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<p><italic>Zygophyllum album</italic> L. (Zygophyllaceae) is a species of arid and hyperarid zones that has been the subject of many biochemical, pharmaceutical, and medicinal studies, but this species is largely unknown ecologically. This work aims to study the diversity and describe the characteristics of the functional traits of plant species of <italic>Zygophyllum album</italic> communities associated with water towers in the Algerian Sahara. Based on subjective sampling, 17 phytoecological relevés were carried out at six sites in the Algerian Sahara. <italic>Zygophyllum album</italic> plant communities were analyzed using diversity parameters (species richness, Shannon-Weaver index, Pielou equitability) and plant functional traits (life forms, dispersal types, morphological and phytogeographic types). The results revealed the presence of 30 plant species belonging to 16 families and 28 genera. Asteraceae, Poaceae, Amaranthaceae and Apocynaceae were the most species-rich families, accounting for 60% of the total species studied. The plant communities studied were characterized by a high presence of hemicryptophytes (58.84%), anemochores (78.53%), perennial species (86.07%) and cosmopolitan species (41.55%) which witness the anthropogenic impact. Based on ordinary species values, three plant communities were individualized according to the hierarchical ascending classification. The species that dominate these communities are <italic>Phragmites communis</italic> (82.9%), <italic>Imperata cylindrica</italic> (35.2%) and <italic>Calotropis procera</italic> (28%) for community 1, <italic>Zygophyllum album</italic> (15.1%), <italic>Cistanche phelypaea</italic> (10%) and <italic>Launaea glomerata</italic> (5.1%) for community 2, <italic>Launaea resedifolia</italic> (10.2%), <italic>Hyoscyamus muticus</italic> (5.3%) and <italic>Cistanche Phelypaea</italic> (5.1%) for community 3. Community 1 is the most diverse (H’= 2.88; E= 0.88), while community 3 is the least diverse (H’=2.32; E= 0.93). This study provides baseline data for managing and conserving <italic>Zygophyllum album</italic> plant communities in arid areas.</p>
</abstract>

Zygophyllum album L. (Zygophyllaceae) is a species of arid and hyperarid zones that has been the subject of many biochemical, pharmaceutical, and medicinal studies, but this species is largely unknown ecologically. This work aims to study the diversity and describe the characteristics of the functional traits of plant species of Zygophyllum album communities associated with water towers in the Algerian Sahara. Based on subjective sampling, 17 phytoecological relevés were carried out at six sites in the Algerian Sahara. Zygophyllum album plant communities were analyzed using diversity parameters (species richness, Shannon-Weaver index, Pielou equitability) and plant functional traits (life forms, dispersal types, morphological and phytogeographic types). The results revealed the presence of 30 plant species belonging to 16 families and 28 genera. Asteraceae, Poaceae, Amaranthaceae and Apocynaceae were the most species-rich families, accounting for 60% of the total species studied. The plant communities studied were characterized by a high presence of hemicryptophytes (58.84%), anemochores (78.53%), perennial species (86.07%) and cosmopolitan species (41.55%) which witness the anthropogenic impact. Based on ordinary species values, three plant communities were individualized according to the hierarchical ascending classification. The species that dominate these communities are Phragmites communis (82.9%), Imperata cylindrica (35.2%) and Calotropis procera (28%) for community 1, Zygophyllum album (15.1%), Cistanche phelypaea (10%) and Launaea glomerata (5.1%) for community 2, Launaea resedifolia (10.2%), Hyoscyamus muticus (5.3%) and Cistanche Phelypaea (5.1%) for community 3. Community 1 is the most diverse (H’= 2.88; E= 0.88), while community 3 is the least diverse (H’=2.32; E= 0.93). This study provides baseline data for managing and conserving Zygophyllum album plant communities in arid areas.

Floristic Diversity of <italic>Zygophyllum album</italic> Communities Associated with Water Towers in the Algerian Sahara

Laboratory of Saharan Natural Resources, Faculty of Sciences and Technology

Advanced Research in Life Sciences

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Floristic Diversity of  Communities Associated with Water Towers in the Algerian Sahara

Zygophyllum album L. (Zygophyllaceae) is a species of arid and hyperarid zones that has been the subject of many biochemical, pharmaceutical, and medicinal...

Floristic Diversity of Zygophyllum album Communities Associated with Water Towers in the Algerian Sahara

Published Online: Oct 13, 2023

Page range: 125 - 134

Received: Jul 01, 2023

Accepted: Sep 01, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/arls-2023-0014

Keywords
Diversity, plant community, Sahara, Algeria,

© 2023 Mohammed Souddi et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Floristic Diversity of Zygophyllum album Communities Associated with Water Towers in the Algerian Sahara

Published Online: Oct 13, 2023

Page range: 125 - 134

Received: Jul 01, 2023

Accepted: Sep 01, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/arls-2023-0014

KeywordsDiversity, plant community, Sahara, Algeria,

© 2023 Mohammed Souddi et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Diversity, plant community, Sahara, Algeria,