Karim Omar

The Sinai primrose, Primula boveana has been reported as one of the rarest and most endangered plant species worldwide. It is endemic t o the St Katherine Protectorate (SKP) in southern Sinai, Egypt. Our objectives were to: (1) Determine the effect of the surrounding ecology on the morphological and reproductive characteristics among P. boveana populations. (2) To detect the seed germination dyn amics among different environmental factors and to investigate the dormancy rate betwee n mother plants and new adult generation (3) The present work focuses on ex-situ requirements for seed germination of Primula boveana , specifically comparing the use of untreated and g ibberellic acid (GA3) treated to promote germination, as an initial step to their co nservation. Total of1010 individuals of the target species were recorded within this study, 162 of them are adult plants (16%), only three locations from five containing adult individuals. M orphological characteristics showed great variat...

A study was carried out on a wild herb Hypericum sinaicum (Family: Hypericaceae) in Saint Katherine Protectorate, South Sinai, Egypt to increase the understanding about some applications of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in analysis, management and making suitable decisions in plant conservation strategies. Also to detect the effect of environmental factors (Topography) on the distribution of Hypericum sinaicum as well as geographical attributes. The results showed that it was found that H. sinaicum has a narrow range of distribution between 1515 and 2036 m. It was shown that the highest presence for H. sinaicum was in elevation between 1800-2000m (42.7%) and the lowest presence detected was at elevation between 14001600m (0.8%). Extracted data came from 3d analysis by GIS found that H. sinaicum communities strongly affected by aspect and this shiny appears in the species distribution within special aspects. H. sinaicum was recorded at North East (44%), North (15.5%), East (...

Abstract Primula boveana Decne ex Duby is a threatened paleo-endemic plant in St. Catherine Protected Area (SCPA), south Sinai, Egypt which represents the remaining evidence from the Tertiary relict floras. Listed by IUCN Red List in 2014 as Critically Endangered, and there are urgent needs to carry out on-ground conservation actions. In this research we present steps to conserve Primula boveana through in-situ practices from planning to implementation, respectively through: a) evaluating the current conservation status through IUCN Red List and determining the environmental factors controlling the distribution of the species that are necessary for establishing the recovery program, b) determine the potential species habitat suitability under the current climate conditions using Maxent software, and c) based on the previous two steps, and in an experiment that is the first in this area, an attempt was done to cultivate dormant treated seeds directly in the suitable habitat for recovery. All of these steps aim to increase population size, Extent of Occurrence (EOO), and Area of Occupancy (AOO), which will contribute to minimize the impact of threats on the target species and reducing the risk of extinction. Environmental factors controlling the distribution of the P. boveana and habitat suitability range were extracted in detail using IUCN Red List Assessment and Species Distribution Model (SDM). Despite the low survival rates of seedlings, which reached 1% of the germinated seeds after 8 months from germination, about 140 new individuals were obtained to be added to the current population as a result of this step with an increase of more than 25 %. Also, the geographical range (EOO) after adding the recovery sites has increased by 230 %, which, if continued, could help reduce pressures on the species as well as the risk of extinction. During this study, we emphasized that the target species is marching toward extinction very quickly and needs rapid intervention to try to save it from the imminent extinction risk due to drought and climate change. Carrying out ex-situ conservation practices has become urgent due to the difficulty in ensuring the success of the in-situ conservation process in the future. Collecting and storing seeds, along with cultivation in greenhouses and botanical gardens, will aid in the conservation of the plant if it is extinct in the wild.

... of RAPD in plant biodiversity also included investigation of genetic diversity in wild accessions of two Artemisia species in Egypt ( Mohamed, 2004 ... to each other tend to be uniform because genetic differentiation is often prevented by gene flow and this recorded by (Fahima et al ...

Prediction and mapping of potential suitable habitat for threatened and endangered species is critical for monitoring and restoration of their declining native populations in their natural habitat, artificial introductions, or selecting conservation sites, and conservation and management of their native habitat. We used technique called maximum entropy distribution modeling or Maxent for predicting potential suitable habitat for Hypericum sinaicum, a threatened and endangered species in Saint Katherine Protectorate (SKP), South Sinai, Egypt, using small number of occurrence records. Our objectives were to: (1) predict suitable habitat distribution for threatened herb H. sinaicum using a small number of occurrence records to inform conservation planning in Saint Katherine Protectorate; and (2) identify the environmental factors associated with H. sinaicum habitat distribution. Results showed that the environmental variable with highest gain when used in isolation is bio9 (Mean Temper...

Primula boveana Decne. ex Duby (Primulaceae) is endemic to the St Katherine Protectorate (SKP) in southern Sinai, Egypt. This species is severely threatened by both natural (aridity of the area) and human factors (scientific research). All these factors are pushing P. boveana to the brink of extinction. Because of this conditions, this study is aim to assess the current conservation status of this species according to IUCN criteria in order to produce a series of recommendations for conservation action. After analyzing the collected data about species geographical range, population information, habitat and ecology, uses, threats and conservation requirements we can say that P. boveana qualifies as Critically Endangered (CR) because it is endemic to a tiny area (EOO 13 km², AOO <6 km²) of the high mountain area of the St. Katherine Protectorate in southern Sinai, Egypt. The total population size of mature individuals is less than 200, distributed among nine subpopulations. Because...

Rosa arabica Crép. is a perennial shrub belonging to the family Rosaceae. It is endemic to the high mountain area of St. Catherine Protected Area (SCPA) in southern Sinai, Egypt, and is listed as one of the most 100 threatened plants in the world. Recently, it has been listed as critically endangered by IUCN Red List due to its small extent of occurrence and tiny population size. We reported the continuous decline in habitat quality for this species and the urgent need to carry out on-ground conservation actions. So, this research aims to conserve Rosa arabica through in situ practices by implementing the following steps, respectively: a) evaluate the current conservation status through IUCN Red List to extract the environmental factors controlling the species' distribution necessary for establishing the recovery program, b) determine the potential species habitat suitability under the current climate conditions using Maxent, and c) based on the previous two steps, the translocation process for R. arabica in the suitable habitat will be done after the simple layering process as one of the most effective traditional vegetative methods for wild cultivation for this species. These steps aimed to reduce the impact of threats and the risk of extinction through increasing the population size, the Extent of Occurrence (EOO), and the Area of Occupancy (AOO). We extracted the environmental factors controlling the target species' distribution and habitat suitability range using the IUCN Red List assessment and Species Distribution Model (SDM). The most suitable habitat for R. arabica is predicted in the middle northern parts of SCPA, with the highest suitability in the High Mountains. Precipitation of driest quarter, precipitation of wettest month, precipitation of coldest quarter, and aspect are the highest mean contributors determining the distribution of R. arabica in SCPA. Rosa arabica potential distribution covers 324.4 km2 (7.46%) of the total SCPA area (4350 km2). This area is divided into: 18.1 km2 high probability, 124.3 km2 moderate probability, and 182 km2 low probability. After one year of the simple layering process, ten branches rooted and were translocated into three sites that had been previously identified to cover three habitat suitability ranges (high, moderate, and low suitability). After a year of translocation in the wild, the survival rate ranged from 66% to 100%, the geographical range increased by 65%, and the population size by 6.8%. Therefore, if the new individuals continue to grow and adapt it may lead to the expansion of other environmental factors such as climatic and topographical factors that probably increase the resilience of the global population of the species to adverse events. Detailed information is provided in this research about the recovery program, from planning to implementation and monitoring, and recommendations for best practices.

The process of developing a conservation programme for endemic plant species, in particular those with a small geographical size in mountain ecosystems, whether in situ of ex situ, is a very complex matter, especially if data on the state of the environment and conservation are unavailable. Silene leucophylla and Silene oreosinaica are perennial plants endemic to St. Catherine Protected Area (SCPA), which locate at South Sinai, Egypt. For long time, the second species has not been observed in the field. As a result, the purpose of this study was to increase understanding of the two species' ecological and conservation statuses by: The first step is to confirm their existence on the ground; the second step is to determine the present ecological and conservation conditions through an extinction risk assessment by using IUCN Red List methodology; and the third step is the use of Species Distribution Model (SDM) to locate and extract current appropriate habitat suitability. The fiel...

Primula boveana Decne ex Duby is a threatened paleo-endemic plant in St. Catherine Protected Area (SCPA), south Sinai, Egypt which represents the remaining evidence from the Tertiary relict floras. Listed by IUCN Red List in 2014 as Critically Endangered, and there are urgent needs to carry out on-ground conservation actions. In this research we present steps to conserve Primula boveana through in-situ practices from planning to implementation, respectively through: a) evaluating the current conservation status through IUCN Red List and determining the environmental factors controlling the distribution of the species that are necessary for establishing the recovery program, b) determine the potential species habitat suitability under the current climate conditions using Maxent software, and c) based on the previous two steps, and in an experiment that is the first in this area, an attempt was done to cultivate dormant treated seeds directly in the suitable habitat for recovery. All ...

Primula boveana qualifies as Critically Endangered because it is endemic to a tiny area (with an EOO of 13 km2 and AOO of less than 6 km2) of the high mountain area of the St. Katherine Protectorate in southern Sinai, Egypt. The total population size of mature individuals is less than 200, distributed among nine subpopulations. As the main threats are drought and climate change, effectively there is only one location. There is a continuing decline in habitat quality for this species, with evidence of declines in subpopulation numbers and numbers of mature individuals. Climate change is projected to further reduce the available habitat of this high-elevation specialist. Monitoring data suggests that the species might undergo extreme fluctuations but further observations are needed to determine this fact. Due to the small number of mature individuals and the population structure this species would also qualify as Endangered under Criterion C2a(i) and D

Conservation of globally endangered plant resources is a critical ecological, cultural and economic issue. The undertaking of ecological study focusing on the distribution, abundance and population structures of target species is fundamental to the assessment of the conservation status of wild populations. A study was carried out on the wild herb Hypericum sinaicum (Family: Hypericaceae) in Saint Katherine Protectorate (SKP), South Sinai, Egypt, where 22 sites presenting different habitats in SKP were surveyed for: (1) investigate the floristic composition, vegetation types and H. sinaicum distribution in the area, (2) define the ecological status of H. sinaicum and characterize this range by its size, shape, boundaries and internal structure, (3) clearly identify conservation priorities and suggest appropriate strategies for H. sinaicum conservation, (4) detect the effect of environmental factors on the distribution of H. sinaicum in order to use it as first step for conservation by rehabilitation or restoration, (5) determine the effect of spatial variation on plant community and H. sinaicum productivity, and (6) to determine the ecological and climatic requirements for this species and detect their effect on the species distribution. A total of 113 species were recorded in total within the 237 sites. 37 families were recorded within the study area; Asteraceae (15%) and Lamiaceae (11.5%) presented the dominant families in this area, while the Hypercaceae family which represented the target species (H. sinaicum) was recorded only once. H. sinaicum was recorded as dominant species in only 12 sites from 237 with 5%. Morphological attributes for Hypericum showed great variation due to the variation in the edaphic features of different locations. Finally it's was observed that vegetation constitutes an organized whole, it operates at a higher level of integration than the separate species and may possess emergent properties not necessarily found in individual themselves. Most of the H. sinaicum populations were small and the plants occurred sporadically in space, as little groups conjugated with wet soil. At the micro-site level, H. sinaicum plants occupied most of high altitude habitats in SKP such as cliffs, Wadi bed, terrace, gorge, slope and cave habitats. H. sinaicum prefers the wet and shady places like gorges, slopes and cliffs with continuous water supply. There is an urgent need to integrate the knowledge derived from ecological, demographic and climatic approaches to species conservation in order to be able to formulate management strategies that take into account all different considerations.

Prediction and mapping of potential suitable habitat for threatened and endangered species is critical for monitoring and restoration of their declining native populations in their natural habitat, artificial introductions, or selecting conservation sites, and conservation and management of their native habitat. We used technique called maximum entropy distribution modeling or Maxent for predicting potential suitable habitat for Hypericum sinaicum, a threatened and endangered species in Saint Katherine Protectorate (SKP), South Sinai, Egypt, using small number of occurrence records. Our objectives were to: (1) predict suitable habitat distribution for threatened herb H. sinaicum using a small number of occurrence records to inform conservation planning in Saint Katherine Protectorate; and (2) identify the environmental factors associated with H. sinaicum habitat distribution. Results showed that the environmental variable with highest gain when used in isolation is bio9 (Mean Temperature of Driest Quarter). The approach presented here appears to be quite promising in predicting suitable habitat for threatened and endangered species with small sample records and can be an effective tool for biodiversity conservation planning, monitoring and management.

Accurate modeling of geographic distributions of species is crucial to various applications in ecology and conservation. Distribution data on threatened and endangered species are often sparse and clustered making it difficult to model their suitable habitat distribution using commonly used modeling approaches. We used a novel method called maximum entropy distribution modeling or Maxent for predicting potential suitable habitat for Nepeta septemcrenata, a threatened and endangered species in Saint Katherine Protectorate (SKP), South Sinai, Egypt, using small number of occurrence records. Our objectives were to: (1) predict suitable habitat distribution for threatened herb Nepeta septemcrenata using a small number of occurrence records to inform conservation planning in Saint Katherine Protectorate; and (2) identify the environmental factors associated with N. septemcrenata habitat distribution. Results showed that the environmental variable with highest gain when used in isolation is bio19 (Precipitation of Coldest Quarter). The approach presented here appears to be quite promising in predicting suitable habitat for threatened and endangered species with small sample records and can be an effective tool for biodiversity conservation planning, monitoring and management. [O. Khafaga, E.E. Hatab, K. Omar. Predicting the potential geographical distribution of Nepeta septemcrenata in Saint Katherine Protectorate, South Sinai, Egypt using Maxent.

In this study, 26 sites representing different habitats in Saint Katherine Protectorate were surveyed in each site 2–5 stands were selected for investigating floristic composition and vegetation types in the area. A total of 72 species representing 32 families were recorded. The family Lamiaceae, Asteraceae and Cruceferae are the families with the highest representation: 16.9 %, 15.4 % and 5.6%. 12 species represent the main communities within this study, Euphorbia obovata Decne. (21.9%), Achillea fragrantissima (Forssk.) Sch. Bip.(14.2%) and Seriphidium herba-album (Asso) Sojak.(14.2%) represent the most frequently dominant species. 40 plant species representing 18 families showed heavy grazing; Asteraceae (20%), Lamiaceae (17.5%), Brassicaceae (7.5%) and Caryophyllaceae (7.5%) represent the dominant families in this issue. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) showed that the positions of arrows for environmental variables suggest that there is a group of variables that are mutually highly positively correlated (Alt., Mg, Ca and organic matter) and negatively correlated with (HCO3, K, CaCO3). The goal of this study was to monitor particular plants in the different wadi systems in St. Katherine's Protectorate, to assess how plant species are distributed, and to determine the grazing pressure in these communities.

Genetic variability in N.septemcrenata populations from six locations in Saint Katherine Protectorate (SKP), using ten primers has been evaluated by RAPD-PCR analysis. A total of 122 DNA bands were detected, 54 bands were polymorphic, 44 were monomorphic and 24 were unique. The percentage of polymorphic bands ranged from 20% to 73.3% with an average of 40.69%. The amplified DNA bands ranges in size between 176 to 1874 bp. Number of unique bands ranged from 1 to 9 with average 2.4 per primer, it was observed that most of unique bands scored at location 6 (Wadi Elfaraa). Genetic distance between populations ranged from 0.0 to 0.38. Cluster analysis based on the presence or absence of bands was performed by dice similarity coefficient. Results show that there’s genetic distance between population 1 and population 6 this results explained as the effect of environmental condition varies from location to another and we find that the two locations are similar in their climate but varies in edaphic factors which may be the reason for this variation.

A study was carried out on a wild herb Hypericum sinaicum (Family: Hypericaceae) in Saint Katherine Protectorate, South Sinai, Egypt to increase the understanding about some applications of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in analysis, management and making suitable decisions in plant conservation strategies. Also to detect the effect of environmental factors (Topography) on the distribution of Hypericum sinaicum as well as geographical attributes. The results showed that it was found that H. sinaicum has a narrow range of distribution between 1515 and 2036 m. It was shown that the highest presence for H. sinaicum was in elevation between 1800-2000m (42.7%) and the lowest presence detected was at elevation between 1400-1600m (0.8%). Extracted data came from 3d analysis by GIS found that H. sinaicum communities strongly affected by aspect and this shiny appears in the species distribution within special aspects. H. sinaicum was recorded at North East (44%), North (15.5%), East (15.5%), North West (13.8%), West (7.7%), South (1.7%), South East (0.8%) and Flat (0.8%), there was no records for the plant at the South West aspect. The slope degree of the populated sites was very high, as the species was found in slope aspect between 89.98 and 90 degree. Results showed that topography (elevation, aspect and slope) influences on physical and chemical properties of soil, plant morphology and plant community structure.

Primula boveana Decne. ex Duby (Primulaceae) is endemic to the St Katherine Protectorate (SKP) in southern Sinai, Egypt. This species is severely threatened by both natural (aridity of the area) and human factors (scientific research). All these factors are pushing P. boveana to the brink of extinction. Because of this conditions, this study is aim to assess the current conservation status of this species according to IUCN criteria in order to produce a series of recommendations for conservation action. After analyzing the collected data about species geographical range, population information, habitat and ecology, uses, threats and conservation requirements we can say that P. boveana qualifies as Critically Endangered (CR) because it is endemic to a tiny area (EOO 13 km², AOO <6 km²) of the high mountain area of the St. Katherine Protectorate in southern Sinai, Egypt. The total population size of mature individuals is less than 200, distributed among nine subpopulations. Because the main threat is drought and climate change, effectively there is only one location. There is a continuing decline in habitat quality for this species, with evidence of declines in subpopulation numbers as well as strong fluctuations through time. Climate change is projected to further reduce the available habitat of this high-elevation specialist. There is an urgent need to work in two directions fast to keep this species save; 1) Ex-situ conservation through a seed bank, genome resource bank and artificial propagation, 2) In-situ conservation through rehabilitation, restoration and fenced enclosures. It is important to carry out a wide range
of educational and awareness activities in universities and scientific research centers about the sensitivity of this important threatened species.

Despite its small area, State of Palestine’s nature enjoys a rich biodiversity, compared to other countries in the region, due to its distinctive location as well as its special topography and history such as Great Rift Valley and bird’s migrations etc. It contains five bio-geographical zones (Ecosystems) which associated with their climate and biodiversity (Central Highlands - Semi-Coastal Region - Eastern Slopes - Jordan Rift Valley - Gaza Strip), in addition to four phytogeographical regions (Mediterranean - Irano-Turanian - Saharo-Arabian - Sudanese/Ethiopian). It consists of two physically separated landmasses: the West Bank [WB] (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip [GS].
There are about 51,000 living species in the State of Palestine, constituting approximately 3% of the global biodiversity. There are more than 30,850 animal species, consisting of an estimated 30,000 invertebrates, 373 birds, 297 fish, 92 mammals, 81 reptiles and 5 amphibians. The state of Palestine also hosts over than 2,000 species of plants including 54 endemic plants that do not exist in any other part of the world.

Conservation of globally endangered plant resources is a critical ecological, cultural and economic issue. The undertaking of ecological study focusing on the distribution, abundance and population structures of target species is fundamental to the assessment of the conservation status of wild populations. This is where geographical information systems (GIS) and their power and potential come into play. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are one of the tools that allow the integration and analysis of large amounts of data sets. The integration of GIS in conservation programs can help increase the input data information to be used and the output relationships that can be established among the data. This study was created to increase the understanding about the applications of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in analysis, management and making suitable decisions in plant conservation strategies. Also to define the geographical and ecological status of Hypericum sinaicum and characterize this range by its size, shape, boundaries and internal structure.

In order to develop an efficient and effective conservation strategy using complementary in situ and ex situ techniques, we must have a clear understanding of each target species geographical distribution, its habitat preferences and requirements, its genetics, reproductive biology and taxonomy. The details of the localities where past collection have been made, the so-called passport data, associated with herbarium and germplasm collections, are a key source of information to guide future conservation activities. For example, if the passport data for a particular species indicates that it has previously been found only in the mountainsides of Saint Katherine Protectorate, then these areas are likely to contain the species today. Looking for it on nearby mangrove swamps in Southern Egypt will be of little use. The ecological, geographic, genetic, reproductive biology and taxonomic data are collectively referred to as eco-geographic data and their analysis is a necessary prerequisite of efficient conservation.

When the environmental factor changes beyond a certain level; plants especially endemic restricted species try to adapt to be away from the extinction zone. However, not all plants have the same ability to adapt to the new changes. Its become well known that plants lose its diversity with time as a result of population growth and resource consumption, climate change and global warming, habitat conversion and urbanization, invasive alien species, over-exploitation of natural resources and environmental degradation. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species highlights species that are at the greatest risk of extinction and promotes their conservation by ‘concentrating minds on true priorities’. The Red List data are a source of information that is essential to guide conservation efforts focused on species. In this book we will try to enhance the understanding about the IUCN Red List Categories & Criteria through deep assessment on the conservation status of endemic plant species Primula boveana according to IUCN criteria in order to produce a series of recommendations for conservation action.