biological diversity and tropical forests in tunisia - PART

A. Vegetatioc
Dj. Hansour is fairly well covered by aleppo pine, averaging 5-7 m
tall. Low, shrubby holm oak is scattered ir. parts of the forest.
Occasiocal clearings in the forest cover are domicated by rosemary and
heather. The forest was burned in 1938 and there have beec some selectior.
cuts, which affect species compostion. The geceral vegetation profile
reported by ORSTOM (1 962) is as follows:
Picus helepecsis
Quercus ilex
accompacied by thermophiles and calcicoles
Rosnarinus officinalis Gecista argentea
Globularia alypum G. cicerea
B;pleul-m balacsae Teucriam poliam
Fzmaca thymif olia Ebecus piccata
F. laevipes Aveca bromoides etc...
A maritime icfliecce is shown by the presecce of
Erica multiflora Fumaca arbi ca
while the drier sites are characterized by
Jaciperss phoecicea S ti pa teccacissima
0c marcous soils some species are replaced by Ampelodesma na~ritarica.
Humas acczmalations are icdicated by
Pistacia lentiscas Jasmican friiticacs
Phillyrea acgastif olia
Degradation caused by fires is icdicated by
Cistus villosas Cist.2~ mocspeliecsis
This vegetation profile is typical of the aleppo pice forests from Dj.
Semmama to Dj. Fkirine.
B. Fauca
The fauna is composed of the species listed for mountaicoas areas ic
the Gouvernorat of Zaghouac (Sectioc 4). Of special interest is the
presecce of North Africac crested porcupices acd (rarely) hyecas.
C. Influences
Hamac icflaecces icclsde managemect cats, occasiocal P;elwood
gathericg, acd grazicg. The soils are ssbject to erosioc if the
vegetatioc cover is removed.