Gulf Of Aqaba Research Articles

Habitat suitability models reveal extensive distribution of deep warm-water coral frameworks in the Red Sea

AbstractDeep-sea coral frameworks are understudied in the Red Sea, where conditions in the deep are conspicuously warm and saline compared to other basins. Habitat suitability models can be used to predict the distribution pattern of species or assemblages where direct observation is difficult. Here we show how coral frameworks, built by species within the families Caryophylliidae and Dendrophylliidae, are distributed between water depths of 150 m and 700 m in the northern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba. To extrapolate the known (ground-truthed) positions of these deep frameworks, we use environmental and geomorphometric variables to inform well-performing maximum entropy models. Over 250 km2 of seafloor in our study area are identified as suitable for such frameworks, equivalent to at least 35% of the area of photic-zone coral reefs in the same region. We hence contend that deep-water coral frameworks are an important and underappreciated repository of Red Sea biodiversity.

Seismotectonic Map of The Sinai Triple Junction

The geodynamic evolution of the Sinai Triple Junction, a highly deformed and seismically active area, is controlled by the Red Sea rift, Gulf of Suez and Aqaba-Dead Sea conjunctions. However, the driving forces for the focusing deformation at crustal depths beneath this area are still ambiguous. Here, we provide an updated seismotectonic map of the area relying on updated seismological and geodetic datasets. A homogenized earthquake catalog has been compiled from well-located earthquakes (> Mw 2.0) by the Egyptian Seismic Network and International Seismological Center in the period between 1990 and 2020.We calculated the average b-value along three seismogenic zones including Gulf of Aqaba, northern Red Sea and Gulf of Suez that amount to 1.1, 0.99 and 0.97, respectively. Additionally, we complied and updated a comprehensive P-wave-based database for the fault plane solutions in the area for events with Mw> 3.5 till 2023. Furthermore, a unified velocity field for the region as well as slip-rate and locking-depth at the active fault segments were estimated from a consistent geodetic dataset from peer-reviewed GPS velocities between 1999 and 2018. Results indicate a dominant NNE left-lateral strike-slip fault with normal component along the Gulf of Aqaba. Pure NW-SE to WNW-ESE dip-slip normal faulting, associated with a strike-slip component in some cases, is dominating the northern and central parts of the Gulf of Suez, whereas pure normal dip-slip movement with an NNE–SSW extension in a horizontal direction is observed in the southern part of the gulf. The estimated slip-rate and locking-depths at the Aqaba fault segments falls between 4.8-4.9 mm/yr and 8-12 km, respectively.

Geophysical and geospatial insights into surface and subsurface characteristics for groundwater potential analysis, Ras Sudr, West Sinai, Egypt

Ras Sudr has garnered significant interest owing to various initiatives aimed at expanding and developing this area. It holds considerable strategic importance, serving as a key development hub in Sinai and a focal point for tourism destination. Moreover, it has a remarkable event with flashfloods which can be utilized for groundwater or direct usage. Integrating geophysical and geospatial analyses to study the surface and subsurface characteristics as well as identify groundwater potential areas in Ras Sudr, west-central Sinai is the main objective of this study. Firstly, geophysical data including gravity and magnetic methods have a crucial importance in qualitative and quantitative interpretation of the subsurface elements. Filtering techniques were implemented to distinguish between regional and residual anomalies. Geophysical data were subjected to the radial average power spectrum technique and 3D Euler deconvolution to identify the depth of the subsurface sources. The structure pattern that characterizes the interested region was defined by employing bandpass filter and edge detection appoarches using residual anomaly maps, regional anomaly maps, tilt derivatives and total horizontal gradient maps reflecting four distinct structural trends; NW-SE parallel to the Gulf of Suez, NEE-SWW parallel to the Syrian arc system, N-S parallel to the the Nile Valley, and NNE-SSW parallel to the Gulf of Aqaba. A basement relief map was constructed using 3D magnetic modelling showing that the depth of the basement ranges from 1.6 to 6.3 km. Secondly, the remote sensing data including Sentienl-2 and SRTM datasets were employed to extract the surface analyses in the GIS environment to develop the occurrence of groundwater potentiality utilizing seven factors; LU-LC, soil, geology, slope, drainage network and lineament density and rainfall data of the study area which were ranked from 1 to 5 and weighted according to their effective contribution to the infiltration of groundwater using AHP-GIS based multi criteria method. The resulting Groundwater Potential zone (GWPZ) was categorized into five zones from poor to excellent and validated using 41 observed wells. A significant quantity of wells was identified in the areas of high potential located to the west of the region, while five wells were situated within the moderate potential zone. Thereby, the GWPZ map identifying locations with viable groundwater resources suitable for habitation, development and economic plans in Sinai for decision makers.

Study the effect of solar power on the efficiency of desalinating saline water: Case studies Al-Khafji and Gulf of Aqaba areas

The desalination of salty water has become a necessary industrial process to overcome the next global shortage in freshwater. In this study, adding a Reheat Solar Collector Cycle (RSCC) to a multi-stage flash plant is used to increase the optimization of the desalination process, improving efficiencies, reducing energy, and increasing the production of freshwater demands to overcome the global crisis of shortage in freshwater. Two projects employ this numerical technique. The first project is conducted in the Al-Khafji multi-stage flash plant in Saudi Arabia with an input mass flow rate of 1 Mkg/h (277.78 kg/s), TDS of 35,000 ppm, and wind velocity of 1 m/s. The second project is conducted in the Gulf of Aqaba in Jordan with an input mass flow rate of 1 Mkg/h (277.78 kg/s), TDS of 40,000 ppm, and wind velocity of 1 m/s. The module of the LS-2 Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) is used to gain the required energy to heat seawater. The results show that in the Al-Khafji project, an increase of 7.1% in the plant capacity per day and an increase in efficiency from 7.8 to 8.4 were observed. While, in the Gulf of Aqaba, an increase of 7.7% in the plant capacity per day and an increase in efficiency from 7.8 to 8.4 are observed.

Reproductive ecology of fire corals in the northern Red Sea

AbstractScleractinian corals, the principal architects of coral reefs, face substantial threats from ongoing and anticipated climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances. This underscores the significance of investigating alternative reef-building organisms and their contribution to reefs’ resilience. Among these alternatives, colonial hydrozoans of the genus Millepora, commonly called ‘fire corals’, play substantial roles in contributing to coral reef structure and functionality by depositing calcareous exoskeletons. Despite the ecological importance of fire corals, fundamental knowledge gaps remain regarding their biology and reproductive ecology. Here, we present a comprehensive study on the population dynamics, reproductive ecology, phenology, and sex ratio of the three Red Sea fire corals—Millepora dichotoma, M. exaesa, and M. platyphylla—in the Gulf of Aqaba and Eilat. The abundance of M. dichotoma and M. exaesa seems to have remained consistent over the last 50 years across two of the three depth zones surveyed, indicating their potential resistance or resilience. However, at the third depth surveyed, their abundance appears to have decreased. Our extensive in-situ monitoring of breeding events over six consecutive years has revealed a previously undetected relationship between Millepora species breeding events and the lunar cycle. Histological analyses indicated remarkably short reproductive cycles of only 2–3 weeks, recurring multiple times within a single season, in both M. dichotoma and M. exaesa, which is a unique reproductive aspect compared to other reef-building corals. These results highlight the high reproductive and resilience potential of Millepora species. Consequently, fire corals could assume a more substantial role as keystone species in changing environments and future reefs, emphasizing their importance in reef conservation and management.

Barium cycling in the Gulf of Aqaba

Barium cycling in the Gulf of Aqaba

Evaluating the effects of desalination antiscalants on phytoplankton and bacterial communities in oligotrophic environments

Antiscalants are used in seawater desalination facilities and are typically discharged with the brine back into the coastal environment. We investigated the impact of two commonly-used antiscalants; polyphosphonates and polycarboxylates-based, on phytoplankton and bacterial communities in the oligotrophic Gulf of Aqaba (Northern Red Sea) using mesocosms simulating different antiscalants concentrations. Our results indicate that the addition of polyphosphonates or poly-carboxylates antiscalants significantly altered phytoplankton and bacterial growth, despite being ‘theoretically’ unavailable for microbial utilization. Specifically, the addition of polyphosphonates resulted in a significant eutrophication leading to increase phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacterial biomass. Contrary, the addition polycarboxylates antiscalants triggered a moderate increase in heterotrophic bacterial biomass and a slight phytoplankton loss, summing to a zero change in bacterioplankton's organic biomass. Altogether, the enhanced autotrophic/heterotrophic biomass attributed to the discharge of polyphosphonates-based antiscalants could impair the pretreatment procedure and increase fouling propensity on the reverse-osmosis membranes. Therefore, it is recommended to minimize/avoid the use of polyphosphonates antiscalants in P-limited oligotrophic seas if the brine is discharged into oligotrophic environments.

A generalized machine learning model for long-term coral reef monitoring in the Red Sea

Coral reefs, despite covering less than 0.2 % of the ocean floor, harbor approximately 35 % of all known marine species, making their conservation critical. However, coral bleaching, exacerbated by climate change and phenomena such as El Niño, poses a significant threat to these ecosystems. This study focuses on the Red Sea, proposing a generalized machine learning approach to detect and monitor changes in coral reef cover over an 18-year period (2000–2018). Using Landsat 7 and 8 data, a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier was trained on depth-invariant indices (DII) derived from the Gulf of Aqaba and validated against ground truth data from Umluj. The classifier was then applied to Al Wajh, demonstrating its robustness across different sites and times. Results indicated a significant decline in coral cover: 11.4 % in the Gulf of Aqaba, 3.4 % in Umluj, and 13.6 % in Al Wajh. This study highlights the importance of continuous monitoring using generalized classifiers to mitigate the impacts of environmental changes on coral reefs.

Vertical Deformation Along a Strike‐Slip Plate Boundary: The Uplifted Marine Terraces of the Gulf of Aqaba and Tiran Island, at the Southern End of the Dead Sea Fault

AbstractClose to its southern end where it connects to the Red Sea rift, the Dead Sea strike‐slip fault (DSF) becomes trans‐tensional in the Gulf of Aqaba. Details of this transition, however, remain difficult to unravel as most of the active tectonic structures are located off‐shore. This study focuses on uplifted marine terraces located in the Gulf of Aqaba and on Tiran Island. Using high‐resolution tri‐stereo Pleiades satellite imagery, we build a Digital Surface Model (DSM) at a 0.5‐m resolution of the eastern coast of the gulf and Tiran Island to map 19 levels of marine terraces. The terraces are preserved at elevations from 1 m to almost 500 m above the current sea level. Correlating laterally U‐Th ages obtained along the gulf with the lower levels found on Tiran Island, we build an age model to estimate the ages of the upper terraces on the island. Combining this with the terrace heights from our DSM, we derive the uplift rate affecting the terraces. The geographic extent of the terraces along the gulf suggests that the DSF is responsible for uplift along the entire eastern coastline of the gulf at a rate of about 0.14 ± 0.03 mm/year at least over the Quaternary. The uplift rate of Tiran Island, located closer to the Red Sea rift, is faster at 0.21 ± 0.02 mm/year over the past 2.4 Myr. This faster uplift rate suggests a combined tectonic uplift related to both the Dead Sea strike‐slip fault system and the Red Sea rift.

Marine Pollution as a Trigger of Discoloration Phenomenon in The Hard Coral, Pocillopora Species at The Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, Egypt: Pathological and Molecular Evidences

Marine Pollution as a Trigger of Discoloration Phenomenon in The Hard Coral, Pocillopora Species at The Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, Egypt: Pathological and Molecular Evidences

Techno-economic evaluation and improved sizing optimization of green hydrogen production and storage under higher wind penetration in Aqaba Gulf

On shore wind farms designed for hydrogen production present a promising avenue for maximizing the utilization of wind energy, achieving decarbonization and energy security objectives across various sectors. However, existing understanding of these systems, particularly in terms of economic and technical considerations, remains challenging. Hence, this paper introduces a comprehensive numerical modeling aimed at assessing the feasibility of hydrogen production from onshore wind farms for the arid costal community south of Aqaba Gulf, Saudi Arabia. This model incorporates formulas to compute wind power output, electrolyzer plant sizing, and hydrogen generation based on fluctuating wind speeds. The objective is to identify the optimal setup for a hydrogen station fueled by high wind resources, while also evaluating its economic feasibility and reliable capacity to reduce hydrogen production cost and minimize carbon emissions. The results show that the optimal Onshore Wind-Hydrogen System (OWHS) consists of 26 units of WT (each is 6.15 MW), Alkaline Electrolyzers plant with a capacity of 120 MW, and a group of hydrogen storage tanks of total size of 300 tones. The hydrogen demand and the subsidiary electric needs are successfully met with the 160 MW of wind generation capacity installed within the system with negligible capacity shortage and unmet demand. The employed set of alkaline electrolyzers has a total rated capacity of 120 MW and can stay in operation for 7335 h/yr to produce a total annual amount of 8,214,152 kg/yr of green hydrogen. The proposed system generates hydrogen with a moderate price since the LCOH obtained is found 5.26 $/kg which falls within the global range that varies from 4 to 6 $/kg. Moreover, the CO2 mitigation of the designated OWHS reaches 3343.72 Mt. with a corresponding $133,748 carbon credit gain. The sensitivity analysis shows that the total net present cost (TNPC) is highly sensitive to wind speed, hydrogen cost, and hydrogen demand but less so to inflation and discount rates. The TNPC increases by 22 % with a 5 % decrease in wind speed, as well as reducing hydrogen costs by 25 % and 50 % decreases TNPC by 14.63 % and 29.26 %, respectively. While, increasing hydrogen demand by 20 % and 40 % raises TNPC by 30.3 % and 51.4 %, respectively. This study aims to assist stakeholders and policymakers in refining onshore wind‑hydrogen systems to economically fulfill the requirements of hydrogen production for the arid costal community in Saudi Arabia.

Connections on the Reef: Clownfish, Anemones, and Climate Change

From their adorable name to their leading role in the movie Finding Nemo, many people find clownfish, also called anemonefish, cute and lovable. Clownfish must live in animals called sea anemones to survive on a coral reef. For 19 years, we followed two-banded anemonefish off the coast of Israel in the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba), Red Sea. Based on their size, we divided the fish into adults, teens, and babies. In 1997, 195 fish of all ages lived at the site. By 2015, 52 fish—mostly adults—remained, a 74% drop. From 1997 to 2015, the number of sea anemones also fell from 199 to only 27, and each one was more crowded with anemonefish. Climate change may affect sea anemone survival. Without their sea anemone homes, clownfish cannot exist, raising concerns about their future.

NEW INSIGHTS BASED ON MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR DATA REVEAL THE TAXONOMIC STATUS OF HALIOTREMA PTEROISI (MONOGENOIDEA: DACTYLOGYRIDAE) INFECTING DEVIL FIREFISH PTEROIS MILES (PERCIFORMES: SCORPAENOIDEI: SCORPAENIDAE) IN THE RED SEA OFF EGYPT.

Paperna, 1972 (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) was found parasitizing the gill lamellae of devil firefish, Pterois miles (Bennet) (Perciformes: Scorpaenidae), in the Red Sea off Safaga (26°44'N, 33°56'E), Egypt. The parasite species was described based on morphological features of available specimens and transferred to PlatycephalotremaKritsky and Nitta, 2019 (Dactylogyridae) as Platycephalotrema pteroisi (Paperna, 1972) n. comb. The occurrence of Pl. pteroisi off Safaga, Egypt, represented a range extension for the helminth of about 160 km to the southwest of the southern end of the Gulf of Aqaba. The transfer of the species to Platycephalotrema based on an evaluation of morphological features was supported by an analysis of molecular sequences of the 28S rDNA gene of Pl. pteroisi and 49 other dactylogyrid species. Maximum-likelihood, Bayesian inference, and maximum parsimony analyses of this dactylogyrid sequence data revealed H. pteroisi to nest with significant support within the clade of Platycephalotrema spp. During the literature review of dactylogyrid species infecting scorpionfishes, it was determined that Ancyrocephalus sp. of Dyer et al. from luna lion fish Pterois lunulata Temminck and Schlegel collected off Okinawa-jima, Japan represented an undescribed species of Platycephalotrema.

Novel epiphytic root-fungus symbiosis in the Indo-Pacific seagrass Thalassodendron ciliatum from the Red Sea.

Symbioses with fungi are important and ubiquitous on dry land but underexplored in the sea. As yet only one seagrass has been shown to form a specific root-fungus symbiosis that resembles those occurring in terrestrial plants, namely the dominant long-lived Mediterranean speciesPosidonia oceanica (Alismatales: Posidoniaceae) forming a dark septate (DS) endophytic association with the ascomycetePosidoniomyces atricolor (Pleosporales: Aigialaceae). Using stereomicroscopy, light and scanning electron microscopy, and DNA cloning, here we describe a novel root-fungus symbiosis in the Indo-Pacific seagrass Thalassodendron ciliatum (Alismatales: Cymodoceaceae)from a site in the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea. Similarly to P. oceanica, the mycobiont of T. ciliatum occurs more frequently in thinner roots that engage in nutrient uptake from the seabed and forms extensive hyphal mantles composed of DS hyphae on the root surface. Contrary to P. oceanica, the mycobiont occurs on the roots with root hairs and does not colonize its host intraradically. While the cloning revealed a relatively rich spectrum of fungi, they were mostly parasites or saprobes of uncertain origin and the identity of the mycobiont thus remains unknown. Symbioses of seagrasses with fungi are probably more frequent than previously thought, but their functioning and significance are unknown. Melanin present in DS hyphae slows down their decomposition and so is true for the colonized roots. DS fungi may in this way conserve organic detritus in the seagrasses'rhizosphere, thus contributing to blue carbon sequestration in seagrass meadows.

Population Dynamics Parameters and Exploitation Status of 55 Commercial Species in Egyptian Red Sea Fisheries: A Key to Sustainable Fisheries

Egyptian Red Sea fisheries face the same challenges as most of the world’s fisheries, including overexploitation, habitat loss, IUU fishing, pollution, and climate change. These fisheries are highly diverse with multiple species targeted by multiple fleets, using different fishing gears. Much work has been performed in recent years to assess Red Sea fish stocks. However, not all fish stocks in the Egyptian Red Sea are assessed, and those that are assessed only cover 30% of landings. The assessments are unbalanced by area, with the Gulf of Suez being much better covered than the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba. The results show that most of the analyzed stocks are overexploited. There is an urgent need to take action to protect, conserve, and restore the different fish stocks in different fishing grounds. These actions will ensure the sustainability of the fisheries, making them ecologically friendly and economically and socially efficient.

The Future of Coastal Navigation Safety in Egypt: Improving the Reliability of Electronic Charts

Abstract This paper investigates the integrity and reliability of electronic navigation charts (ENCs) used for maritime navigation along the Egyptian coast. Comprehensive assessments were conducted, focusing on critical stretches including the Suez Canal, Strait of Jubal, Aqaba Gulf entrance, and Hurghada Port access channels. The findings expose alarming accuracy gaps in these vital yet confined transit zones, with Category of Zone of Confidence (CATZOC) classification results indicating positional uncertainties exceeding five hundred meters. Such imprecision severely erodes navigational safety buffers for ships amidst intense traffic volumes. Meanwhile, proximity to delicate coral ecosystems and coastal communities raises the stakes for averting accidents. Responding to these urgent threats, promising initiatives are already underway between Egyptian agencies and international hydrographic bodies to systematically address ENC deficiencies through new surveys and data enhancements. Mandatory functionality checks, crew training, and compliance enforcement will also optimize the utilization of existing ECDIS installations. Sustained investments to upgrade this core informational infrastructure will help align the country's navigational framework with best practices for protecting life, property, and the environment. A multifaceted strategy tackling both human and technical dimensions across ships, ports, and shoreside administrators is essential for eliminating needless risk. Strengthening ENC integrity will provide Egyptian-flagged and visiting vessels with greater situational assurance when transiting confined waterways, while preventing devastating shipping accidents that could damage fragile marine ecosystems.

Elucidating the Environmental and Health Risks of Trace Element Pollution in Red Sea Fish from Nuweiba City, Aqaba Gulf, Egypt.

Trace element bioaccumulation in marine organisms is a rising international issue due to possible health concerns for humans. Thirteen trace elements were analyzed in the sediment, water, and muscular tissue of Red Sea fish. Additionally, the average daily intake (EDI), the cancer risk (CR), the hazard index (HI), and the target hazard quotient (THQ) of those elements have been taken into consideration when evaluating any possible health concerns related to their consumption. All species presented quantifiable values in muscle for all the analyzed elements (arsenic (As), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), boron (B), iron (Fe), barium (Ba), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), and mercury (Hg), except for Cd and Hg, being Fe and Zn the most accumulated elements in all species. Conversely, in water samples, most elements were undeleted except for aluminum, boron, iron, and zinc. All Red Sea fish, however, had concentrations of Zn, Ni, Fe, Cu, and Mn below the upper limit allowed, although most species had higher levels of As, Cr, and Pb (0.48 ± 0.83-5.10 ± 0.79, 1.97 ± 0.46-5.25 ± 0.67 and 2.12 ± 1.01-6.83 ± 0.93 µg/g, respectively).The studied Red Sea fish showed contamination degrees (CD) of Mn, Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Pb were ≤ 1, indicating minimal contamination, with As and Cr showing higher contamination degrees. However, the pollution index values (MPI-elements) can be represented according to ascending order: Lethrinus ramak < Cephalopholis hemistiktos < Pagellus affinis < Trachurus japonicus < Cheilinus lunulatus < Siganus luridus < Parupeneus forsskali < Caesio suevica. The study found that edible tissues are safe for human consumption, with HI values for children and adults less than ten, indicating negligible non-cancer hazards. However, fish consumption presents health risks due to chromium, lead, and arsenic, with THQ values several times greater than 1, and CR-Ni, CR-Cr, and CR-As values exceeding the acceptable 10-4 value in all studied species. This study provides critical insights into trace element contamination in marine fish species, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and proactive measures to ensure safe marine fish consumption in the Aqaba Gulf.

Depth-dependent warming of the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba)

The Gulf of Eilat (Gulf of Aqaba) is a semi-enclosed basin situated at the northern end of the Red Sea, renowned for its exceptional marine ecosystem. To evaluate the response of the Gulf to climate variations, we analyzed various factors including temperature down to 700 m, surface air temperature, and heat fluxes. We find that the sea temperature is rising at all depths despite inconclusive trends in local atmospheric variables, including the surface air temperature. The Gulf’s sea surface temperature (SST) warms at a rate of a few hundredths of a degree Celsius per year, which is comparable to the warming of the global SST and the Mediterranean Sea. The increase in sea warming is linked to fewer winter deep mixing events that used to occur more frequently in the past. Based on the analysis of the ocean-atmosphere heat fluxes, we conclude that the lateral advection of heat from the southern part of the Gulf likely leads to an increase in water temperature in the northern part of the Gulf. Our findings suggest that local ocean warming is not necessarily associated with local processes, but rather with the warming of other remote locations.

Molecular identification of dinoflagellates symbionts (Zooxanthellae) in corals of the Jordanian Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

Dinoflagellates, known as zooxanthellae, occur endo-symbiotically in many marine invertebrates including corals. Knowledge of zooxanthellae genera can contribute to a better understanding of the sensitivity of corals to environmental conditions and how it adapted genetically to these conditions. In this study, the sequences of 18 S rDNA and 28 S rDNA have been used as molecular markers to identify endosymbiotic dinoflagellate microalgae associated with the scleractinian corals and to resolve phylogenetic relationships among these dinoflagellates in the Jordanian Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. Our results indicate the abundance of zooxanthellae Symbiodinium, Cladocopium, and Durusdinium genera; with some differences between corals. The dominant symbiont group in most coral genera was genus Cladocopium. This is the first investigation of microalgal symbiont types in different scleractinian corals of the Jordanian Gulf of Aqaba, where identifying the microalgal symbiont types of coral could be a key factor that is potentially important for future conservation and restoration actions.

Infectious Parasites in Coral Reef Fish and Their Potential Use for Habitat Quality Assessment in Jordan’s Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

Infectious Parasites in Coral Reef Fish and Their Potential Use for Habitat Quality Assessment in Jordan’s Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea