1. IMPORTANT PLANT AREAS IN EGYPT
With Emphasis on the Mediterranean Region
K. H. Shaltout1 & E. M. Eid2
1 Botany Department - Faculty of Science - Tanta University - Egypt
2 Botany Department - Faculty of Science - Kafr El-Sheikh University - Egypt
April

2. This report includes the following items:
Introduction
This report includes the following items:
1-Habitat and species diversity in Egypt.
2-National Red List of vascular plants.
3-Notes on the Egyptian protected areas.
4-List of 20 IPAs and their site questionnaires.
5-Known gaps in the country IPA analysis.
6-Plant conservation issues of immediate urgency.

3. Members of the Workshop which held in 10th April 2010
Name
Place
Prof. M. Kassas
Cairo University
Prof. W. Amer
The Nature Conservation Sector (NCS)/(EEAA)
Prof. M. Zahran
Mansoura University
Prof. A. El-Gazzar
Suez Canal University
Prof. K. Shaltout
Tanta University
Prof. A. Fayed
Assiut University
Prof. M. El-Demerdash
Prof. A. Khedr
Prof. H. Hosni
Prof. H. El-Kady
Prof. S. Heneidy
Alexandria University
Prof. M. Sheded
South-Valley University
Dr. M. El-Sheikh
Dr. R. Rizk
National Gene Bank
Dr. E. Eid
Kafr El-Sheikh University
Mr. T. Ahmed
Wadi El-Gemal National Park
Dr. B. Hatab
Siwa Protectorate
Mr. H. Shabana
Saint Katherine Protectorate
Mr. A. Shaltout
Researcher of Legal Affairs

6. Habitat Diversity
Egypt has diverse habitats with micro-climates that host many plant species and communities.
Terrestrial and aquatic habitats include: desert areas, mountains, plains, slopes, salt marshes, wetlands and fresh and marine waters.

7. Habitat distribution in Egypt

8. Egypt comprises four floral zones:
Floristic Categories
Egypt comprises four floral zones:
1- Mediterranean-Sahara regional transition zone.
2- Sahara-Sindian regional zone.
3- Irano-Turanian regional center of endemism.
4- Sahel regional transition zone.

9. Phytochoria in north Africa and south west Asia

10. Abundance classes of the Egyptian flora
Region
Abundance class
Total
Very rare
Rare
Common
Very
common
Endemics
Nile Delta
102
167
194 2
630
Nile Valley 61
134 49
160
504
Nile Fayoum 18
109
131 1
307
Oases 63
125
143
163 4
494
Mediterranean West
212
329
298
206 13
1045
Mediterranean East
210
225
170 9
736
Eastern Desert North 72
164
147
157 10
540
Eastern Desert South 70
110 81
101
362
Isthmic Desert
176
221
180 15
802
Western Desert 38 77
115
124 3
354
Red Sea Coast
105 54
303
Gebel Elba
199
142 48
443
Sinai
275
159
153 34
812

11. Threatened plant species in the Egyptian flora

12. Network of the Protected Areas
Twenty seven protected areas representing the most ecologically significant areas in Egypt have been declared and managed by the NCS staff (EEAA 2006).
Total area of these protectorates approximates 142,000 km2 (14.2 % of the country area).

14. Criteria of Important Plants Areas
1- Species vulnerability.
2- Irreplaceability.
3- Species richness.
4- Threatened habitats.

15. Important Plant Areas in Egypt
10 in the Mediterranean region
2 in southern Sinai
3 in the Red Sea region
2 in Nile region
2 in Western Desert
1 in Eastern Desert

16. List of the Important Plant Areas (IPA) in Egypt
Mediterranean IPAs
No.
IPA
Area
(km2)
Threatened
Endemic
Near-endemic
Med-endemic 1
North Sinai Mounts. ? 6 - 2
Lake Bardawil
650 12 3
Lake Manzala
1020 4
Lake Burullus
410 5 19
Lake Edku
126
Lake Mariut 63 15 7
Omayed
700 14 25 8
Moghra Oasis 9
West. Med. C. Dunes 36 10
Sallum Area
4374

17. Twenty Important Plant Areas (IPAs) in Egypt10 4 9 5 3 2 6 7 1 8
11 12 13 14 15 19 17 16 18 20
Twenty Important Plant Areas (IPAs) in Egypt

18. Gorge habitat at Gebel El-Maghara supporting Juniperus phoenica
Courtesy of Medicinal Plants Conservation Project

19. Barchan sand dunes in Burullus Wetland (Marine sand bar)
Complex sand dunes in Burullus Wetland (sand bar)
Photo by K. H. Shaltout

20. Open Water of Lake Burullus
Photo by E. M. Eid

21. Buffalo and ducks feed, drink and swim
in Lake Burullus (Photo by K. H. Shaltout)

22. Lake Mariut
Photo by E. M. Eid

23. Vegetated sandy dunes at Omayed IPA Inland Plateau at Omayed IPA

24. Deverra tortuosa in Omayed (Desf.) DC.
Photo by E. M. Eid

25. West Mediterranean Coastal Dunes
Photo by E. M. Eid

26. Urginea maritima (L.) Baker in Sallum IPA
Courtesy of Medicinal Plants Conservation Project

27. List of the Important Plant Areas (IPA) in Egypt
Other IPAs
No.
IPA
Area
(km2)
Threatened
Endemic
Near-endemic
Med-endemic 11
Wadi El-Rayan
1759 1 - 12
Saint Katherine
5750
119 33 13
Nabq
600 7 14
Hurghada ? 2 15
Wadi El-Gemal
1840 16
Dungul & Dineigil 17
Lake Nasser
5248 18
Wadi Allaqi
30000 6 19
Saluga and Ghazal
0.25 4 20
Halayeb Triangle
35600
126 3

28. Saint Katherine IPA (the only site in Egypt where snow falls)
Photo by EEAA

29. Saint Katherine IPA
Photo by EEAA

30. Saint Katherine IPA
Photo by EEAA

31. Courtesy of Medicinal Plants Conservation Project (SK IPA)

32. Courtesy of Medicinal Plants Conservation Project (SK IPA)

33. Courtesy of Medicinal Plants Conservation Project (SK IPA)

34. Curtesy of Medicinal Plants Conservation Project (SK IPA)

35. Courtesy of Medicinal Plants Conservation Project (SK IPA)

36. Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. In Nabq IPA
Photo by EEAA

37. Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. In Nabq IPA
Photo by EEAA

38. Salvadora persica L. in Nabq IPA
Photo by EEAA

39. Wadi Allaqi (Photo by A. Salem: Allaqi Biosphere Reserve)

40. Acacia eherenbergiana Hayne
(Photo by A. Salem: Allaqi Biosphere Resrve)

41. Acacia tortilis, Wadi Aideib at Halayeb Triangle IPA
Courtesy of Medicinal Plants Conservation Project

42. Dracaena ombet Kotschy & Peyr. at Halayeb Triangle IPA
Curtesy of Medicinal Plants Conservation Project

43. Known Gaps in the Country IPA Analysis
Eight additional areas are promising as important plant areas in Egypt, but recent thorough surveys should be carried out before declaring them as IPAs:

44. 4 in the Mediterranean region
- Wadi Al-Arish
- El-Qasr
- Ras El-Hekma
- Deltaic black sand dunes
1 in North Sinai (Quseima)
1 in Nile region (Islands of River Nile)
1 in Western Desert (Qattara Depression)
1 in Eastern Desert (Gebel El-Shayeb).

45. Other Proposed Important Plant Areas (IPAs) in Egypt
No.
IPA
Area
(Km2)
Coordinates
Region
Plant Species 1
Wadi Al-Arish
20000
31° 04´ N, 33° 50´ E
North Sinai 95 2
Qattara Depression
19500
30° 10´ N, 27° 38´ E
Western desert ? 3
El-Qasr
31° 10´ N, 26° 40´ E
Marsa Matrouh 4
Ras El-Hekma
31° 09´ N, 27° 50´ E 5
Quseima
30° 40´ N, 34° 21´ E 6
Islands of River Nile
Along River Nile 7
Black sand dunes
Deltiac Medit. coast 69 8
Gebel El-Shayeb
Eastern Desert

46. Eight Proposed Important Plant Areas (IPAs) in Egypt3 7 4 1 5 2 ↑ 6 ↓ 8
Eight Proposed Important Plant Areas (IPAs) in Egypt

47. Plant Conservation Issues of Immediate Urgency
1-Unfortunately, there is no checklist for the algae, lichen and macro-fungi in Egypt.
2-The exact locations and ecology of the moss and hepatic flora need to be verified.
3-The Egyptian preliminary Red Data List of the vascular plants need to re-assessed.
4-Similar Red lists should be prepared for the algae, lichen and fungi.

48. 5- The Egyptian Universities and Research Centers should encourage the young researchers to be specialized in the plant taxonomy and to do their best for participating in the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) in order to fill the severe gaps in our taxonomic system.

49. 6- As this report is mainly based on literature review, some of them do not reflect the recent status of the flora and vegetation, it is urgent to carry out a recent Important Plant Areas program (IPA).
7- It is recommended to study the history of the alien species in Egypt (e.g. Eichhornia crassipes, Azolla filiculoides and Prosopis juliflora).

50. 8- Although public education and awareness about the conservation issues are considered of prime importance and as a strategic tool for achieving long-term sustainable conservation in Egypt, limited resources are made available through government funding, donor projects, NGOs and conservation organizations.

51. 9-Carry out an inventory for the Egyptian wild plants included in the three CITES appendices (wild plants that have been exported and imported through agricultural quarantine offices).
10-Suggesting a work program for conserving the rare species must be a priority.

52. Conclusions
1- The flora of Egypt comprises some 2145 species and 220 infra-specific taxa of native and naturalized vascular plants; in addition to 175 species and subspecies of mosses and 13 of hepatics.

53. 2- The preliminary red data list of the vascular plants in Egypt includes 457 species (20 % of the total flora) classified into 14 extinct, 123 endangered, 54 vulnerable, 173 rare and 93 indeterminate species.
3- Unfortunately, there is no checklist for the algae, lichen and macro-fungi in Egypt; but as a rough estimate, the algal diversity approximates species.

54. 4- Twenty seven protected areas representing most of the ecologically significant areas in Egypt have been declared and managed by the Nature Conservation Sector (ca km2 = 14.2 % of the country area).
5- Twenty Important Plant Areas (IPAs) were selected in Egypt using criteria that measure species vulnerability, irreplaceability, richness; in addition to the threatened habitats.

55. 6- Ten of these IPAs are near to the Mediterranean region, 3 in Red Sea region; 2 in each of South Sinai, Nile region and Western desert; and one in Eastern Desert.
7- These IPAs harbor 46 endemics (out of 60 = 76.6%), 25 near-endemics (out of 93 = 26.9%), 77 Mediterranean endemics, and 278 national threatened species (out of 457 = 60.8%).

56. Thank you