Stress assessment of argan (Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels) in response to land uses across an aridity gradient: Translational asymmetry and branch fractal dimension

Alados, Concepción L.; Aich, A. El

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2007.06.015

Cited by 32 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Feedback mechanisms between right and left structures lead to maintained symmetry, which depends on an individual's rate of growth [24]. This effect on C asymmetry arises from the difficulty to compensate for growth variations between maximum and minimum diameters [1]. Our results support this theory as C asymmetry increased with herbivory pressure in the argan trees.…”

Section: Houbara Sanctuary (Hereafter Coastal)supporting

confidence: 72%

Climatic Conditions and Herbivory Effects on Morphological Plasticity of Argania spinosa

Ain‐Lhout

Zunzunegui

Barradas

et al. 2013

Natural Product Communications

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The main objective of this paper was to look into the morphological differentiation patterns and phenotypic plasticity in four populations of Argania spinosa with environmentally contrasted conditions. Mean response, magnitude and pattern of morphological intra-and inter-population plasticity indexes were measured and analyzed in order to identify which characters contribute the most to the acclimation of this species. Populations growing in the ecological optimum of the species presented the lowest plasticity, while those growing in the most stressed habitats showed an increased morphological variability. The study of four populations showed that human pressure seems to play an important function in the regulation of morphological characters. However, climatic conditions seem to play a significant role in the increase of morphological plasticity.

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Section: Houbara Sanctuary (Hereafter Coastal)supporting

confidence: 72%

Climatic Conditions and Herbivory Effects on Morphological Plasticity of Argania spinosa

Ain‐Lhout

Zunzunegui

Barradas

et al. 2013

Natural Product Communications

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“…During this period, argan leaves can constitute up to 68% of the goats diet [8]. Combined with other stressesstated earlier, overgrazing modifies branch growth pattern and its complexity [9] and dramatically weakens the trees.…”

Section: The Argan Forest Micro-societymentioning

confidence: 95%

Sustainable Development in Northern Africa: The Argan Forest Case

Charrouf¹,

Guillaume

2009

Sustainability

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Abstract:The argan tree is a slow growing tree exclusively endemic in the dry lowlands of Southwest Morocco. The argan forest constitutes a long time ignored specific biotope that has been declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1998. The argan forest is particularly fragile to climate change. Forecasts show annual precipitation levels and prolonged drought periods that could severely threaten the future of the argan forest. In some places, the argan forest is already damaged, resulting in the retreat of the argan tree and the subsequent desert encroachment. An acceleration of this trend would have devastating consequences. In response, some twenty years ago, an ambitious, unique in Northern-Africa, and government-supported program was initiated in Morocco to rescue the argan tree via the sustainable development of the argan forest. Because in the late 1980s, sustainable development in developing countries was often considered as a utopia, the argan forest case represents a sign of progress, as it is also an interesting and unique experience in Africa. This review analyses the process followed, the measures taken, the pitfalls encountered, and the results obtained during the last two decades. It also points out the measures that still need to be taken before declaring the argan forest rescue mission is accomplished.

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“…The effect of stress will be an integrated response involving all levels of functional complexity within the organism that might involve metabolically costly homeostatic physiological compensation (Alados and El Aich 2008). These authors have shown that A. spinosa modify their aerial structure, measured through translational asymmetry and branch fractal dimension, in response to drought and browsing pressure.…”

Section: Canonical Discriminant Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal physiological responses of Argania spinosa tree from Mediterranean to semi-arid climate

et al. 2010

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Argania spinosa (the argan tree) is a slowgrowing tree endemic of Morocco, growing on semiarid areas where no other tree species can live. With the aim of predicting temporal changes in A. spinosa woodlands under a probable increase in aridity, we set off to investigate these questions: how do A. spinosa physiological attributes respond to variations in climatic conditions and seasonality, and which is the set of attributes that most affects tree response to environmental conditions? In three study sites, Beni Snassen (North), High-Atlas (Mountain) and Admine Forest in Agadir (Coastal), gas exchange measurements, photochemical efficiency, leaf water potential and different leaf attributes were monitored in February, July and November of 2006. The Mountain site presents the most continental climate. Trees in this site were the most stressed in summer, having the lowest midday leaf water potential values, photochemical efficiency and assimilation rates. We found a Ψ md threshold around -4 MPa, below which stomatal conductance responds linearly to Ψ md . Plants from the North area never reached this threshold during the study period. Although leaf pigments presented a clear seasonal pattern, leaves from Coastal trees exhibit the highest content for each season. The three study sites were separated by two discriminate functions obtained by canonical discriminant analysis. In summer, the Mountain population is separated from the other sites mainly by assimilation rate and F v /F m , while in winter transpiration rates and chlorophyll content are the main discriminant variables. Our study shows that A. spinosa trees adjust their physiological status and leaf attributes to environmental conditions allowing plants to thrive under a dry climate. Under a scenario of global change, the distribution of the argan tree likely shifts to milder areas.

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Stress assessment of argan (Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels) in response to land uses across an aridity gradient: Translational asymmetry and branch fractal dimension

Cited by 32 publications

References 45 publications

Climatic Conditions and Herbivory Effects on Morphological Plasticity of Argania spinosa

Climatic Conditions and Herbivory Effects on Morphological Plasticity of Argania spinosa

Sustainable Development in Northern Africa: The Argan Forest Case

Seasonal physiological responses of Argania spinosa tree from Mediterranean to semi-arid climate

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