biological diversity and tropical forests in tunisia - PART

The high numbers .of pochard and coot make the site internationally
important and it is a quality example of a representative sebkhet (Morgan
1982).
C. Influences
.Human influences on the ecosystem include cultivation of the adjacent
area and encroachment into the edge vegetation. Egg collection has
occured in past years (carp 1980).
3.3.2.7. Sebkhets Sidi Mansour and En Noual 34O15'-25* N g039*-58' E
En Noual is 20 km west of the coast, 60 km northwest of Gabes and
11,000 ha in size. Ssdi Mansour is 50 km west of the coast, 70 km
northwest of Gabes and 3,000 ha in size. Both are shallow (maximum depth
1.5 m) with low salinity levels.
A. Vegetatioc
Large decsely vegetated areas surround the sebkhets, which frequently
dry our in summer. Interspersed in the typical sebkhet type halophile
vegetation are Tamarix sp.and species common to the surrounding steppes,
such as Rhantherium suaveolens and Artemisia campestris
B. Fauna
The dense vegetation provsdes excellent cover for gerbils, Shaw's
jird, brown hare, red fox, and dorcas gazelles. Great numbers of waders
visit the sebkhets. An exceptional 75,000 flamsngos were recorded in 1971
(carp 1980) and they occasionally attempt to nest at Sidl Macsour (0lney
1965). Other birds include :
Black-necked grebe Crane Scrub warbler
Teal Little stint Desert wheatear
Shoveler Avocet Mourning wheatear
Pochard Pratincole Red-rumped wheatear
t White-headed duck Long-legged buzzard White wagtail
Mallard Swallow Hoopoe lark
t Marbled teal Crested lark
C. Influences
t = Threatened Species
Human influences are widespread at these sebkhets. The dry eastern
ends are sometimes cultivated to cereals, vegetatioc is cut and gathered
for fuel and fodder, grazing is excessive, and egg collection has ruined
at least oce nesting attempt by flamingos (carp 1980). Huntirg and
poachlcg (birds acd mammals) are also very common.