Zahran / Gilbert Climate - Vegetation:

Afro-Asian Mediterranean and Red Sea Coastal Lands
1. Auflage 2010
ISBN: 978-90-481-8595-5
Verlag: Springer Netherlands
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, Band 4, 321 Seiten

Reihe: Plant and Vegetation

Deserts are unique ecosystems with their own biotic and abiotic components, and are often rich in renewable natural resources, the appropriate management of which can contribute significantly to the sustainable management of desert regions for the welfare of the people.

Yet while there are many books on the flora of the countries fringing the important desert countries of the Mediterranean and Red Seas, there or few books reporting on their ecophysiology and vegetation ecology. This book presents the vegetation types of the African and Asian countries of the Mediterranean and Red Sea coastal regions, and discusses the ecological threats and economic applications of these critical resources. In particular, it examines the relationships between climate and vegetation, and discusses these within the context of desertification, agro-industrial applications, ecotourism and sustainable development.

The book will provide a valuable reference for researchers and graduate students involved in plant ecology, biogeography, economic botany and environmental management in the Afro-Asian Mediterranean and Red Sea coastal regions, as well as other desert regions around the world.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Zahran, M. A.

Gilbert, Francis

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Foreword;8
2;Preface;10
3;Acknowledgments;12
4;Contents;14
5;About the Author;16
6;Introduction;18
7;1 Afro-Asian Mediterranean Coastal Lands;24
7.1;1.1 Introduction;24
7.2;1.2 Geological History;25
7.3;1.3 Geomorphologic Features;26
7.4;1.4 Climate: Main Features;28
7.5;1.5 Mediterranean Basin Countries;31
7.6;1.6 Biodiversity of the Mediterranean Basin: General Features;33
7.7;1.7 Habitats and Vegetation of the Mediterranean Basin Arid Lands;37
7.7.1;1.7.1 Habitats;37
7.7.2;1.7.2 Vegetation Forms;41
7.8;1.8 Environment and Plant Life of the Afro-Asian Mediterranean Coastal Lands;45
7.8.1;1.8.1 North African Mediterranean Coastal Lands;45
7.8.1.1;1.8.1.1 Landforms;45
7.8.1.2;1.8.1.2 Climate;47
7.8.1.3;1.8.1.3 Geomorphology;51
7.8.1.4;1.8.1.4 Soils;52
7.8.1.5;1.8.1.5 Plant Life;53
7.8.1.6;1.8.1.6 Representative Sectors;62
7.8.1.7;1.8.1.7 Wetlands;80
7.8.2;1.8.2 South-West Asian Mediterranean Coastal Lands;89
7.8.2.1;1.8.2.1 General Remarks;89
7.8.2.2;1.8.2.2 Climate;90
7.8.2.3;1.8.2.3 Floristic Regions and Vegetation Types;93
7.8.2.4;1.8.2.4 Representative Coastal Areas;97
7.8.2.5;1.8.2.5 Wetlands;122
8;2 Afro-Asian Red Sea Coastal Lands;127
8.1;2.1 Introduction;127
8.2;2.2 Geology and Geomorphology;128
8.3;2.3 Climate;131
8.4;2.4 Habitat Types;133
8.4.1;2.4.1 Saline Habitats;133
8.4.2;2.4.2 Non-saline Habitats;134
8.5;2.5 Vegetation Forms;136
8.5.1;2.5.1 Mangrove Vegetation;136
8.5.1.1;2.5.1.1 Ecological Features;136
8.5.1.2;2.5.1.2 Are Mangroves Prehistoric Plants?;138
8.5.1.3;2.5.1.3 Mangroves of the Red Sea Coasts;138
8.5.2;2.5.2 Reed Swamp Vegetation;141
8.5.3;2.5.3 Littoral Salt Marsh Vegetation;142
8.5.3.1;2.5.3.1 African Red Sea Coast;142
8.5.3.2;2.5.3.2 Asian Red Sea Coast;149
8.5.4;2.5.4 Vegetation of the Coastal Desert Plains and Mountains;156
8.5.4.1;2.5.4.1 Ecological Characteristics;156
8.5.4.2;2.5.4.2 Vegetation Types;162
8.6;2.6 Coastal Deserts of the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba, Sinai, Egypt;219
8.6.1;2.6.1 General Remarks;219
8.6.2;2.6.2 Climate;221
8.6.3;2.6.3 Vegetation Types;222
8.6.3.1;2.6.3.1 Gulf of Suez Coast;222
8.6.3.2;2.6.3.2 Gulf of Aqaba Coast;230
8.6.3.3;2.6.3.3 The Montane Country;232
9;3 ClimateVegetation Relationships: Perspectives;240
9.1;3.1 Introduction;240
9.2;3.2 Climatic Features;240
9.2.1;3.2.1 Afro-Asian Mediterranean Coastal Lands;240
9.2.2;3.2.2 Afro-Asian Red Sea Coastal Lands;242
9.3;3.3 Vegetation Forms;244
9.3.1;3.3.1 Mangrove Vegetation;245
9.3.2;3.3.2 Reed Swamp Vegetation;246
9.3.3;3.3.3 Salt Marsh Vegetation;246
9.3.4;3.3.4 Sand Dune Vegetation;249
9.3.5;3.3.5 Rocky Ridge Vegetation;250
9.3.6;3.3.6 Desert Vegetation;250
9.3.7;3.3.7 Mediterranean Steppe Grasslands;254
9.3.8;3.3.8 Forests of the Afro-Asian Mediterranean and Red Sea Coastal Lands;255
9.3.8.1;3.3.8.1 Broad-Leaved Evergreen Forests;256
9.3.8.2;3.3.8.2 Stunted Woodlands (Matorrals);256
9.3.8.3;3.3.8.3 Coniferous Forests;259
9.3.8.4;3.3.8.4 Scrubland Vegetation;262
10;4 ClimateVegetation and Human Welfare in the Coastal Deserts;270
10.1;4.1 Introduction;270
10.2;4.2 Degradation of Desert Vegetation;271
10.3;4.3 Conservation of Desert Vegetation;274
10.4;4.4 Sustainable Development of the Deserts;276
10.4.1;4.4.1 Introduction;276
10.4.2;4.4.2 Alternative Developmental Plans;277
10.4.3;4.4.3 Sustainability: A Challenge Towards a Better Future;278
10.4.4;4.4.4 Natural Resources;279
10.4.4.1;4.4.4.1 Climate Resources;279
10.4.4.2;4.4.4.2 Land Resources;283
10.4.5;4.4.5 Plants with Promising Potentialities;287
10.4.5.1;4.4.5.1 Introduction;287
10.4.5.2;4.4.5.2 Currently Used Native Plants;288
10.4.5.3;4.4.5.3 Proposed Exotic Shrubs;292
10.4.5.4;4.4.5.4 Palm Trees;295
10.4.5.5;4.4.5.5 Case Studies;298
11;Bibliography;317
12;List of Genera;339