Diversity and functional traits of spontaneous plant species in Algerian rangelands rehabilitated with prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) plantations

Authors : Souad NEFFAR, Taha MENASRIA, Haroun CHENCHOUNI

Pages : 448-461

View : 11 | Download : 6

Publication Date : 0000-00-00

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The prickly pear insert ignore into journalissuearticles values( Opuntia ficus-indica L. Miller); is a xerophytic cactus species widely cultivated in arid and semiarid regions worldwide and used in rehabilitation programs of rangelands in Algeria since 1990. This study analyzed the diversity and functional traits of plant species established in prickly pear plantations growing under arid and semiarid climates. A 3-year plant assessment insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(2008-2010); was carried out using ecological descriptors insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(abundance, species richness, diversity indices, disturbance index, and Jaccard index); and plant functional traits insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(life forms, chorological types, dispersal types, Grime`s, Noy-Meir`s strategies, and morphological types);. The results revealed 36 and 31 species in arid and semiarid rangelands, respectively, with remarkable dominance of therophytic insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(43.2%); and hemicryptophytic plants insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(41.1%); growing in the semiarid climatic zone. The Shannon and diversity index showed low values insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.93-1.84 in surveyed rangelands); with a maximum of 2.74 in 2009. The disturbance index ranged between 51% and 55% and the dispersion scheme of diaspores was dominated by anemochorous plants. The chorological analysis indicated that the study plants were oriented towards a Mediterranean pattern in the broad sense. The predominant adaptive strategies of Grime were ruderal-stresstolerant insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(RS);, competitive-stress-tolerant insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CS); and competitive-ruderals insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CR);, which were attached to the two strategies of Noy-Meir insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(aridopassives and aridoactives);.
Keywords : Land rehabilitation, plant diversity, prickly pear, functional traits, Algerian steppes