The Resilience of Ephedra Alata Decne in Two Regions of Egypt: Soil Properties, Tissues Anatomy, and Physiological Responses

Ibrahim, Elsayed M.; Badawy, Ali A.; Ghanem, Nady A. E.

doi:10.21608/ejss.2025.386103.2183

The Resilience of Ephedra Alata Decne in Two Regions of Egypt: Soil Properties, Tissues Anatomy, and Physiological Responses

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11884, Egypt

10.21608/ejss.2025.386103.2183

Abstract

Ephedra is an important genus of the Ephedraceae family and is widely distributed in arid and semi-arid environments worldwide. This study systematically investigated the specific environmental factors affecting the population dynamics and distribution of Ephedra sinica at eight sites in two distinct ecological zones: Wadi Degla and El-Tour. Based on a comprehensive soil analyses, important physicochemical properties such as soil moisture content (2.38-10.29%), pH (7-8), total dissolved solids (TDS: 3349.7-6447.9 ppm), electrical conductivity (EC: 4.99-9.55 ds/m), calcium carbonate concentration (CaCO3: 40.53-61.31%), and organic matter content (0.23-1.83%) were significantly different. The concentrations of water-soluble anions {CO3- (3.52-6.59 mmolc/L), HCO3⁻ (3.03-6.11 mmolc/L), Cl⁻ (5.11-22.16 mmolc/L), and SO4²⁻ (22.30-50 mmolc/L)} and cations {Na⁺ (6.88-24.25 mmolc/L), K⁺ (1.28-2.86 mmolc/L), Ca²⁺ (31.97-49.83 mmolc/L), and Mg⁺ (6.77-30.54 mmolc/L)} were also measured. In addition to soil composition, the anatomy of roots, stems, and leaves was also studied. Physiological analyses included chlorophyll content, protein and carbohydrate concentrations, and plant responses to drought stress and soil limitations such as salinity. The results highlight the remarkable ecological resilience of ephedra, confirming its ability to survive and thrive in a variety of soil types and environmental stresses, thus enhancing its resilience to harsh environments.

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