Zygophyllum Album Research Articles

Heavy Metal Pollution and Biomonitoring Plants in Lake Manzala, Egypt

In this study, the pollution levels and the toxicity status were estimated regarding four heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cd and Hg) thought to be among the major contaminants in the environment of Lake Manzala. Our target was to define and utilize certain plant species, from the lakeþs vegetation, as bio-monitors, in comparison with the sediments as abiotic monitor for heavy metal pollution. The native wild plants (passive bio- monitors) were represented by eight species (Atriplex portulacoides, Zygophyllum album, Typha domingensis Juncus rigidus, Cyperus laevigatus, Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, Salsola sp. and Phragmites australis). The introduced plants (active bio-monitors) were represented by two crop- species (Trifolium alexandrinum and Raphanus sativa) grown and irrigated by polluted water at some islands in the southern sector of LM. Based on the concentration and toxicity status, induced in the lake's vegetation and sediments, the four metals are arranged in the following decreasing order: Hg greater than Zn greater than Pb greater than Cd. Compared with the standard normal and critical toxicity ranges in plants and soils, the detected values of Zn, Pb and Cd were within the critical ranges. However, Hg showed the highest values and alarming toxicity levels and it is considered as one of the most hazardous pollutants in Lake Manzala. The overall evaluation of the tested metals showed that their ratios were as much as 2.5 - 5 times higher in active monitors than in passive ones and 2 times than in sediments. They were also 2 times higher in sediments than in passive monitors. The monitoring materials are arranged in a decreasing order, based on their efficiency for accumulating heavy metals as follows: Introduced (active) monitors greater than Sediments greater than Native (passive) monitors. Certain species are also proposed as bio-monitors (and/or bio-filters) for the studied heavy metal pollutants. The results showed that there is a significant difference between the accumulation rate of some metals in different plant organs (e.g. Zn, Hg) since they showed more tendency for accumulation in root more than shoot systems. Also, there is a high positive correlation between combinations of different metal pairs in either plantþs root or shoot system. It is evident that while the degree of metal pollution in the lake increased southwards, the values of water-quality parameters (e.g. dissolved oxygen %, salinity and pH-value) increased northwards.

Soil–vegetation relationships in a coastal desert plain of southern Sinai, Egypt

The present study provides an analysis of soil, vegetation types as well as structure and species distribution in 19 sites in El-Qaa plain along the Gulf of Suez (south Sinai, Egypt), and focuses on the environmental factors that control the species distribution. A total of 203 species belonging to 39 families of the vascular plants are recorded. Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Chenopodiaceae and Poaceae are the largest families. Grasses constitute only 9% of the recorded species, while the woody perennials (shrubs and sub-shrubs) are highly dominated (46%). Therophytes and chamaephytes are the most frequent, denoting a typical desert life-form spectrum. Floristic composition in the different geomorphologic landscape units showed differences in species richness. The highest mean species richness of 19.7±1.7 is recorded in the wadi channels. The lowest species richness values are recorded in the coastal shore and playas (6.0±1.4) and in the alluvial fans (mean of 8.4±1.6 species). Chorological analysis revealed that 46% of the studied species are uniregional, being native to the Saharo-Arabian region. On the other hand, about 50% of the recorded species are biregional and pluriregional, extending their distribution all over the Saharo-Arabian, Sudano-Zambezian, Irano-Turanian and Mediterranean regions. Classification of the vegetation is analysed using two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) techniques resulted in the recognition of five vegetation groups, each of definite vegetation and soil characters, and could be linked to a specific geomorphologic unit. Capparis spinosa var. spinosa occupied the terraces, Cornulaca monacantha, Convolvulus lanatus and Deverra tortuosa inhabited the alluvial plains, Launaea nudicaulis and Artemisia judaica characterized the wadi channels, Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana and Leptadenia pyrotechnica characterized the alluvial fans and Tamarix nilotica, Zygophyllum album and Nitraria retusa on the playas and the coastal shore. Ordination techniques as detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) are used to examine the relationship between the vegetation and studied soil parameters. Nine soil variables are included: electrical conductivity, pH, calcium carbonate, gypsum, organic matter, gravel, fine soil fractions and soil saturation percentage. Analysis with DCA gave results similar to CCA, suggesting that there is a relatively high correspondence between vegetation and soil factors. DCA axis 1 showed significant positive correlation with CaCO 3, pH, soil saturation and organic matter, and interpreted as a calcium carbonate—soil saturation gradient. DCA axis 2 showed significant correlation with pH, gypsum and electric conductivity, and interpreted as an electric conductivity—gypsum gradient. Application of CCA indicated that soil surface sediment, CaCO 3, soil saturation, pH and organic matter are the main operating edaphic gradients in the area. These gradients are related closely to the first three canonical axes, and accounted for 67% of the species–environment relationship among the sites.

Phytosociology and size structure of Nitraria retusa along the Egyptian Red Sea coast

The present study aims at analyzing the phytosociological behavior and size structure of Nitraria retusa (Forssk.) Asch shrub along the Egyptian Red Sea coast in relation to the prevailing environmental gradients. The application of TWINSPAN and DCA multivariate techniques led to identifying five vegetation groups associated with the distribution of this plant in this region. These groups are named after their characteristic species as follows: Typha domingensis, Zygophyllum coccineum – Zilla spinosa, Tamarix nilotica– Zilla spinosa, Nitraria retusa– Zygophyllum album and Nitraria retusa. The two groups of Nitraria retusa had, on average, the lowest species diversity and their stands had the highest soil salinity and clay contents. In general, the population of this plant is characterized by relative preponderance of the small-sized individuals (i.e. juveniles) particularly in the sites of medium positions along the prevailing salinity gradient. On the other hand, the juveniles are highly stressed in the stands of hypersalinity. The negative relationship between the density and size of this plant suggests that its size is density-dependent.

Vegetation of the urban habitats in the Nile Delta region, Egypt

The present study aims at identifying the plant communities of the urban habitats in the Nile Delta region, Egypt. Four hundred and five stands were selected to represent the variation in eight major types of habitat recognized in the study area. Twenty-five vegetation groups were recognized after application of TWINSPAN. Their ordination using DECORANA indicates moisture, pH, fertility and texture gradients; the hygronitrophilous communities (the moist and fertile stands) inhabit the wet refuse areas (Echinochloa stagnina-Eichhornia crassipes group), mesonitrophilous communities inhabit the dry refuse areas, motor roads and railways (Pluchea dioscoridis, Cynodon dactylon, Panicum repens and Phragmites australis groups), mesic-dry subnitrophilous communities occur on sandy soils (Hordeum murinum, Alhagi graecorum and Desmostachia bipinnata groups) and the dry thermophilous communities of new anthropogenic habitats with coarser texture of sandy and infertile soil along the railways and motor roads at the borders of the Nile Delta (Zygophyllum album and Cornulaca monacantha groups). These results suggest that urban vegetation in the Nile Delta region is favored where disturbance, nutrient and water resources are more abundant.

Response of Vegetation and Soil Seed Bank to Habitat Diversity in Riyadh desert, Central Saudi Arabia

Four ecologically different habitats within Riyadh desert (Central Saudi Arabia) were studied. Three different plant communities dominated by Pulicaria crispa, Lycium shawii and Farsetia aegyptia form the vegetation units inhabiting the first habitat represented by depressions and wadi terraces with deep and finely textured soil. The seed content in the upper 2 cm of these soils ranged between 38304 and 71484 seeds/m2. The second habitat is represented by the runnels dissecting gravelly areas with shallow and coarse-textured soil. This habitat supported the growth of two plant communities dominated by perennial grassland species Cenchrus ciliaris andLasiurus scindicus with soil seed content amounting to 14855 and 9000 seeds/m2 in the two communities respectively. Sandy plains represent the third investigated habitat which is inhabited by Rhazya strictacommunity with soil seed content amounting to 41580 seeds/m2. Saline soils supporting growth of the communities dominated by salt tolerant species Tamarix nilotica and Zygophyllum album formed the fourth investigated habitat. The counted seeds in the upper 2 cm of the soil were 53352 and 15624 seeds/m2 in the above communities, respectively. The present study showed that the emerged seedlings from the soils collected from the recognized communities represented a low value ranged from 0.92 to 3.38% out of the total estimated seed bank.

Microfungi from the ectorhizosphere-rhizoplane zone of different halophytic plants from the Red Sea Coast of Egypt

The mycota colonizing the ectorhizosphere-rhizoplane zone of Avicennia marina, Halocnemum strobilecium, Zygophyllum album, Z. coccineum, Z. simplex, Arthrocnemum macrostachum and Limonastrum monopetalum were investigated along the Red Sea Coast of Egypt. Czapek-Dox basal medium in sea-water with different carbon sources (glucose, xylan, starch, cellulose and tannin) in replacement of sucrose, was used as isolation medium. A total of 41 microfungal species belonging to mitosporic fungi (36 spp.), Zygomycota (3 spp.) and Ascomycota (2 spp.) were isolated. The most common species were Cladosporium cladosporoides, Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus terreus var. aureus. Higher counts were observed on xylan, starch and cellulose, lower counts on tannin. The rhizosphere contains both xerotolerant and nontolerant species. Scolecobasidium arenarium was the only recorded arenicolous marine species. Detrended correspondence analysis separates the isolated species into ten communities, each one is specific for a particular plant. Canonical correspondence analysis biplot shows that the patterns of species abundance in the rhizosphere was influenced by changes in organic content, total nitrogen, pH and total dissolved salts in surrounding soil.

Significance of microclimate on phylloplane mycoflora of green and senescing leaves of Zygophyllum album L.

Transpiration rates, tissue water contents and energy transfer characteristics were monitored diurnally during the dry season, on green and senescent (yellow and shrivelled) leaf parts (leaflets and petioles) of the succulent halophyteZygophyllum album L. The significance of these parameters in colonization of the target leaves with phylloplane fungi was also studied. Green leaf parts showed higher transpiration rates and lower surface temperature than those that were yellow and shrivelled. Diurnal fluctuations of water content of the green and yellow leaf parts were narrower than those of the shrivelled ones. The green and senescent leaf parts dissipated their heat load through transpiration (E) and convection (C). Convection was always much higher than E, particularly in the shrivelled leaflets. The pattern of distribution of fungi on green and senescing leaf parts varied. The coupling of low transpiration rates, high convective heat loss and high salt leachate in the case of yellow leaf parts favoured the existence of some phylloplane fungi but diminished levels of others. The highest count and widest spectrum of fungal species were recovered from the green parts, followed by the shrivelled ones. Aspergillus niger was the most prevalent species in all isolations. Aspergillus chevaleiri and Scopulariopsis halophilicus were restricted only to the yellow and shrivelled leaf parts and this was matched with their ability to accumulate a high glycerol and proline content and to produce denser quantities of spores when grown in vitro on NaCl-amended medium.

Quinovic acid glycosides from Zygophyllum album

Besides the two known saponins, quinovic acid-3β- O-β- d-quinovoside and 3β- O-β-d-quinovopyranosyl quinovic acid (28→1)β- d-glycopyranosyl ester, two new glycosides having the structure quinovic β acid 3β- O-β- d-quinovopyranosyl(3→1)β- d-xylopyranoside and 3β- O-β- d-quinovopyranosyl-quinovic acid (28→1)quinovopyranosyl ester were isolated from the aerial parts of Z. album growing in Egypt. The structures were elucidated on the basis of hydrolytic and spectral methods.

14-decarboxyquinovic and quinovic acid glycosides from Zygophyllum album

Further investigation of the leaves and stems of Zygophyllum album afforded four triterpene glycosides which were characterized as 14-decarboxyquinovic acid-3β- O-β- d-quinovopyranosyl (1→4)-quinovopyranoside, quinovic acid 28- O-β- d-glucopyranosyl (2→1)β- d-glucopyranosyl ester, quinovic acid 27-β- d-glucopyranosyl(2→1)β- d-glucopyranosyl ester and quinovic acid-3-β- O-glucopyranosyl(2→1)rhamnopyranoside. In addition, two flavonoid glycosides were isolated. The structures of the isolated compounds were established by GC, GC-MS, mass spectra, 1H and 13C NMR.

The ruderal vegetation of the Mediterranean desert of Egypt With 3 Figures and 4 Tables

AbstractFive vegetation groups have been recognized along the roadsides of Alexandria‐Sallum highway in the Mediterranean desert of Egypt: group I codominated by Halogeton alopecuroides (Del.) MOQ. and Launaea resedifolia KUNTZE, group II codominated by Echinops spinosissimus TURRA and Polygonum equisetiforme SIBTH. et SM., group III codominated by Hammada scoparia (POMEL) ILJIN and Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) ENDL., group IV codominated by Zygophyllum album L. f. and Plantago albicans L. and group IV codominated by Zygophyllum album L. f. and Helianthemum lippii L. The species diversity of these communities and the ecological amplitude of their leading species along some edaphic gradients were evaluated and discussed.

Response on photosynthetic pigments to drought and salt stress in some desert species

AbstractThe effect of drought and NaCl osmotic stress were tested on the pigment contents of the desert species Gymnocarpos decandrum, Ononis vaginalis, Plantago albicans and Zygophyllum album. Samples of these species were collected from their habitats in the north‐western desert of Egypt and from plants grown in the green‐house under different levels of osmotic stress. The pigment contents decreased with drought stress but increased with salt stress with varying degrees in the four species. Chlorophyll b was more sensitive to drought stress than chlorophyll a. Higher pigment contents were recorded in the widely distributed species than in the less distributed ones. Chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids exhibited higher tolerance to salt stress than to drought.

Phenology, Pigment Content and Diurnal Change of Proline in Green and Senescing Leaves of Three Zygophyllum Species

Phenology, pigment content, succulence ratio and the diurnal changes of water and proline contents were investigated in green and yellow leaf parts of Zygophyllum album , Z. decumbens and Z. coccineum . Phenological patterns and the leaf area index were followed monthly during 1988. Pigment content, succulence ratio and the diurnal change of water and proline contents were investigated under natural environments in August. The leaf area index curves of the three species showed the highest values towards the end of the rainy season. The yellow leaflets and petioles of Z. album showed higher fresh and dry weights than the corresponding green ones. On the contrary, the green leaflets and petioles of Z. decumbens and Z. coccineum showed higher fresh and dry weights than the yellow ones. With the exception of shrivelled leaflets of Z. album , the leaf parts of the species investigated showed high succulence ratio. Phenology and the pigment content results support the concept that the three species undergo leaf senescence followed by shedding in the dry season. The importance of chlorophyll-dependent proline biosynthesis was clarified. The petioles of Z. decumbens and Z. coccineum showed higher proline content than the leaflets. Most leaf parts of the investigated species showed diurnal change of water and proline contents. Irrespective of the species, the relationship was negatively correlated in the green leaflets, the green and yellow petioles. This implies that the three species, although from two different habitats, showed a confirmed generality of proline accumulation, but in different magnitudes by the green and yellow (senescing) leaf parts as a response to water deficit.

Principles and Methods of Toxicology. A. Wallace Hayes

Previous articleNext article No AccessNew Biological BooksPrinciples and Methods of Toxicology. A. Wallace Hayes Marshall JohnsonMarshall Johnson Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Quarterly Review of Biology Volume 64, Number 4Dec., 1989 Published in association with Stony Brook University Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/416562 Views: 1Total views on this site Citations: 1Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1989 The Stony Brook Foundation, Inc.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Amal M.Y. Moustafa ., Ahmed I. Khodair ., Faiza M. Hammouda ., Husseiny A. Husseiny . Phytochemical and Toxicological Studies of Zygophyllum album L.f., Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2, no.33 (Mar 2007): 220–237.https://doi.org/10.3923/jpt.2007.220.237

Der Wasser- und Photosynthesehaushalt von Wüstenpflanzen der südalgerischen Saharal ) : I. Standorte und Versuchspflanzen

In three parts we communicate the results of ecophysiological field investigations in the North Saharian desert around Beni Ounif, on the foot of the Sahara-Atlas. In the present first part, after a general discussion of the climatic and edaphic milieu conditions (fig. 2, 3, 4) and of the geographic and sociologic position of the vegetation, the experimental habitats and plants are characterized in particular (table 1, 2). The following species of perennial constitutional types were examined: Malacophyllous shrubs ( Ziziphus lotus, Rhus tripartita, Capparis spinosa ); nanophyllous shrubs ( Thymelaea microphylla, Tamarix gallica ); switch·shoot shrubs ( Retama retam, Ephedra alata, Zilla macroptera, Launaea arborescens, Pituranthos scoparius, Rhantherium adpressum, Randonia africana, Coronilla juncea ); switchshoot hemicryptophytes ( Juncus maritimus ); malacophyllous hemicryptophytes and geophytes ( Peganum harmala, Citrullus colocynthis, Phragmites australis ); sclerophyllous cushion hemicryptophytes (Anabasis aretioides); sclerophyllous hemicryptophytes ( Echinops spinosus, Centaurea pungens ); succulents ( Limoniastrum feei, Zygophyllum album, Frankenia thymoides ). The geographical areas demonstrate the holarctic origin of the vegetation, in which trees are absent and switchs-hoot shrubs prominent. The different con-stitution types are characterized by the dimension quotient and the anatomy of the leaves and by the structure of the root system (table 2, fig. 5-22).

Bacterial Root Nodules in the Zygophyllaceæ

IN addition to the legumes, a number of non-legumes are reported to possess nodules on their roots. Some of these nodules are caused by bacteria while others are caused by Actinomyces. It may be interesting to mention that bacterial nodules are also found on the roots of the Zygophyllaceae. Among the plants which have been observed to possess such nodules are: Zygophyllum album, Z. coccineum, Z. decumbens, Z. simplex (Fig. 1), Fagonia arabica and Tribulus alatus. They all grow in the poor sandy soils of the Egyptian deserts.