Upper Cretaceous–Lower Paleogene successions along the southern Tethyan margin record the combined effects of global environmental perturbations, relative sea-level change, and regional tectonism. This study reconstructs paleoenvironmental and sequence-stratigraphic evolution across Maastrichtian–Ypresian strata in four Esh El-Mellaha sections, northern Eastern Desert, Egypt, using integrated lithostratigraphy, microfacies, be...

Background and Aims Polysaccharide-rich mucilage from plant roots alters soil structure and microbial microhabitats, potentially modifying microbial responses to drying and rewetting. Here we tested the hypotheses that mucilage strengthens soil aggregates, increases microbial survival during dry–rewet cycles, and alters respiration responses to drying and rewetting. Methods To distinguish effects arising from the physical and...