الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract The present study Characterized one of the most important wetland site located in Wadi El- Rayan, in the western desert, one of the Egypt’s twenty seven protected areas. The present study described the main community of Wadi El-Rayan (assessed in twenty sites) dominated by Phragmites australis and figures out the seasonal productivity (assessed in twenty eight stands in 14 sites) represented in phytomass (kg dry weight/m2) of wetland vegetation. Five habitat types were recorded in Wadi El-Rayan area, which are reed swamps, salt marshes, sand formations, gravel and neomulitic desert and aquatic habitats. Xerophytes, halophytes and hyDROPhytes are forming the main bulk of Wadi El-Rayan vegetation. A total of 56 species belonging to 26 families were recorded. Compositae and Gramineae are the highly represented families, however therophytes and geophytes are the main life forms. Statistical Multivariate Analysis of the waterward vegetation (WW) and landward vegetation (LW) of the wetland areas clarified 5 different levels of productivity for each. The highly productive sites were those located around the Upper Lake, the Connecting Channel and the 4th spring, whereas the low productive sites were those around the Lower Lake and the 1st spring for both of the water and land wards vegetation. Some significant correlations were detected between the first two ordination axes. However, no significant correlations between axes I and II and the different soil variables. Three sites around the Upper Lake and Lower Lake were selected to monitor the effect of fire during the study period. Single effect of fire and the combined effect of both fire and grazing in the same area were realized. The environmental management section of this study listed the main values of Wadi El-Rayan Protected Area and their affecting threats according to the latest management effectiveness evaluation. Amendment of WRPA management plan is proposed in terms of 2 main issues: 1) Restoration of water balance of Wadi El-Rayan lakes and 2) Conservation of Wadi El-Ryan wetlands (grazing and firing issues). Both of the 2 main issues has its proposed objectives and strategies & actions. Seven objectives and seven strategies & actions were proposed for the first issue, while three objectives and five strategies & actions were proposed for the second issue. A map was introduced for the potential grazing strips in Wadi El-Rayan wetlands. |