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<p>Our understanding of urban ecosystems in Egyptian cities is currently quite limited. This study marks a first step toward filling that gap, with a particular focus on the unique environments of the Kharga and Dakhla Oases in Egypt’s southern Western Desert. This study explores the floristic composition, structure and plant species distribution patterns in the 4 identified habitats: home gardens (HG), public gardens (PG), road islands (RI), and vacant lots (VL). It also attempts to unravel the complex relationships between soil conditions, species diversity, habitat types, nativity, conservation status and the distribution of species functional groups (SFGs) across the four distinct urban habitat landscapes. A comprehensive floristic survey was conducted between February and December 2023 to study the vegetation and the environment sampled from 39 permanently visited plots across the habitats in Dakhla and Kharga Oases distributed as follows: 11 in public gardens, 16 in home gardens, 8 in road islands, and 4 in vacant lots. For each recorded taxon in sampled plot, information on its presence/absence, life form, habitat type, nativity, IUCN conservation status category, functional group, and soil samples were collected. Multivariate analysis procedures were applied to assess the relationships between the soil characteristics, species distribution in recognized habitats and estimated diversity indices. In total, 173 plant taxa from 52 families and 134 genera, with therophytes (annuals) dominating the flora (50.3%), followed by phanerophytes (25.4%), reflecting adaptations to the region’s extreme aridity. Native plants constituted 55.5% of the flora, while non-native plants accounted for 16.2%, highlighting the significant influence of human activities, such as urbanization and agricultural practices, on species composition. Managed habitats, particularly home gardens (HG) and public gardens (PG), exhibited the highest species richness, hosting a diverse mix of native, cultivated, and ornamental taxa. Home gardens, with 132 plant taxa, were characterized by fruit trees and native xerophytes, while public gardens, with 112 plant taxa, supported ornamental and wetland plant taxa. In contrast, disturbed habitats such as road islands (RI) and vacant lots (VL) were dominated by weeds and xerophytic taxa, adapted to harsh, unmanaged conditions. Vacant lots, with only 44 taxa, were the least diverse, reflecting the challenging environmental conditions of these unmanaged areas. Multivariate analyses, including Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), revealed significant differences in the composition of vegetation clusters across habitats, affected by soil properties such as moisture content, salinity, and nutrient availability. Soil variables like electrical conductivity, total soluble salts, and chloride content were particularly influential in shaping taxa distribution in saline environments, while organic matter and clay content played key roles in managed habitats. The study identified seven distinct vegetation groups, each associated with specific indicator species and habitat conditions, further emphasizing the role of environmental filtering in structuring urban plant communities.</p>

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Unravelling the relationship between soil, habitat, and species distribution patterns in an urbanized desert landscape: insights from Southern oases, Western Desert, Egypt

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年5月31日

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  • Monier Abd El-Ghani,
  • Marwa Ragaey,
  • Salwa Abd El-Wahab,
  • Ali Gaafar

摘要

Our understanding of urban ecosystems in Egyptian cities is currently quite limited. This study marks a first step toward filling that gap, with a particular focus on the unique environments of the Kharga and Dakhla Oases in Egypt’s southern Western Desert. This study explores the floristic composition, structure and plant species distribution patterns in the 4 identified habitats: home gardens (HG), public gardens (PG), road islands (RI), and vacant lots (VL). It also attempts to unravel the complex relationships between soil conditions, species diversity, habitat types, nativity, conservation status and the distribution of species functional groups (SFGs) across the four distinct urban habitat landscapes. A comprehensive floristic survey was conducted between February and December 2023 to study the vegetation and the environment sampled from 39 permanently visited plots across the habitats in Dakhla and Kharga Oases distributed as follows: 11 in public gardens, 16 in home gardens, 8 in road islands, and 4 in vacant lots. For each recorded taxon in sampled plot, information on its presence/absence, life form, habitat type, nativity, IUCN conservation status category, functional group, and soil samples were collected. Multivariate analysis procedures were applied to assess the relationships between the soil characteristics, species distribution in recognized habitats and estimated diversity indices. In total, 173 plant taxa from 52 families and 134 genera, with therophytes (annuals) dominating the flora (50.3%), followed by phanerophytes (25.4%), reflecting adaptations to the region’s extreme aridity. Native plants constituted 55.5% of the flora, while non-native plants accounted for 16.2%, highlighting the significant influence of human activities, such as urbanization and agricultural practices, on species composition. Managed habitats, particularly home gardens (HG) and public gardens (PG), exhibited the highest species richness, hosting a diverse mix of native, cultivated, and ornamental taxa. Home gardens, with 132 plant taxa, were characterized by fruit trees and native xerophytes, while public gardens, with 112 plant taxa, supported ornamental and wetland plant taxa. In contrast, disturbed habitats such as road islands (RI) and vacant lots (VL) were dominated by weeds and xerophytic taxa, adapted to harsh, unmanaged conditions. Vacant lots, with only 44 taxa, were the least diverse, reflecting the challenging environmental conditions of these unmanaged areas. Multivariate analyses, including Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), revealed significant differences in the composition of vegetation clusters across habitats, affected by soil properties such as moisture content, salinity, and nutrient availability. Soil variables like electrical conductivity, total soluble salts, and chloride content were particularly influential in shaping taxa distribution in saline environments, while organic matter and clay content played key roles in managed habitats. The study identified seven distinct vegetation groups, each associated with specific indicator species and habitat conditions, further emphasizing the role of environmental filtering in structuring urban plant communities.