Effect of Cement-kiln Dust Pollution on The Vegetation in The Western Mediterranean Desert of Egypt
This study investigated the ecological effects of
particulate pollution from a cement factory on the vegetation in the
western Mediterranean coastal desert of Egypt. Variations in
vegetation, soil chemical characters, and some responses of Atriplex
halimus, as a dominant species in the study area, were investigated in
some sites located in different directions from the cement factory
between Burg El-Arab in the east and El-Hammam in the west. The
results showed an obvious decrease in vegetation diversity, in
response to cement-kiln dust pollution, that accompanied by a high
dominance attributed to the high contribution of Atriplex halimus.
Annual species were found to be more sensitive to cement dust
pollution as they all failed to persist in highly disturbed sites. It is
remarkable that cover and phytomass of Atriplex halimus were
increased greatly in response to cement dust pollution, and this was
accompanied by a reduction in the mature seeds and leaf-area of the
plant. The few seeds of the affected individuals seemed to be more
fertile and attained higher germination percentages and exhibited
hardening against drought stress.
[1] M. S. V. Prasad,. and , J. A. Inandar (1991). Effect of cement kiln dust
pollution on growth and yield of Vigna spp. Indian Journal of Ecology,
18: 91-94.
[2] J. Misra; V. Pandey; S. N. Singh; Singh, N.; M. Yunus,. and K. J.
Ahmad (1993). Growth responses of Lycopersicum esculentum to
cement dust treatment. Environmental Scientific Health, 28: 1771-1780.
[3] W. E. Winner (1994). Mechanistic analysis of plant responses to air
pollution. Ecological Applied, 4: 651-661.
[4] L. Marlin. and E. Nilsa, on the distribution of epiphytic lichens. Proc.
Eston. Acad. Sci. Ecol., 2: 181-185.
[5] M. Ayyad. and A. Fakhry (1996). Plant biodiversity in the western
Mediterranean desert of Egypt. Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft fur
Okologie, 25: 56-76.
[6] A. K. Hegazy (1996). Effects of cement-kiln dust pollution on the
vegetation and seed-bank species diversity in the Eastern desert of
Egypt. Environmental Conservation, 23: 249-258.
[7] E. Adamson; H. Adamson and R. Seppelt, (1994). Cement dust
contamination of Ceratodon purpureus at Casey, East Antarctica.
Journal of Biology, 18: 127-137.
[8] M. Mandre (1997). Changes in a forest landscape affected by alkaline
industrial dust. Oil Shale, 14: 409-418.
[9] M. Mandre; K. Ots; J. Rauch and L. Tuulmets (1998). Impacts of air
pollution emitted from the cement industry on forest bioproduction. Oil
Shale, 15: 353-364.
[10] J. J. Mackenzie and M. T. El-Ashry (1989). Air Pollutions Toll on
Forests and Crops. London: Yale University Press, 376 pp.
[11] M. M. Migahid,. and S. M. El-Darier,. (1995). Effect of cement dust on
three halophytic species of the Mediterranean salt marshes in Egypt.
Journal of Arid Environment, 30: 361-366.
[12] E. D.Wilson, and W. E. Anable (1986). Removal of alkalines from
Portland cement kiln dust. U. S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Mines. 10 pp.
[13] A. M. Farmer (1993). The effects of dust on vegetation-a review.
Environmental Pollution, 79: 63-75.
[14] M. R.Sharifi; A. C. Gibson and P. W. Rundel (1997). Surface dust
impacts on gas exchange in Mojave Desert shrubs. Journal of Applied
Ecology, 34: 837-846.
[15] M. M. Migahid (2000). Effect of lime dust on major nutrient elements
and photosynthetic pigments of the common plant species of North
West Egypt. Proc. 1st Int. Conf. Biol. (ICBS) Fac. Sci., Tanta Univ. 7-8
May 2000. vol. 1: 199-212.
[16] Causton, D. R. (1988). Introduction to Vegetation Analysis. 1st. ed.
Academic division of Unv. In Hyman Ltd. Pp. 341.
[17] V. Tackholm (1974). Students Flora of Egypt. (2nd Edn). Cairo
University Press. Cairo, 888 pp.
[18] L. Boulos (1995). Flora of Egypt Checklist. Cairo, Al Hadara
Publishing, 287 pp.
[19] R. E. Stickland (1969). A caliber for measuring plant diameter. Journal
of Agricultural Engineering Research, 14: 290-291.
[20] S. Allen,; H. M. Grimshaw,; J. A. Parkinson, and C. Quarmby (1974).
Chemical Analysis of Ecological Materials. Blackwell Scientific
Publications Osney, Oxford, London 565pp.
[21] J. A. Ludwigand J. F. Reynolds (1988). Statistical Ecology. A primer on
methods and computing. Wiley, New York, 337 pp.
[22] A. E. Magurran (1988). Ecological Diversity and Its Measurement.
Princeton University Press. Princeton, New Jersey, 179 pp.
[23] SAS, (1985). SAS/STAT User`s Guide, SAS Institute Inc. Cary. NC.
[24] M. Z. Iqbal, and M. Shafig (1998). Toxicity of cement dust on the
growth of some tree seedlings. Ekologia-Bratislava, 17: 434-439.
[25] S. Z. Heneidy, (2002). Role of indicator range species as browsing
forage and effective nutritive source, in Matruh area, a Mediterranean
Coastal Region, NW-Egypt. Online Journal of Biological Sciences. 2:
136-142.
[26] S. Sivakumar, and A. J. De Britto, (1995). Effect of cement pollution on
soil fertility. Journal Ecotoxicolgy Environmental Monitor, 5: 147-149.
[1] M. S. V. Prasad,. and , J. A. Inandar (1991). Effect of cement kiln dust
pollution on growth and yield of Vigna spp. Indian Journal of Ecology,
18: 91-94.
[2] J. Misra; V. Pandey; S. N. Singh; Singh, N.; M. Yunus,. and K. J.
Ahmad (1993). Growth responses of Lycopersicum esculentum to
cement dust treatment. Environmental Scientific Health, 28: 1771-1780.
[3] W. E. Winner (1994). Mechanistic analysis of plant responses to air
pollution. Ecological Applied, 4: 651-661.
[4] L. Marlin. and E. Nilsa, on the distribution of epiphytic lichens. Proc.
Eston. Acad. Sci. Ecol., 2: 181-185.
[5] M. Ayyad. and A. Fakhry (1996). Plant biodiversity in the western
Mediterranean desert of Egypt. Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft fur
Okologie, 25: 56-76.
[6] A. K. Hegazy (1996). Effects of cement-kiln dust pollution on the
vegetation and seed-bank species diversity in the Eastern desert of
Egypt. Environmental Conservation, 23: 249-258.
[7] E. Adamson; H. Adamson and R. Seppelt, (1994). Cement dust
contamination of Ceratodon purpureus at Casey, East Antarctica.
Journal of Biology, 18: 127-137.
[8] M. Mandre (1997). Changes in a forest landscape affected by alkaline
industrial dust. Oil Shale, 14: 409-418.
[9] M. Mandre; K. Ots; J. Rauch and L. Tuulmets (1998). Impacts of air
pollution emitted from the cement industry on forest bioproduction. Oil
Shale, 15: 353-364.
[10] J. J. Mackenzie and M. T. El-Ashry (1989). Air Pollutions Toll on
Forests and Crops. London: Yale University Press, 376 pp.
[11] M. M. Migahid,. and S. M. El-Darier,. (1995). Effect of cement dust on
three halophytic species of the Mediterranean salt marshes in Egypt.
Journal of Arid Environment, 30: 361-366.
[12] E. D.Wilson, and W. E. Anable (1986). Removal of alkalines from
Portland cement kiln dust. U. S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Mines. 10 pp.
[13] A. M. Farmer (1993). The effects of dust on vegetation-a review.
Environmental Pollution, 79: 63-75.
[14] M. R.Sharifi; A. C. Gibson and P. W. Rundel (1997). Surface dust
impacts on gas exchange in Mojave Desert shrubs. Journal of Applied
Ecology, 34: 837-846.
[15] M. M. Migahid (2000). Effect of lime dust on major nutrient elements
and photosynthetic pigments of the common plant species of North
West Egypt. Proc. 1st Int. Conf. Biol. (ICBS) Fac. Sci., Tanta Univ. 7-8
May 2000. vol. 1: 199-212.
[16] Causton, D. R. (1988). Introduction to Vegetation Analysis. 1st. ed.
Academic division of Unv. In Hyman Ltd. Pp. 341.
[17] V. Tackholm (1974). Students Flora of Egypt. (2nd Edn). Cairo
University Press. Cairo, 888 pp.
[18] L. Boulos (1995). Flora of Egypt Checklist. Cairo, Al Hadara
Publishing, 287 pp.
[19] R. E. Stickland (1969). A caliber for measuring plant diameter. Journal
of Agricultural Engineering Research, 14: 290-291.
[20] S. Allen,; H. M. Grimshaw,; J. A. Parkinson, and C. Quarmby (1974).
Chemical Analysis of Ecological Materials. Blackwell Scientific
Publications Osney, Oxford, London 565pp.
[21] J. A. Ludwigand J. F. Reynolds (1988). Statistical Ecology. A primer on
methods and computing. Wiley, New York, 337 pp.
[22] A. E. Magurran (1988). Ecological Diversity and Its Measurement.
Princeton University Press. Princeton, New Jersey, 179 pp.
[23] SAS, (1985). SAS/STAT User`s Guide, SAS Institute Inc. Cary. NC.
[24] M. Z. Iqbal, and M. Shafig (1998). Toxicity of cement dust on the
growth of some tree seedlings. Ekologia-Bratislava, 17: 434-439.
[25] S. Z. Heneidy, (2002). Role of indicator range species as browsing
forage and effective nutritive source, in Matruh area, a Mediterranean
Coastal Region, NW-Egypt. Online Journal of Biological Sciences. 2:
136-142.
[26] S. Sivakumar, and A. J. De Britto, (1995). Effect of cement pollution on
soil fertility. Journal Ecotoxicolgy Environmental Monitor, 5: 147-149.
@article{"International Journal of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences:51014", author = "Amal and M. Fakhry and M. M. Migahid", title = "Effect of Cement-kiln Dust Pollution on The Vegetation in The Western Mediterranean Desert of Egypt", abstract = "This study investigated the ecological effects of
particulate pollution from a cement factory on the vegetation in the
western Mediterranean coastal desert of Egypt. Variations in
vegetation, soil chemical characters, and some responses of Atriplex
halimus, as a dominant species in the study area, were investigated in
some sites located in different directions from the cement factory
between Burg El-Arab in the east and El-Hammam in the west. The
results showed an obvious decrease in vegetation diversity, in
response to cement-kiln dust pollution, that accompanied by a high
dominance attributed to the high contribution of Atriplex halimus.
Annual species were found to be more sensitive to cement dust
pollution as they all failed to persist in highly disturbed sites. It is
remarkable that cover and phytomass of Atriplex halimus were
increased greatly in response to cement dust pollution, and this was
accompanied by a reduction in the mature seeds and leaf-area of the
plant. The few seeds of the affected individuals seemed to be more
fertile and attained higher germination percentages and exhibited
hardening against drought stress.", keywords = "Atriplex halimus, Alpha diversity, Cement dustpollution.", volume = "5", number = "9", pages = "488-7", }
