Chlorophyll-a Concentrations analysis During COVID-19 Lockdown Period in Northern Egyptian coastal Area of Mediterranean Sea Using Google Earth Engine | ||
| Bulletin de la Société de Géographie d'Egypte | ||
| Volume 97, Issue 1, 2024 | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/bsge.2024.291157.1033 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Enas Farghaly* 1; Ibrahem Sayed Saber Bakry2; Samia Moheb El Khalal3; Ahmed Khalafalla4; Ali abdelsallam5 | ||
| 1Instructor, Geography Department, Women's Faculty for Arts, Science and Education Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. | ||
| 2Department of Geography, Faculty of Women, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt | ||
| 3Proffesor of plant physiology Botany Department, Women's Faculty for Arts, Science and Education Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. | ||
| 4Botany Department, Women's Faculty for Arts, Science and Education Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. | ||
| 5Marine Science Dept., National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS), Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Coastal ecosystems, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea, are highly susceptible to anthropogenic pressures such as pollution and habitat destruction. This study study the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) along the Northern Egyptian coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea from 2019 to 2021. Chl-a serves as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass, while SST influences marine species distribution and oceanographic processes. By using satellite data, we analysed these environmental parameters across three sections: the East Coast, Delta, and West-South sections. During the lockdown in 2020, significant ecological shifts were observed. Regions like Kafr El Shaikh, Damietta, and Abu Qir experienced a decrease in Chl-a levels, potentially due to reduced nutrient inputs from agricultural runoff and industrial discharges. Conversely, Alexandria saw an increase in Chl-a, likely resulting from decreased pollution. SST analysis revealed a general warming trend, with notable increases during the lockdown, especially near Alexandria and Port Said.The findings highlight the sensitivity of coastal ecosystems to changes in human activities. The lockdown provided a unique natural experiment to observe the ecological response to reduced anthropogenic pressures. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Google Earth Engine; COVID-19 Lockdown; Mediterranean Egyptian Coasts; Chlorophyll-a Concentrations | ||
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