Change detection and urban expansion of Port Sudan, Red Sea, using remote sensing and GIS.

During the last two decades, Port Sudan City has witnessed major environmental stresses resulting from urban expansion and port extensions. This research aims at analysing land water changes (LWCs), land use land cover (LULC) changes and urban expansion of Port Sudan using remote sensing and GIS. For that purpose, an integrated remote sensing and GIS approach was designed to analyse two Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) and an Operational Land Imager (OLI) Landsat images covering the period from 1999 to 2018. LWCs were detected using mathematical remote sensing and GIS-based procedures, while LULC changes were analysed through a post-classification comparison (PCC) approach using a support vector machine (SVM) classifier for classification. Major detected LWCs include landfill activities in the port area and north lagoon of Kilo Tamanya, and dredging activities in Khor Mog. Areas gained by landfill may have improved the port and transport functions but buried coral reefs and caused environmental problems as well. Furthermore, the urban areas were twice doubled, which was mostly rapid and uncontrolled, adding more pressure to the already stressed services and administrative sectors. Threats to the agricultural and mangrove areas were also analysed. The agricultural and mangrove areas were decreased by 40% each, which has been shown to have negative impacts on society, food security and biodiversity. Sadly, the lost agricultural lands were changed into bare soil, slums and other industrial uses. In contrast, mesquite forests were naturally increased by 74%. Mesquites have a major role in combating desertification and providing energy for domestic use. The driving forces and constraints of the urban expansion were highlighted. The change information provided by the applied approach will support decision-makers in adopting integrated and compatible land and coast management planning in the studied coastal city.

Taxonomic Revision of Genus Ephedra Tourn. ex L. in Egypt with Intra-Gender Diversity in Morphometric Traits and Fatty Acid Composition.

The genus Ephedra Tourn. ex L. (Ephedraceae) still exhibits taxonomic complexity that has not yet been resolved. This study aimed to determine the taxonomic identity of the Ephedra species in Egypt and identify the fatty acid profile and its diversity at the gender level as a taxonomic tool for specimens lacking reproductive cones. The current study provides a pioneering approach that distinguishes Ephedra species at the gender level. A total of 120 fresh individuals were collected from 20 locations representing different habitats where Ephedra plants grow in Egypt. In addition, herbarium specimens were deposited in Egyptian herbaria. The studied morphological traits included 30 vegetative characteristics and 72 traits of the reproductive organs of both genders. The fatty acid content was measured using gas-mass chromatography (GC-Mass). The taxonomic revision revealed that the Genus Ephedra was represented in the Egyptian flora by five species, Ephedra alata in section Alatae and E. aphylla, E. ciliata, E. foemina, and E. pachyclada in section Ephedra. South Sinai hosts these five species and represents the center of diversity for this genus in Egypt. The vegetative characteristics were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA), which revealed a distinct separation of the five studied species. Similarly, the cone traits treated by hierarchical clustering revealed intra-gender variations. The taxonomic key was developed based on the morphological traits to distinguish the studied species at the gender level. In total, 51 fatty acids were identified from the studied species and grouped as 18 saturated, 16 monounsaturated, and 17 polyunsaturated fatty acids. In the absence of reproductive cones, the lipid content and fatty acid composition of the vegetative parts displayed significant interspecific and intra-gender variations. Therefore, fatty acids can be used to efficiently identify the studied species when they lack reproductive cones. This study proved the efficacy of a multidisciplinary approach to identify Ephedra species at the gender level and recommends this trend for future studies of this genus.

Heteroblastic Inflorescence of Lamium amplexicaule L. in Egyptian Flora.

Lamium amplexicaule L. (Family: Lamiaceae) is a cosmopolitan weed whose eradication is challenging. The phenoplasticity of this species is related to its heteroblastic inflorescence, which has not received adequate research worldwide in its morphological and genetic aspects. This inflorescence hosts two flower types, a cleistogamous (CL: closed flower) and a chasmogamous (CH: opened flower). This species subjected to detailed investigation is a model species to clarify: (1) the existence of the CL and CH flowers in relation to the time and individual plants. (2) the predominant flower morphs in Egypt. (3) the morphological and genetic variability between these morphs. Among the novel data retrieved from this work is the Presence of this species in three distinct morphs coexisting during winter. These morphs showed remarkable phenoplasticity, particularly in flower organs. Significant differences were observed between the three morphs in pollen fertility, nutlets productivity and sculpture, flowering time, and seed viability. These differences were extended to the genetic profile of these three morphs assessed by the inter simple sequence repeats (ISSRs) and start codon targeted (SCoT). This work highlights the urgent need to study the heteroblastic inflorescence of crop weeds to facilitate its eradication.

Taxonomic significance of seed sculpture and pollen ecto-mycoflora at the infraspecific level: Brassica tournefortii case study.

Several populations of Brassica tournefortii (Brassicaceae) occurring in Egypt are investigated from the micromorphological point of view (seed ornamentations). The species is known to show a notable phenotypic plasticity and five morphotypes was identified in the past. Furthermore, a soil analysis as well as a study of the fungal species from anthers were carried out. The aim of the study is to verify the taxonomic value of the morpholotypes of B. tournefortii and their ecologic relationship with soil variables. The results obtained demonstrated that the five morphological forms can be distinguished based on the seed sculpture. The Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) exhibited a clear correlation between the soil variables and the identified forms. Six species of fungi were detected from the ecto-anthers in the Forms (F2-F4), while F1 was lacking the fungal species. The study revealed that the morphological plasticity of studied B. tournefortii depends on ecological factors.

Plant Materials are Sustainable Substrates Supporting New Technologies of Plant-Only-Based Culture Media for in vitro Culturing of the Plant Microbiota.

In order to improve the culturability and biomass production of rhizobacteria, we previously introduced plant-only-based culture media. We herein attempted to widen the scope of plant materials suitable for the preparation of plant-only-based culture media. We chemically analyzed the refuse of turfgrass, cactus, and clover. They were sufficiently rich to support good in vitro growth by rhizobacteria isolates representing Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. They were also adequate and efficient to produce a cell biomass in liquid batch cultures. These culture media were as sufficient as artificial culture media for the cultivation and recovery of the in situ rhizobacteria of barley (Hordeum murinum L.). Based on culture-dependent (CFU plate counting) and culture-independent analyses (qPCR), mowed turfgrass, in particular, supported the highest culturable population of barley endophytes, representing >16% of the total bacterial number quantified with qPCR. This accurately reflected the endophytic community composition, in terms of diversity indices (S', H', and D') based on PCR-DGGE, and clustered the plant culture media together with the qPCR root populations away from the artificial culture media. Despite the promiscuous nature of the plant materials tested to culture the plant microbiome, our results indicated that plant materials of a homologous nature to the tested host plant, at least at the family level, and/or of the same environment were more likely to be selected. Plant-only-based culture media require further refinements in order to provide selectivity for the in vitro growth of members of the plant microbiome, particularly difficult-to-culture bacteria. This will provide insights into their hidden roles in the environment and support future culturomic studies.

A novel plant-based-sea water culture media for in vitro cultivation and in situ recovery of the halophyte microbiome.

The plant-based-sea water culture medium is introduced to in vitro cultivation and in situ recovery of the microbiome of halophytes. The ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) was used, in the form of juice and/or dehydrated plant powder packed in teabags, to supplement the natural sea water. The resulting culture medium enjoys the combinations of plant materials as rich source of nutrients and sea water exercising the required salt stress. As such without any supplements, the culture medium was sufficient and efficient to support very good in vitro growth of halotolerant bacteria. It was also capable to recover their in situ culturable populations in the phyllosphere, ecto-rhizosphere and endo-rhizosphere of halophytes prevailing in Lake Mariout, Egypt. When related to the total bacterial numbers measured for Suaeda pruinosa roots by quantitative-PCR, the proposed culture medium increased culturability (15.3-19.5%) compared to the conventional chemically-synthetic culture medium supplemented with (11.2%) or without (3.8%) NaCl. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, representative isolates of halotolerant bacteria prevailed on such culture medium were closely related to Bacillus spp., Halomonas spp., and Kocuria spp. Seed germination tests on 25-50% sea water agar indicated positive interaction of such bacterial isolates with the germination and seedlings' growth of barley seeds.

Rhizosheath of sinai desert plants is a potential repository for associative diazotrophs.

Among 42 plant species representing the flora of north Sinai, two possessed sand grain sheath encasing the roots. They are Panicum turgidum Forssk. and Stipagrostis scoparia (Trin.and Rupr.) deWinter. Rhizosheaths, compared to surrounding free sand, accommodated higher population density of microorganisms including associative diazotrophs. Isolates secured belonged to the species of Bacillus circulans, Paenib. macerans (Bacillus macerans), Enterobacter agglomerans, Agrobacterium radiobacter and Chryseomonas luteola (Pseudomonos luteola). The rhizosheath potentiality in re-vegetating sand dunes and arid lands, through nitrogen fixation, plant-water relationship and root continuity for nutrient uptake, are discussed.

Diversity of bacteria nesting the plant cover of north Sinai deserts, Egypt.

North Sinai deserts were surveyed for the predominant plant cover and for the culturable bacteria nesting their roots and shoots. Among 43 plant species reported, 13 are perennial (e.g. Fagonia spp., Pancratium spp.) and 30 annuals (e.g. Bromus spp., Erodium spp.). Eleven species possessed rhizo-sheath, e.g. Cyperus capitatus, Panicum turgidum and Trisetaria koelerioides. Microbiological analyses demonstrated: the great diversity and richness of associated culturable bacteria, in particular nitrogen-fixing bacteria (diazotrophs); the majority of bacterial residents were of true and/or putative diazotrophic nature; the bacterial populations followed an increasing density gradient towards the root surfaces; sizeable populations were able to reside inside the root (endorhizosphere) and shoot (endophyllosphere) tissues. Three hundred bacterial isolates were secured from studied spheres. The majority of nitrogen-fixing bacilli isolates belonged to Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus polymexa, Bacillus macerans, Bacillus circulans and Bacillus licheniformis. The family Enterobacteriaceae represented by Enterobacter agglomerans, Enterobacter sackazakii, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia adorifera, Serratia liquefaciens and Klebsiella oxytoca. The non-Enterobacteriaceae population was rich in Pantoae spp., Agrobacterium rdiobacter, Pseudomonas vesicularis, Pseudomonas putida, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Ochrobactrum anthropi, Sphingomonas paucimobilis and Chrysemonas luteola. Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus were reported inside root and shoot tissues of a number of tested plants. The dense bacterial populations reported speak well to the very possible significant role played by the endophytic bacterial populations in the survival, in respect of nutrition and health, of existing plants. Such groups of diazotrophs are good candidates, as bio-preparates, to support the growth of future field crops grown in deserts of north Sinai and irrigated by the water of El-Salam canal.