Landforms, Vegetation, and Soil Quality in South Sinai, Egypt
Abd El-Wahab, R., Zayed, A., Moustafa, A., Klopatek, J., Helmy, M. (2018). Landforms, Vegetation, and Soil Quality in South Sinai, Egypt. EKB Journal Management System, 1(2), 127-138.
Raafat Abd El-Wahab; Abd El-Monem Zayed; Abd El-Raouf Moustafa; Jeffery Klopatek; Mohamed Helmy. "Landforms, Vegetation, and Soil Quality in South Sinai, Egypt". EKB Journal Management System, 1, 2, 2018, 127-138.
Abd El-Wahab, R., Zayed, A., Moustafa, A., Klopatek, J., Helmy, M. (2018). 'Landforms, Vegetation, and Soil Quality in South Sinai, Egypt', EKB Journal Management System, 1(2), pp. 127-138.
Abd El-Wahab, R., Zayed, A., Moustafa, A., Klopatek, J., Helmy, M. Landforms, Vegetation, and Soil Quality in South Sinai, Egypt. EKB Journal Management System, 2018; 1(2): 127-138.

Landforms, Vegetation, and Soil Quality in South Sinai, Egypt

Catrina: The International Journal of Environmental Sciences
Article 17, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2018, Page 127-138  XML PDF (559.93 K)
Document Type: Original Article
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Authors
Raafat Abd El-Wahab email 1; Abd El-Monem Zayed2; Abd El-Raouf Moustafa3; Jeffery Klopatek4; Mohamed Helmy3
1Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
2Soil and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
3Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, 41522 Ismailia, Egypt
4School of Life Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Science, Arizona State University, Arizona, USA
Abstract
The present study focused on the assessment of soil quality in South Sinai, an arid to extremely arid
region, particularly the effect of landform type and vegetation on some of the studied soil properties.
Vegetation and soil surveys were carried out in 200 plots selected in 8 different landforms. Soil
productivity was evaluated using corn Zea mays seed plantation in greenhouse pot experiment. Some soil
properties in addition to nutrients uptake in shoots and roots of corn were analyzed. The obtained results
showed a variation in soil texture, water holding capacity, and nutrient elements among different
landforms and vegetative cover categories. Soil pH, EC, silt and clay content, water holding capacity, and
soil organic matter are the most important soil parameters or driving variables that influence the
availability of soil nutrients and control coverage and structure of vegetation. Soil quality index was
constructed based on rating of these driving variables. The provided model of soil quality index is
specific for surface soil and it could be useful in evaluation and management of soil resources in arid
ecosystems. Water availability is shown to be the key variable in controlling soil productivity. Total plant
cover and vegetation structure are considered the easy visual indicators for preliminary inspection of soil
properties, soil productivity, and soil quality.
Keywords
Arid lands; Landforms; soil productivity; Soil quality index; South Sinai; Vegetation; water availability
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