Sabkha Ecosystems (eBook)

Sabkha Ecosystems 3
Foreword 5
Acknowledgements 9
Contents 11
Disclaimer 13
Sabkha Regions of Tropical East Africa 15
1 Introduction 15
2 Inland Sabkhat 17
2.1 Saline Sabkhat 17
2.2 Vegetation 17
2.3 Alkaline Sabkhat 18
3 Coastal Sabkhat 18
3.1 Vegetation 19
4 Utilisation and Economic Importance 20
5 Conservation and Designated Protected Areas 20
6 Conclusions 21
References 21
A Review of Fauna and Flora Associated with Coastal and Inland Saline Flats from Namibia with Special Reference to the Etosha 22
1 Introduction 22
1.1 Etosha Pan 22
1.2 Coastal Flats 23
2 Methods 23
3 Results and Discussion 23
3.1 Fauna 23
3.1.1 Etosha Pan 23
3.1.1.1 Mammals 23
3.1.1.2 Birds 25
3.1.1.3 . Herpetofauna 25
3.1.1.4 Fish 26
3.1.2 Coastal Saline Flats 26
3.1.2.1 Mammals 26
3.1.2.2 Birds 26
3.1.2.3 Herpetofauna 27
3.1.2.4 Fish 27
3.2 Flora 27
3.2.1 Etosha Pan 27
3.2.2 Coastal Saline Flats 28
4 Conclusion 29
References 29
Introducing the Namib Desert Playas 31
1 Introduction 31
2 Results 32
2.1 The Silver Lake Playas 32
2.2 The Welwitschia Flats Playas 32
2.3 The Okahandja Lineament Playas 34
2.4 Water Chemistry 35
3 Discussion 35
4 Conclusion 37
References 37
Quantitative Eolian Transport of Evaporite Salts from the Makgadikgadi Depression (Ntwetwe and Sua Pans) in Northeastern Bots 38
1 Introduction 38
1.1 Hydrogeology 39
2 Methods 41
3 Results 41
4 Conclusions 47
References 47
Palaeo-Ecological Aspects of Farafra Oasis (Egyptian Sabkha) During the Mid-Neolithic Period (7130–6190 BP): A Multivariate Ana 49
1 Introduction 49
2 Materials and Methods 50
3 Results 51
4 Discussion 51
5 Palaeo-Economic Interpretations 52
6 Conclusions and Recommendations 53
References 53
Overview of Halophytic Plants of the Sudanese Red Sea Salt Marsh 55
1 Introduction 55
2 Study Area 55
2.1 Red Sea State 55
2.1.1 Basic data 56
3 Objectives 56
4 Literature Review 56
5 Methodology 56
6 Results 57
6.1 Floristic Composition 57
7 Potential Threats 58
8 Discussion 59
9 Managerial Aspects 60
10 Conclusions 60
References 61
A General Assessment of Marine Turtle Nesting Activity on the Libyan Saline Coast 62
1 Introduction 62
2 Material and Methods 63
3 Results 63
4 Discussion 65
References 67
Current Challenges and Future Opportunities for a Sustainable Utilization of Halophytes 68
1 Introduction 68
2 Soil Bioremediation by Desalination-Efficient Halophytes 70
3 Heavy Metal Phytoextraction 72
4 Halophytes for Livestock Production 74
5 Halophytes for Oil Production 76
6 Halophytes with Medicinal Potential and for Cosmetics 78
7 Agroforestry Ecwosystems and Carbon Sequestration 80
8 Conclusions and Perspectives 81
References 82
The Salt Marsh (Sabkha) in the Western Part of Libya 87
1 Introduction 87
2 Material and Methods 88
2.1 Study Area 88
3 Results 89
4 Discussion 90
5 Conclusions 92
References 92
Halophyte-Fodder Species Association May Improve Nutrient Availability and Biomass Production of the Sabkha Ecosystem 93
1 Introduction 93
2 Material and Methods 94
2.1 Experimental Site and Sampling Periods 94
2.2 Plant Sampling Method 94
2.3 Soil Sampling Method 95
2.4 Mineral Elements 95
2.5 Statistical Analysis 95
3 Results 95
3.1 Vegetation Inventory 95
3.2 Soil Salinity 96
3.3 Soil Fertility 96
3.4 Ecosystem Productivity 97
3.5 Nutrient Uptake 98
3.6 Na+ Accumulation 99
4 Discussion 99
5 Conclusions 100
References 101
Potential Role of Salt Marshes in the Sabkhas of Egypt 103
1 Introduction 103
2 Salt Marshes in Egypt 103
3 Salt Marshes as Potential Habitats 104
4 Prospects of Halophytes as Animal Feeds 105
References 105
Halophyte plant diversity, coastal habitat types and their conservation status in Cyprus 107
1 Introduction 107
2 Geology, Hydrology, Soils and Climate 108
3 Plant Diversity 109
4 Endemic, Rare and Threatened Plants of Cyprus 115
5 Conclusion 118
References 118
Salt-Affected Soils and Their Native Vegetation in Hungary 120
1 Introduction 120
2 Environmental Conditions in Hungary 120
3 Meteorological Conditions 121
4 Hydrological Conditions 121
5 Soil Conditions 122
6 Groundwater Conditions 123
7 The Formation of the SAS of Hungary 123
8 Classification of Hungarian Salt-Affected Soils 123
9 Solonchak Soils (Total Area 47 km2) 124
10 Solonchak-Solonetz Soils (Total Area 659 km2) 124
11 Meadow Solonetz Soils (Total Area 2,749 km2) 124
12 Deep Mollic Solonetz (Total Area 2,122 km2) 124
13 Secondary Salt-Affected Soil (Not Distinguished on the Agrotopo Database as Polygons) 124
14 The Utilization of SAS in Hungary 125
15 Information Available on the Spatial Extent of SAS 125
16 Agrotopo Map Database 125
16.1 The 1:25,000 Soil Information System (Kreybig Digital Soil Information System) 125
16.2 Genetic Soil Maps of 1:10,000 Scale 126
17 Exemplary Data of Hungarian Salt-Affected Soils 126
18 Vegetation of Saline and Sodic Areas 132
19 Example of the Soil and Vegetation Conditions in Two Characteristic Kiskunság Sites 132
20 Utilization of Halophytes in Hungary 137
References 138
Halophytes in Republic of Macedonia 140
1 Introduction 140
2 Genesis and Classification of Saline Soils 141
3 Plant Diversity of Saline Soils 142
4 Conclusion 144
References 144
Low-Cost Mapping of Sabkha-Ecosystems Using Satellite Imagery: An Example from SE Qatar 145
1 Introduction 145
2 The Geoengine: Data Acquisition 145
3 Geographical Aspects of the Study Area 147
4 Methods 148
5 Conclusion 150
References 151
Index 152