Vegetation Structure and Species Association in High-Altitude Mountain Island in Egypt

Abstract

A total of 42 stands representing different habitats of the Katherine protectorate (SKP) have been chosen to represent the most common plant communities of the Saint Katherine Protectorate. In total, 52 species were found in the vegetation survey. The species that had been recorded in the study area in vegetation were itemized on a list, and the total species recorded belonged to 24 families. At the family level, Compositae has the highest contribution to the total species ( 10 species = 19.23 %), followed by Labiateae ( 9 species = 17.31 %), followed by Cruciferae (4 species = 7.69 %), Zygophyllaceae, Scrophulariaceae and Caryophyllaceae (each comprises 3 species = 5.77%), At the species level and from vegetation survey, Teucrium polium has the highest presence percentage ( 34 stand = 81 %), followed by Nepeta septemcrenata and Phlomis aurea (32 stand = 76.2 %), Chiliadenus montanus and Seriphidium herba-album (29 stand = 69 %), Echinops spinosus and sinaicum (27 stand = 64.3 %), Stachys aegyptiaca (25 stand = 59.5 %), Ballota undulata (24 stand = 57.1 %), Achillea fragrantissima (22 stand = 52.4 %). The results of these are (1) disappearance of palatable plant species, rare species and endemic species; (2) wadis and ridge habitats being dominated by pure communities of plants such as Artemisia judaica, Anabasis articulata , and Fagonia mollis ; (3) changes in the soil surface and moisture retention ability; and, (4) a reduction of the total plant cover that protects the soil surface, slow down erosion and stabilizes the relief. It is noticed, in certain plant communities, that the most common is the