DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2017.v05i03.002

Pages: 125-147

The family Asteraceae is the largest and the most cosmopolitan of the world particularly in semiarid region of the tropics and subtropics. In this present study investigate the ecology and edaphic factor effect of five species namely: Nauplius graveolens (Forssk.) Wiklund, Picris asplenioides L., Reichardia tingitana (L) Roth, Sonchus oleraceus L. ‎and Urospermum picroides (L.) F.W. Schmidt. The study area is located in some selected governorates in the northern part of Nile Delta and Eastern Desert regions of Egypt. The total number of the recorded plant species in the present study was 182 species belonging to 144 genera and related to 37 families. Asteraceae contributing 18.13%, of all recorded species in the study area, followed by Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Fabaceae and Brassicaceae. The vegetation structure was classified by TWINSPAN classification into four groups. Group I was dominated by Retama raetam, group II was codominated by Diplotaxis harra and Bassia muricata, these groups represent the vegetation type of the inland desert. Group III was codominated by Senecio glaucus and Rumex pictus and group IV was codominated by Cynodon dactylon and Phragmites australis. Groups III and IV represent the vegetation type of the coastal desert and canal bank, respectively. The soil texture, water holding capacity, pH, calcium carbonate, chlorides and bicarbonates were the most effective soil variables which have high significant correlations with abundance and distribution of vegetation. Finally, anthropogenic disturbances have affected the floristic composition of the asteraceae family to an extent. Thus, there is need to control human activities in desert so as to protect the plant species for effective management and utilization.