Bedouin farms in the Saint Katherine mountainous area(South Sinai,Egypt)

This study aims to assess the natural and cultivated plant species in 26 Bedouin farms in Saint Katherine Protectorate(SKP),identify their soil and water characteristics,and assess the suitability of these farms for the cultivation of some wild medicinal plants.The farms were selected to represent wide wadis with deep sand and clay deposits,gorge-like wadis covered with rock fragments of different sizes,spot-like oases,and the Al Q’aa Plain.Using TWINSPAN(two-way indicator species analysis)and DCA(detrended correspondence analysis)techniques,the 26 farms were classified into 5 groups(Ⅰ-Ⅴ)based on their floristic composition of wild plants.These groups reflect an elevation gradient among the farms above sea level from a mean of 119 m to a mean of1,865m.A total of 73 wild species were recorded,with47 in groupⅡ(500-1,000 m)and 25 in group V(>1,700 m).The common target species were Artemisia judaica,Acacia tortilis subsp.raddiana,Origanum syriacum subsp.sinaicum and Varthemia montana(34.6%-26.9%).The cultivated speciesnumbered 25,with 17 in groupⅡ(500-1,000 m) andⅡin groupⅣ(1,500-1,700 m).The common fruit trees were olive,grape,fig,apple,palm,almond,apricot and pomegranate(73.0%-42.3%).Based on the soil characteristics,13 farms belong to soil class 2that describes good soils with moderate limitations,and 12 belong to soil class 3 that describes moderately good soils,which can be used regularly for crops after proper treatment.

Vegetation diversity along the altitudinal and environmental gradients in the main wadi beds in the mountainous region of South Sinai,Egypt

South Sinai includes Egypt’s highest mountains that resemble an ecological island surrounded by desert.The present study aims to analyse the vegetation physiognomy along the altitudinal and environmental gradients in the main wadi beds in South Sinai mountainous region.This includes determining the natural,native-weed and alien vegetation in representative stands in this region,analysing their vegetation in terms of species composition,abundance and life forms and determining the national and global distribution of the associated species.This investigation also aims to describe the prevailing plant communities and assess the role of environmental conditions that affect the vegetation in this region.Thus,thirty-two stands were chosen during March-June 2018 to reflect the prevailing altitude and environmental gradients.Total species was 316(229 genera and 61 families):186 species were perennials(58.9%),while 130 were annuals(41.1%).In addition,152 species were native weeds(48.1%of total species),31 were aliens(9.8%),along with 133 natural species(42.1%).Eight species were recorded as endemic to Egypt:Anarrhinum pubescens,Euphorbia sanctae-catharinae,Hypericum sinaicum,Origanum syriacum subsp.sinaicum,Phlomis aurea,Primula boveana,Rosa arabica and Solanum sinaicum.In addition,10 species were recorded as near-endemics to Egypt and other adjacent countries:Allium desertorum,Asclepias sinaica,Centaurea scoparia,Fagonia mollis var.hispida,Hyoscyamus boveanus,Iphiona mucronata,Micromeria sinaica,Pterocephalus sanctus,Salvia deserti and Stachys aegyptiaca.In the present study,33 species are threatened and categorized as follows:8 endangered,8 vulnerable and one indeterminate,while the rest were evaluated by the authors as rares.The rich plant diversity of this region is due to its extensive mountainous massif,which supports many microhabitats.The high elevations in this region hinder the dispersal process of propagules,a situation which often tends to increase endemic and near-endemic species.The current results were discussed and compared with some related previous studies.

A safe haven of SARS-CoV-2 in the environment:Prevalence and potential transmission risks in the effluent,sludge,and biosolids

The novel coronavirus,SARS-CoV-2,which has caused millions of death globally is recognized to be unstable and recalcitrant in the environment,especially in the way it has been evolving to form new and highly transmissible variants.Of particular concerns are human-environment interactions and the handling and reusing the environmental materials,such as effluents,sludge,or biosolids laden with the SARS-CoV-2 without adequate treatments,thereby suggesting potential transmission and health risks.This study assesses the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in effluents,sludge,and biosolids.Further,we evaluate the environmental,ecological,and health risks of reusing these environmental materials by wastewater/sludge workers and farmers.A systematic review of literature from the Scopus database resulted in a total of 21 articles(11 for effluents,8 for sludge,and 2 for biosolids)that met the criteria for meta-analysis,which are then subdivided into 30 meta-analyzed studies.The prevalence of SAR-CoV-2 RNA in effluent and sludge based on random-effect models are 27.51 and 1012.25,respectively,with a 95%CI between 6.14 and 48.89 for the effluent,and 104.78 and 1019.71 for the sludge.However,the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the biosolids based on the fixed-effect model is 30.59,with a 95%CI between 10.10 and 51.08.The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in environmental materials indicates the inefficiency in some of the treatment systems currently deployed to inactivate and remove the novel virus,which could be a potential health risk concern to vulnerable wastewater workers in particular,and the environmental and ecological issues for the population at large.This timely review portends the associated risks in handling and reusing environmental materials without proper and adequate treatments.