Morphology, niche segregation, and escape tactics in a sand dune lizard community

We examined patterns of co-existence for three species of scincid lizards (Sphenops sepsoides, Scincus scincus, and Chalcides ocellatus) in the simple sand dune habitat of North Sinai, Egypt. We first examined the morphological differences among the three species and compared their niche use and escape tactics in the context of their morphologies. Our results suggests that natural selection has favored two different phenotypes, Scincus scincus's long limbs with toe fringes and Sphenops sepspoides's extremely reduced limbs for sand locomotion. These two sand specialists, Sphenops sepsoides and Scincus scincus, shared microhabitats such as soft substrate and occurred further away from vegetation but showed strong separation in the surface temperatures at which they were active. The generalist species, C. ocellatus which lacked toe fringes and had relatively short limbs that were not reduced enough for fossorial movement, was found closer to vegetation and on harder substrates where such traits may be beneficial. Escape tactics may further strengthen habitat partitioning between desert generalists and sand specialists as C. ocellatus sprint to vegetation to escape predators whereas both sand specialists dive into the sand. Our results suggest that traditional ideas about predation risk may not apply to sand diving lizards as they may be able to venture far from vegetation refuges without increased vulnerability to predation.     

Source mechanism and source parameters of May 28, 1998 earthquake,Egypt

On May 28, 1998, a moderate size earthquake of mb 5.5 occurred offshore the northwestern part of Egypt (latitude 31.45°N and longitude 27.64°E). It was widely felt in the northern part of Egypt. Being the largest well-recorded event in the area for which seismic data from the global digital network are available, it provides an excellent opportunity to study the tectonic process and present day stress field occurring along the offshore Egyptian coast. The source parameters of this event are determined using three different techniques: modeling of surface wave spectral amplitudes, regional waveform inversion, and teleseismic body waveform inversion. The results show a high-angle reverse fault mechanism generally trending NNW–SSE. The P-axis trends ENE–WSW consistently with the prevailed compression stress along the southeastern Hellenic arc and southwestern part of the Cyprean arc. This unexpected mechanism is most probably related to a positive inversion of the NW trending offshore normal faults and confirms an extension of the back thrusting effects towards the African margin. The estimated focal depth ranges from 22 to 25 km, indicating a lower crustal origin earthquake owing to deep-seated tectonics. The source time function indicates a single source with rise time and total rupture duration of 2 and 5 s, respectively. The seismic moment (M _o) and the moment magnitude (M _w) determined by the three techniques are 1.03 × 10¹⁷ Nm, 5.28; 1.24 × 10¹⁷ Nm, 5.33; and 1.68 × 10¹⁷ Nm, 5.42; respectively. The calculated fault radius, stress drop, and the average dislocation assuming a circular fault model are 7.2 km, 0.63 Mpa, and 0.11 m, respectively.     

Importance of aquatic macrophyte for invertebrate diversity in large subtropical reservoir

The abundance and preferences of individual invertebrate populations (including zooplankton) closely associated with the substrates provided by aquatic plant structures and open-water areas of Lake Nasser were quantified in this study in order to gain understanding of the importance of submerged macrophyte for invertebrate diversity, and their relation to water properties. The following water parameters were measured: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved salts, electrical conductivity, turbidity, total suspended solids, carbonate, bicarbonate, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, sulphate, silica, potassium, total hardness, calcium and magnesium.Five macrophyte species were recorded: Myriopyllum spicatum, Najas horrida, Potamogeton schweinfurthii, Potamogeton pectinatus and Vallisneria spiralis. In total 67 invertebrate species were recorded, comprising 39 Rotifera, 12 Cladocera, 4 Copepoda, 4 Insecta, 2 Protozoa, 2 Ostracoda and one species of Turbellaria, Tardigrada, Annelida and Nematoda. Thirty-seven species were exclusively epiphytic, 11 species were collectively planktonic and 19 species were found in both habitats. The greatest abundance of epiphytic invertebrates occurred in association with N. horrida-P. schweinfurthii community.The results indicated that total suspended solids (TSS), TH and NO₂ are the most influential water variables on the distribution of the aquatic macrophyte samples and their invertebrate communities. Also, the study indicates that water variables have a higher impact on the aquatic macrophytes than on the associated invertebrate populations. P, NO₃, K, Na, Mg, Cl and DO were the most influential water variables that dictate the distribution of invertebrate groups recorded in the open-water zone. Water temperature, electric conductivity, pH, NO₂, SO₄⁻⁻, SiO₃⁻, CO₃⁻⁻ and turbidity have a lesser influence of the distribution of the invertebrates recorded in this zone.     

On Invisible Trade Relations between Mesopotamian Cities during the Third Millennium B.C.

The idea that the emergence of writing was necessity due to the increase in both the number of economic transactions and political complexity has been recently emphasized by Matthews, who also underlines that writing acted as a feedback in enabling and encouraging the growth of ever more complex modes of exchange. The intertwinement of trade and writing suggests that clay tablets left by the civilizations from the third millennium B.C. in Mesopotamia, where writing was invented, may be considered as traces of trade links and transactions between cities. We estimate a gravity model based on clay tablets, as if they represented trade flows. The parameters lead us to conclude that Mesopotamia formed a strongly integrated market.     

Pollution vulnerability of the Quaternary aquifer near Cairo, Egypt, as indicated by isotopes and hydrochemistry

The present study was conducted to delineate the pollution vulnerability of the Quaternary aquifer in two areas, Imbaba and Shobra El-Khima, near Cairo, Egypt. Environmental isotopes combined with hydrochemistry were used for this purpose. The groundwater in the Imbaba area (average total dissolved solids about 900 mg/L; sodium/chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonate water types) is more mineralized than groundwater in the Shobra El-Khima area (average total dissolved solids 500 mg/L; calcium and sodium/bicarbonate water type). A high nitrate content and significant mineralization in the groundwater are probably due to contamination of recharge to the aquifer by irrigation drainage, deteriorated sewage networks, and septic tanks. The deuterium and oxygen-18 compositions of the groundwater are depleted compared to Nile River water, which is the main source of aquifer recharge. This less isotopically enriched water probably represents older Nile water recharge that flooded the region before construction of the Aswan High Dam in 1963, or it is a mixture of a young water and originally deposited paleowater that was in deeper horizons at a time of cooler and more humid climate. Intensive pumping has moved the paleowater higher in the aquifer. Groundwater in the Shobra El-Khima area has higher residence time, based on the tritium concentration, than groundwater in the Imbaba area. The percentage of the isotopically depleted water equals 75% in the Shobra El-Khima and 35% in Imbaba, and the thickness of the clay cap above the aquifer is 38 m in Shobra El-Khima and 20 m in Imbaba. These factors are indicative of the rate of recharge to the aquifer and were used to evaluate the pollution vulnerability in the two areas. Electronic Publication     

Modeling Biogeochemistry,the Key for Understanding Environmental Chemistry of a Semi－Arid Soil in Egypt

1IntroductionThecomponentsoftheenvironmentaredamagedbyagriculturalpractices.Soilslosstheirfer tilityandwaterdeterioratesduetopollution .Chemicalweatheringofmineralandsoiloccursattheinterfacesbetweentheliquidandsolidphases;consequentlythesurfaceareaandcompositionofthemineralsplayanimportantroleinthisprocess.GarrelsandMackenzie ( 1 96 7)suggestedthatincon gruentweatheringreactionswouldproducedissolvedspeciesandnewsolidsthataremorestableintheweatheringenvironmentthantheoriginalbedrockminerals.Ro…     

Geology and rare-earth element geochemistry of highly evolved, molybdenite-bearing granitic plutons, Southeastern Desert, Egypt

The field relations, mineralogy, and major and trace elements (including REE analyses of whole-rock samples and minerals) of granites and their associated molybdenite uranium mineralized aplites in Southeastern Desert, Egypt, have been studied. The granites are leucocratic and mostly peraluminous in nature with muscovite increasing at the expense of biotite. The chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the granitic rocks indicate that their melts originated from the LILE-enriched mantle wedge by partial melting and are contaminated by crustal melts, followed by thermogravitational processes. Leucogranites with higher Na2O/K2O ratios from Um Dargag and Um Maiat crystallized under H2O-saturated equilibrium conditions in which the exsolved vapor continuously migrated away. The REE patterns of the granites studied are characterized by LREE enrichments and negative Eu anomalies. In comparison, the potassic aplites and the more sodic leucogranites are depleted in LREE, enriched in HREE and show more remarkable negative Eu anomalies. Allanite and monazite are the most important REE carriers in the granites. These minerals are strongly enriched in LREE, whereas fluorite and xenotime, which are more abundant in the aplites, are enriched in HREE. The average Lu/Ce ratio represents the fractionation trend with respect to HREE. It is 0.71 for radioactive fluorite, and it increases to 1.22 for non-radioactive fluorite. The high REE contents of molybdenite represent re-deposition of the mobilized Mo and REE. Due to the strong control of accessory minerals, the REEs are of limited use in petrogenetic modelling of highly evolved granitic systems.     

Mode of formation of the Nile Gorge in northern Egypt: a study by DEM‐SRTM data and GIS analysis

This is an overview of the mode of formation of the Nile Gorge in northern Egypt. It is based on the interpretation of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data along with detailed analysis of landsat image, geological map and seismic data. The results show that the current course of the Nile was caused by a differential uplift of two plateaus: Ma'aza, to the east, and Western Desert plateau, to the west of the river. This uplift is caused by dynamic forces resulting from subsurface convection processes. It also contributed to the formation of several drainage systems, basins and structural features. Abundant faults and fractures that are parallel to the Nile Valley on both flanks that are associated with uplift are proven to be contemporaneous with formation of the river. We conclude that understanding of the uplift is crucial to visualizing the Nile course and its geodynamic formation. The information derived from the SRTM data reveals invaluable knowledge in support of the presented remotely sensed geological features. The paper clearly explains the stages of formation of the Nile segments in space and time and structural controls on the path of the Nile River in Egypt. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Diagenesis in the Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation sandstones in the Shoushan Basin,northern Western Desert,Egypt

The Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation acts as a hydrocarbon reservoir in the subsurface in the Western Desert, Egypt. This study, which is based on core samples from two exploration boreholes, describes the lithological and diagenetic characteristics of the Khatatba Formation sandstones. The sandstones are fine‐ to coarse‐grained, moderately to well‐sorted quartz arenites, deposited in fluvial channels and in a shallow‐marine setting. Diagenetic components include mechanical and chemical compaction, cementation (calcite, clay minerals, quartz overgrowths, and a minor amount of pyrite), and dissolution of calcite cements and feldspar grains. The widespread occurrence of an early calcite cement suggests that the Khatatba sandstones lost a significant amount of primary porosity at an early stage of its diagenetic history. In addition to calcite, several different cements including kaolinite and syntaxial quartz overgrowth occur as pore‐filling and pore‐lining cements. Kaolinite (largely vermicular) fills pore spaces and causes reduction in the permeability of the reservoir. Based on framework grain–cement relationships, precipitation of the early calcite cement was either accompanied by or followed the development of part of the pore‐lining and pore‐filling cements. Secondary porosity development occurred due to partial to complete dissolution of early calcite cements and feldspar. Late kaolinite clay cement occurs due to dissolved feldspar and has an impact on the reservoir quality of the Khatatba sandstones. Open hydraulic fractures also generated significant secondary porosity in sandstone reservoirs, where both fractures and dissolution took place in multiple phases during late diagenetic stages. The diagenesis and sedimentary facies help control the reservoir quality of the Khatatba sandstones. Fluvial channel sandstones have the highest porosities and permeabilities, in part because of calcite cementation, which inhibited authigenic clays or was later dissolved, creating intergranular secondary porosity. Fluvial crevasse‐splay and marine sandstones have the lowest reservoir quality because of an abundance of depositional kaolinite matrix and pervasive, shallow‐burial calcite and quartz overgrowth cements, respectively. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.