Characterization of Natural Vegetation Cover Outside and Inside sidi Toui National Park, Arid Zone of Tunisia

27 Mar Characterization of Natural Vegetation Cover Outside and Inside sidi Toui National Park, Arid Zone of Tunisia

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Abstract

English Abstract

This study was carried out in Sidi Toui national park belonging to El Ouara natural region
(southern east of Tunisia). This region is the preferred destination of many herds (sheep, goats
and camels) causing an increasing grazing pressure over its various ecosystems, leading to the
loss of many plant species especially the highly palatable ones, such as Rhanterium suaveolens
Desf., Cenchrus ciliaris L., Macrochloa tenacissima
(L.) Kunth., Gymnocarpos decandrus Forssk. et Echiochilon fruticosum Desf. This region is also
subjected to extreme weather conditions (high temperature, low rainfall). The combined effect of
these constraints accelerates the degra- dation processes of natural resources and imposes the
implementation of adequate measures for the sustainable management of this floristic heritage.
The creation of Sidi Toui national park in 1991 was one of the proposed solutions. This study aims
to assess the vegetation status outside and inside the park after 20 years of protection using the
quadrat point methods and some ecological indicators (vegetation cover, species richness, alpha
and beta diversities). The main results show that all indicators variations are closely related to the
rainfall season. Vegetation cover, species richness and diversity are always higher inside than
outside the park. It has also been noted that longterm protection greatly reduces vegetation
dynamics.