biological diversity and tropical forests in tunisia - PART

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Fauna of the Douirat rnouctains icclude gi.di, Eliomys quercycus and
other rodents, which are preyed upon by jackals, ao3therc fox and a
variety of raptors. More complete lists are given in Sectioc 4
(~ouvemorats of Cabes , Wedenine , Tataouine) .
Influences. Intense pressure from grazicg llvestock and people
gathering fuelwood and fodder ha8 degraded the Douirat ecosystems to a
very poor atate. The rnoimtaica are important as a natilral barrier betweer.
the desertic steppes and Grand Erg to the west and the Jaffare steppe to
the east. Further degradation will iccrease the risk of desertificatioc
and duce formatioc ic the steppes, as well as result ic accelerated
erosior. or. the mountains. Ir: the Matmatas chair., more than 750,000 ha
have beep treated for erosion control (~ir. For. 1986).