638
E.-S. E. Omran and A. M. Negm
3.2 Land and Water Resources
First is the impact of climate change on Plant-associated fungi. Whether we like it
or not, climate change will continue to occur in the future, laying its heavy impact
on every agricultural-related element. Finding solutions to shifts in soil microbial
community and deterioration of plant produce under extreme climate conditions can
be addressed using biotechnology tools such as genetic modification, stress tolerance
induction, and synthetic biology to obtain new breeds that tolerate climate change
increase productivity or enhance carbon sequestration. Molecular biology is expected
to play another role, which is developing new tools for solar energy conversion
because a huge percentage of CO 2 emissions are attributed to agricultural emissions.
Harnessing energy from photosynthesis is also another biotechnology application
that will add an ecological dimension through mitigating greenhouse gas produced
from conventional energy production; this will consequently aid in preserving the
environment and biodiversity.
Second is the impact of climate change on microbial activity in agricultural
Egyptian soil. Climate change has an impact on Egyptian soil microbial community
and activities both directly or indirectly. The fluctuation of temperature and elevated
CO 2 are the most climatic changes in Egypt that positively, negatively, and neutrally
affect soil microbial activity, community, and enzyme activities. However, most
of researchers or studies focused on climate change impacts as a single factor or
by separating the different climate change components (altered temperature and
moisture or elevated CO 2 ) and manipulating their responses on soil microbial
activity independently. The behavior and response of plant growth promoting
microorganisms to climate change are very variedly and complicated, especially in
saline habitats. The structure and functions of soil microorganisms are tremendously
complex and can be impacted by climate changes in several ways that prevent the
ability to draw reliable conclusions. Long-term experiments are critical to more
illustrate the interactions between biotic and abiotic factors and better predict soil
microbial responses to future climate changes. On the other hand, the use of modern
molecular techniques such as metagenomics will help and gave more details about
soil microbial communities that would otherwise be undetectable.
Third is mapping Egypt vulnerability to sea level rise scenarios. Nile Delta
contains high population densities, significant economic activities, and ecosystem
services. This area is already subject to climate change has the potential to pose
increasing risks in the future. Consequently, a range of negative socio-economic
impacts is expected to follow such as food insecurity, loss of income sources and
unemployment of small farmers as well as the loss of livelihoods of other people who
are currently dependant on the agricultural activities carried out in the Nile Delta.
These predictions assure the need for the agricultural sector in Egypt to adapt—in the
long term—to the potential threat of SLR as part of its adaptation to climate change
in general. The SLRS analysis can be used to identify priority areas for adaptation
based on the vulnerability of cities and districts.
E.-S. E. Omran and A. M. Negm
3.2 Land and Water Resources
First is the impact of climate change on Plant-associated fungi. Whether we like it
or not, climate change will continue to occur in the future, laying its heavy impact
on every agricultural-related element. Finding solutions to shifts in soil microbial
community and deterioration of plant produce under extreme climate conditions can
be addressed using biotechnology tools such as genetic modification, stress tolerance
induction, and synthetic biology to obtain new breeds that tolerate climate change
increase productivity or enhance carbon sequestration. Molecular biology is expected
to play another role, which is developing new tools for solar energy conversion
because a huge percentage of CO 2 emissions are attributed to agricultural emissions.
Harnessing energy from photosynthesis is also another biotechnology application
that will add an ecological dimension through mitigating greenhouse gas produced
from conventional energy production; this will consequently aid in preserving the
environment and biodiversity.
Second is the impact of climate change on microbial activity in agricultural
Egyptian soil. Climate change has an impact on Egyptian soil microbial community
and activities both directly or indirectly. The fluctuation of temperature and elevated
CO 2 are the most climatic changes in Egypt that positively, negatively, and neutrally
affect soil microbial activity, community, and enzyme activities. However, most
of researchers or studies focused on climate change impacts as a single factor or
by separating the different climate change components (altered temperature and
moisture or elevated CO 2 ) and manipulating their responses on soil microbial
activity independently. The behavior and response of plant growth promoting
microorganisms to climate change are very variedly and complicated, especially in
saline habitats. The structure and functions of soil microorganisms are tremendously
complex and can be impacted by climate changes in several ways that prevent the
ability to draw reliable conclusions. Long-term experiments are critical to more
illustrate the interactions between biotic and abiotic factors and better predict soil
microbial responses to future climate changes. On the other hand, the use of modern
molecular techniques such as metagenomics will help and gave more details about
soil microbial communities that would otherwise be undetectable.
Third is mapping Egypt vulnerability to sea level rise scenarios. Nile Delta
contains high population densities, significant economic activities, and ecosystem
services. This area is already subject to climate change has the potential to pose
increasing risks in the future. Consequently, a range of negative socio-economic
impacts is expected to follow such as food insecurity, loss of income sources and
unemployment of small farmers as well as the loss of livelihoods of other people who
are currently dependant on the agricultural activities carried out in the Nile Delta.
These predictions assure the need for the agricultural sector in Egypt to adapt—in the
long term—to the potential threat of SLR as part of its adaptation to climate change
in general. The SLRS analysis can be used to identify priority areas for adaptation
based on the vulnerability of cities and districts.