Climate - Vegetation: (eBook)

Afro-Asian Mediterranean and Red Sea Coastal Lands

M.A. Zahran (Autor)

Francis Gilbert (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: PDF

2010
321 Seiten
Springer Netherland (Verlag)
978-90-481-8595-5 (ISBN)

Infos

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.

Inhalt

Foreword 8
Preface 10
Acknowledgments 12
Contents 14
About the Author 16
Introduction 18
1 Afro-Asian Mediterranean Coastal Lands 24
1.1 Introduction 24
1.2 Geological History 25
1.3 Geomorphologic Features 26
1.4 Climate: Main Features 28
1.5 Mediterranean Basin Countries 31
1.6 Biodiversity of the Mediterranean Basin: General Features 33
1.7 Habitats and Vegetation of the Mediterranean Basin Arid Lands 37
1.7.1 Habitats 37
1.7.2 Vegetation Forms 41
1.8 Environment and Plant Life of the Afro-Asian Mediterranean Coastal Lands 45
1.8.1 North African Mediterranean Coastal Lands 45
1.8.1.1 Landforms 45
1.8.1.2 Climate 47
1.8.1.3 Geomorphology 51
1.8.1.4 Soils 52
1.8.1.5 Plant Life 53
1.8.1.6 Representative Sectors 62
1.8.1.7 Wetlands 80
1.8.2 South-West Asian Mediterranean Coastal Lands 89
1.8.2.1 General Remarks 89
1.8.2.2 Climate 90
1.8.2.3 Floristic Regions and Vegetation Types 93
1.8.2.4 Representative Coastal Areas 97
1.8.2.5 Wetlands 122
2 Afro-Asian Red Sea Coastal Lands 127
2.1 Introduction 127
2.2 Geology and Geomorphology 128
2.3 Climate 131
2.4 Habitat Types 133
2.4.1 Saline Habitats 133
2.4.2 Non-saline Habitats 134
2.5 Vegetation Forms 136
2.5.1 Mangrove Vegetation 136
2.5.1.1 Ecological Features 136
2.5.1.2 Are Mangroves Prehistoric Plants? 138
2.5.1.3 Mangroves of the Red Sea Coasts 138
2.5.2 Reed Swamp Vegetation 141
2.5.3 Littoral Salt Marsh Vegetation 142
2.5.3.1 African Red Sea Coast 142
2.5.3.2 Asian Red Sea Coast 149
2.5.4 Vegetation of the Coastal Desert Plains and Mountains 156
2.5.4.1 Ecological Characteristics 156
2.5.4.2 Vegetation Types 162
2.6 Coastal Deserts of the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba, Sinai, Egypt 219
2.6.1 General Remarks 219
2.6.2 Climate 221
2.6.3 Vegetation Types 222
2.6.3.1 Gulf of Suez Coast 222
2.6.3.2 Gulf of Aqaba Coast 230
2.6.3.3 The Montane Country 232
3 ClimateVegetation Relationships: Perspectives 240
3.1 Introduction 240
3.2 Climatic Features 240
3.2.1 Afro-Asian Mediterranean Coastal Lands 240
3.2.2 Afro-Asian Red Sea Coastal Lands 242
3.3 Vegetation Forms 244
3.3.1 Mangrove Vegetation 245
3.3.2 Reed Swamp Vegetation 246
3.3.3 Salt Marsh Vegetation 246
3.3.4 Sand Dune Vegetation 249
3.3.5 Rocky Ridge Vegetation 250
3.3.6 Desert Vegetation 250
3.3.7 Mediterranean Steppe Grasslands 254
3.3.8 Forests of the Afro-Asian Mediterranean and Red Sea Coastal Lands 255
3.3.8.1 Broad-Leaved Evergreen Forests 256
3.3.8.2 Stunted Woodlands (Matorrals) 256
3.3.8.3 Coniferous Forests 259
3.3.8.4 Scrubland Vegetation 262
4 ClimateVegetation and Human Welfare in the Coastal Deserts 270
4.1 Introduction 270
4.2 Degradation of Desert Vegetation 271
4.3 Conservation of Desert Vegetation 274
4.4 Sustainable Development of the Deserts 276
4.4.1 Introduction 276
4.4.2 Alternative Developmental Plans 277
4.4.3 Sustainability: A Challenge Towards a Better Future 278
4.4.4 Natural Resources 279
4.4.4.1 Climate Resources 279
4.4.4.2 Land Resources 283
4.4.5 Plants with Promising Potentialities 287
4.4.5.1 Introduction 287
4.4.5.2 Currently Used Native Plants 288
4.4.5.3 Proposed Exotic Shrubs 292
4.4.5.4 Palm Trees 295
4.4.5.5 Case Studies 298
Bibliography 317
List of Genera 339

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 10.3.2010
• Reihe/Serie: Plant and Vegetation
• Reihe/Serie: Plant and Vegetation
• Zusatzinfo: XXII, 321 p.
• Verlagsort: Dordrecht
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Botanik
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Evolution
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Ökologie / Naturschutz
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Geowissenschaften ► Geologie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Geowissenschaften ► Meteorologie / Klimatologie
• Themenwelt: Technik
• Schlagworte: African-Asian Read Sea coastal lands • African-Mediterranean Sea coastal lands • biogeography • Climate • Climate change impacts • coastal region • desert • deserts • Development • Ecology • ecosystem • Ecosystems • Environment • Environmental Management • Physiology • systematic botany • Vegetation
• ISBN-10: 90-481-8595-5 / 9048185955
• ISBN-13: 978-90-481-8595-5 / 9789048185955