User:Mohamed Dadamouny

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Population Ecology of Moringa peregrina growing in Southern Sinai, Egypt.
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Dadamouny, M.A. 2009

A total 404 M. peregrina trees were surveyed in four wadis of South Sinai and located in 41 sites; 4 sites in W. Agala (40 trees), 5 sites in W. Feiran (47 trees), 6 sites in W. Zaghra (82 trees) and 26 sites in W. Me'ir (235 trees). In each site some parameters were determined as GPS, soil texture, soil analyses for twenty soil samples around the trees. The linear regression between radius (excluding the bark) and no. of growth annual rings in ninety-three cross-cuts was used to estimate the age structure.

The estimated ages were used to determine the age distribution and construct a static life table. The age distribution of the studied populations was used as a predictive tool to determine if the M. peregrina populations in Southern Sinai are healthy or not. The age structure of populations consisting of multiple cohorts was used to estimate the survival patterns of the various age groups in the static life table. In addition, vegetative parameters were measured. The results of the linear regression showed a highly significant relationship between the tree radius and growth rings which means that the growth rings can be taken as regular time markers and could be used for dating M. peregrina trees. Based on this regression equation, the results suggest that M. peregrina in Southern Sinai grows very slowly and that the estimated oldest tree is about 382 years old. Based on the recorded data in static life table and type of survivorship curves, there is high rate of mortality among the young and the old trees. The age structure results showed unhealthy shrinking populations of M. peregrina trees with sharp decline in the last 20-40 years. The study came out with a conclusion that unless conditions change, these populations will permanently disappear. Based on these results and looking for the future of the M. peregrina populations in the studied area, conservation of this tree is highly recommended. Reference:

Dadamouny, M.A. (2009). Population Ecology of Moringa peregrina growing in Southern Sinai, Egypt. M.Sc. Thesis, Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt, 205 pp.