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Abstract
This study was conducted at the North West Coast (NWC) region of Egypt. All measurements, plant and soil samples were taken in spring and autumn of both studied years (2005 & 2006) at each site in the two studied range areas of Umm El-Rakham and Wadi El-Washka. This is to survey, identify and classify the natural growing plants, as well as, to estimate the importance value (IV) of the individual species at each site and season in both studied areas. Also, to study the effects of year, site and season on vegetation characteristics, range productivity and quality along the whole period of the study. At Umm El-Rakham area, this study focuses on the effect of plowing practices on vegetation characteristics during the different growing seasons.
At Umm El-Rakham area, plant species in un-plowing sites had the highest values as compared with those of plowing ones for most the studied vegetation measurements such as abundance, frequency, plant density, coverage, foliage productivity, CF % and TA %. The sites that have not been plowed exceeded plowed sites in foliage productivity by about 60.8 %. In contrast, plant species in plowing sites contained higher CP %, EE % and NFE %.
In respect of Wadi El-Washka, plant species in bed of wadi (main canal) had the highest values as compared with those of ridges and tops of wadi for most the investigated vegetative growth measurements such as abundance, frequency, plant density, coverage, foliage productivity, CP %, EE % and NFE %. Foliage productivity in wadi bed was exceeded ones in ridges and tops of wadi by about 33.9 % and 75.9 %, respectively. On the contrary, plant species in tops and ridges of wadi contained higher CF % and TA %.
In both studied areas, spring season had much higher values of most previously mentioned measurements than autumn one.
Among palatable perennial species, the highest figure of importance value (IV) was contributed by Gymnocarpos decandrum, Lycum shawii, Deverra tortuosa and Atriplex halimus. In contrast, among palatable annual species, the highest figure of IV was revealed in Hordeum marinum, Plantago notata, Anacyclus monanthos and Aegilops kotschyi. Such obtained results may be attributed to the wide adaptability and capability for growth of the previously mentioned grazing species under the prevailing stressed environmental conditions in both studied areas.