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In desert ecosystems, arthropods such as scorpions are understudied, and sufficient information is still lacking regarding their biodiversity. Specimen collection was carried out over 24 months (2016–2017). This study assessed the phenology, abundance, richness and diversity of scorpion species in arid ecosystems of the Sahara desert of Algeria (Ghardaïa). It examined the potential influence of climate parameters (precipitation, temperature and wind) on activity density, diversity and the phenological distribution of the species among seasons. We identified eight Buthidae species: Androctonus aeneas, Androctonus amoreuxi, Androctonus australis, Buthacus samiae, Buthacus spinatus, Buthacus elmenia, Buthus saharicus and Lissothus chaambi. Androctonus amoreuxi and Androctonus australis were the most abundant and omnipresent species, comprising 54.41% and 33.82% of all species found, respectively. Shannon’s index and the evenness index demonstrated a very poor diversity of scorpions in this region and a poor balance between the number of sampled species. Seasonal variation and climate parameters, i.e., temperature and wind, influenced the number, distribution, and the diversity of scorpions. The number of species found in Ghardaïa Province represent more than 20% of the scorpion species reported in Algeria.

The identification of migration dates and wintering zones for migratory birds are key elements for the understanding of the Afro‐Palearctic migration system. From 2015 to 2022, a large‐scale survey of Turtle Doves Streptopelia turtur, a vulnerable species, was established in Northwest Africa, including Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. We monitored migration dates and wintering individuals using the line‐transect method. We found that Turtle Doves arrived in the last week of March and left the North African region in mid‐October. Compared with Morocco, Doves arrived significantly earlier in Algeria and Tunisia. Moreover, Doves were discovered wintering on nine Northwest African sites, from October to February, where individuals feed in groups. We found that the occurrence probability of wintering Turtle Doves decreased significantly with increasing temperature and rainfall. Birds wintered most often close to wetlands since the overwintering probability decreased with the increasing distance from the recording area to the nearest water body. These are the first and only detailed findings on the migration phenology of the globally vulnerable Turtle Dove in north western Africa.