidi, F., Khalafalla, A., Said, W. Diversity and Vegetation Analysis of Plant species Associated with Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus indica L. Mill.) in Nile Delta, Egypt. EKB Journal Management System, 2016; 33(part1): 1-21. doi: 10.21608/jsrs.2016.15620

Diversity and Vegetation Analysis of Plant species Associated with Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus indica L. Mill.) in Nile Delta, Egypt

Journal of Scientific Research in Science
Article 17, Volume 33, part1, September 2016, Page 1-21  XML PDF (666.66 K)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/jsrs.2016.15620
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Authors
Fatema M. Al Saidi email ; Ahmed A. Khalafalla; Wafaa M. Said
Botany Department, Faculty of women for Arts, Science and Education, Ain Shams University
Abstract
The present work aimed to study the floristic diversityand vegetation analysis of weeds associated with Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill. in three Nile Delta governorates. Ninety nine stands (10m X 10m) were surveyed in autumn and spring (2015-2016). Seventy one species belonging to 61 genera and 27 families were recorded associated with PricklyPear. Poaceae, Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae and Brassicaceae, were the most dominant families. Annuals recorded the highest number of species (45 species) while perennials were represented by 26 species. Therophytes were the dominant life form represented by 43 species while monoregional represented the dominant floristic category (22 species). The application of TWINSPAN on the cover estimates of 71 associated species recorded in the 99 sampled stands of PricklyPear, led to the recognition of 8 vegetation groups: The names of these groups are: A: Boerhavia Coccinea, B: Cynodon dactylon, C: Cyperus rotundus, D: Psidium guajava, E:  Amaranthus lividus, F: Malva parviflora, G: Phragmites australi and H: Imperata cylindrical. M. parviflora grouphad the highest value of species richness (21.6 species/stand) and relative evenness (0.63), while the highest species turnover (8.2) was recorded in Boerhavia coccenea VG A and the highest relative concentration of dominance (2.43) was recorded in Amaranthus lividus VG E. Some of the recorded species are invasive and negatively impact PricklyPear cover, these species need control. Some other species provides many ecological and human services, these species need management and conservation.
 
Keywords
Opuntia ficus indica; Floristic Diversity; Vegetation Analysis; Nile Delta; TWINSPAN
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