Long-term monitoring of the endemic Evotrochis involucrata Raf.: Conservation success and challenges

Moustafa, Abdelraouf A.; Abd El-Ghani, Monier M.; Mansour, Samira R.

doi:10.21608/ejbo.2025.404231.3374

Long-term monitoring of the endemic Evotrochis involucrata Raf.: Conservation success and challenges

Document Type : Regular issue (Original Article)

Authors

¹ Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

² Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

10.21608/ejbo.2025.404231.3374

Abstract

Southern Sinai harbors a high diversity of locally endemic plant species, many of which face threats from environmental unsuitability and human activities. This study focuses on the endemic species Evotrochis involucrata Raf., which is confined to shaded cliff and fissure habitats sustained by melt snow, characterized by high soil moisture content near wells and sheltered mountainous areas. To monitor changes in endemic and threatened species in the St. Catherine region, 37 protective enclosures were established. Key data collected included species composition, total vegetation cover, target species abundance, individual size, vitality, exposure, and slope. In this research, we focused on some enclosures in specific sites where Evotrochis involucrata occurs, namely Kahf El-Ghola, Shaq Musa, and Wadi Garagnia. These enclosures were visited regularly over 25 years to track vegetation dynamics. Conservation efforts successfully preserved many species and mitigated human-induced threats. Remarkably, Evotrochis involucrata populations increased at Kahf El-Ghola and Wadi Garagnia. However, in Shaq Musa, severe climate change caused habitat degradation and erosion, leading to declines in plant numbers and percentage of plant total cover. Observations were conducted six times between 1999 and 2023, with ongoing monitoring to evaluate the conservation strategy’s effectiveness.

Keywords