biological diversity and tropical forests in tunisia - PART

Raf Raf is highly cultivated, except the tip of the point and the
higher ridges. On uncultivated land there is a degraded forest of carob
and wild olive europaea oleaster and a spontaneous
of aleppo pine Pinus halepensis. This is also the only
locatioc in Tunisia where the rare Pinus microphylla grows a ad ford and
Peterken 1979).
South of Ghar el Melh and extending to Cap Gammarth is the Medjerda
delta; the only extensive littoral plain in northern Tunisia en-0thman
1973). The littoral plain extends about 10 km inland and reaches almost
20 km inland near Oued Medjerda. Much of the higher land of the Oued
Medjerda floodplain has been cultivated. Uncultivated land is vegetated
to plants characteristic of halophile associations (see Section 3.3.2),
includicg:
Suaeda sp. Halocnemum sp. Arthrocnemum sp.
Cynodon dactyloc Limonium sp. Atriplex sp.
From Gammarth to Soliman much of the coast is low with sandy shores or
there is a sandy fringe where the hills reach the sea. Upland areas were
origically vegetated to Olea-lentiscus formations, but now most of the
land is cultivated or developed.
Near Solimac, 30 km east of Tunis, is a shallow coastal marsh. About
40 ha of wst marsh are separated from some dry marsh land by a raised dirt
road (Fiorgan 1982). Rucoff and ground water supply the marsh with
slightly salty water (4-5 g/l). The marsh varies in size from year to
year and dries out ic exceptionally dry years. Morgan (1982) reported a
40% vegetation cover of Scirpus maritimus and a carpet of Characeae on 90%
of the bottom. Other plants include:
Polygonum amphibium Ranunculus sp.
Phragmites communis Eleocharis sp.
North of Solimac, at Korbous, the coast is steep and mountainous.
Sandstoce slopss soath of Korbous are covered by open maquis with several
species characteristic of hotter southern locations. Dominact and rare
species include:
Quercus coccifera Chamaerops humilis
Olea europaea Retama monosperma
Pistacia lentiscus Juniperus phoenecia
Calycotome villosa Epedra alata
Rosmaricus officinalis Linaria cossoni (~unisia endemic)
Along the coast of Cap Bon the climax vegetation species is kermes
oak, which usually grows ic bush form in various associations depending on
the climate and soil (ORSTON 1962). On the coastal dunes ~mmophila
arenaria and Imperata cylindrica are associated with:
Cakils maritima Mathiola tricuspidata
Crucianella maritima Eryngiam maritimum
Paccratum maritimum