- Tidal Ecosystems
- Published:
The mangal of Sinai: Limits of an ecosystem
Helgoländer wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen volume 30, pages 295–314 (1977)
Abstract
The northernmost mangrove forests of the Red Sea are described. Temperature and salinity conditions were found to be extreme, obviously reducing the diversity of the ecosystem and presumably setting the geographical limits of its distribution. The Sinai mangal grows on hard fossil coral bottom, without any influence of estuarine sedimentation. Primary production of the open Red Sea waters is extremely low, therefore, the rich biomass of the Sinai mangal is built up by an autarkic nutrient recycling system. Several biotic zones within the Sinai mangal are described following an inshore-offshore transect. Vertical zonation of algae and animals on the aerial roots ofAvicennia is discussed. The Sinai mangal, “Shura” by its local name, is proposed as an ideal model for the study of trophic relations within the mangrove biome.
Literature Cited
Aschersohn, P., 1887. Reisebriefe aus dem Nil-Delta und Sinai-Halbinsel. Verh. Ges. Erdk. Berl.14(5), 313–322.
Chapman, V. J., 1940. The botany of the Jamaica shoreline. Geogr. J.96, 312–323.
Dor, I., 1975. The blue-green algae of the mangrove forests of Sinai. Rapp. P.-v. Réun Commn int. Explor. scient. Mer Méditerr.,23 (3), 109–110.
Dor, I., Sournia, A., & Por, F. D. Preliminary data on the productivity of the mangrove environment of Sinai. Rapp. P.-v. Réun Commn int. Explor. scient. Mer Méditerr. (In press).
Hylleberg-Kristensen, J., 1973. Notes on the identification and zoogeography of the Red Sea polychaetes. In: Elat, the Red Sea, report on a study tour. Ed. by T. Fenchel & J. Hylleberg-Kristensen. Zool. Inst. Univ. Aarhus, Aarhus. 135–169 (mimeo).
Jørgensen, C. B., 1973. The macro-infauna of the Nabeq lagoon. In: Elat, the Red Sea, report on a study tour. Ed. by T. Fenchel & J. Hylleberg-Kristensen. Zool. Inst. Univ. Aarhus, Aarhus. 88–94 (mimeo).
Kassas, M. & Zahran, M. A., 1967. On the ecology of the Red Sea littoral salt marsh, Egypt. Ecol. Monogr.37, 297–315.
Klinker, J., Reiss, Z., Kropach, Ch., Levanon, I., Harpaz, H., Halicz, E. & Assaf, G., 1977. Observations on the circulation pattern in the Gulf of Elat (Aqaba), Red Sea. Israel J. Earth-Sci.25, 85–103.
Krumbein, W. E. & Cohen, Y. 1974. Biogene, klastische und evaporitische Sedimentation in einem mesothermen monomiktischen ufernahen See (Golf von Aqaba). Geol. Rdsch.,63, 1053–1065.
MacNae, W., 1968. A general account of the fauna and flora of mangrove swamps and forests in the Indo-West-Pacific region. Adv. mar. Biol.,6, 73–270.
Odum, W. E. & Heald, E. J., 1975. Mangrove forests and aquatic productivity. In: Coupling of land and water systems. Ed. by A. D. Hasler. (Ecological Studies. Vol. 10.) Springer, New York. 129–136.
Por, F. D., 1969. Limnology of the heliothermal Solar Lake on the coast of Sinai (Gulf of Elat). Verh. int. Verein. theor. angew. Limnol.17, 1031–1034.
—, 1972. Hydrobiological notes on the high-salinity waters of the Sinai Peninsula. Mar. Biol.14, 111–119.
—, 1975. A typology of the nearshore seepage pools of Sinai. Rapp. P.-v. Réun Commn int. Explor. scient. Mer Méditerr.23, 103.
Por, F. D., The benthic Copepoda of the Sinai mangrove. Rapp. P.-v. Réun Commn int. Explor. scient. Mer Méditerr. (In press).
— & Dor, I., 1975a. Ecology of the metahaline pool of Di Zahav, Gulf of Elat, with notes on the Siphonocladacea and the typology of near-shore marine pools. Mar. Biol.29, 37–44.
——, 1975b. The hard bottom mangroves of Sinai, Red Sea. Rapp. P.-v. Réun Commn int. Explor. scient. Mer Méditerr.23 (2), 145–147.
Rützler, K., 1969. The mangrove community, aspects of its structure, faunistics and ecology. Mem Simp. int. Lagunas Costeras (UNAM-UNESCO, Mexico)1967, 515–536.
Stephenson, T. A., Stephenson, A., Tandy, G., & Spender, M. A., 1931. The structure and ecology of Low Isles and other reefs. Scient. Rep. Gt. Barrier Reef Exped.3 (2), 17–122.
Sournia, A. Notes on primary productivity of coastal waters in the Gulf of Elat (Red Sea). (in press).
Tobler, F., 1914. Die Mangrove der Insel Ulenge (Deutsch-Ostafrika). Bot. Jb.50, 398–411.
Walsh, G. E., 1974. Mangroves: a review. In: Ecology of the halophytes. Ed. by J. R. Reimold & W. H. Queen. Acad. Press, London. 51–174.
Walter, H. & Steiner, M., 1936. Die Ökologie der Ost-Afrikanischen Mangroven. Z. Bot.30, 65–193.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Por, F.D., Dor, I. & Amir, A. The mangal of Sinai: Limits of an ecosystem. Helgolander Wiss. Meeresunters 30, 295–314 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02207843
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02207843