Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Ex-situ conservation of single-country endemic plants of Tunisia and northern Morocco (Mediterranean coast and Rif region) in seed banks and botanic gardens worldwide

  • Published:
Kew Bulletin Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The objective of this study is two-fold: firstly, to review the local endemic plants of Tunisia and northern Morocco (Mediterranean coast and Rif region) and the extent to which extinction risk status characterisations have been assigned to date to the endemic plants of these areas; and secondly, to identify which of these unique taxa are conserved ex-situ around the world. For the first aim, five major online databases as well as widely scattered literature sources were consulted; for the latter, the PlantSearch facility of Botanic Gardens Conservation International was used, followed by communication with domestic institutions. The examination of the extent of the ex-situ conservation of endemic plants of the Mediterranean part of northern Morocco (n=94 taxa) showed that only six of them are conserved in one conservatory, four arboretums and 18 botanic gardens of 10 countries, totalling only 25 accessions, with 40% of these in UK institutions. The threatened and near threatened flora of northern Morocco (Mediterranean coast and Rif region) is estimated at 64 taxa; only five of these are preserved ex-situ, among which only Abies marocana and Rhodanthemum hosmariense are assessed as effectively conserved. For the endemic flora of Tunisia which is estimated at 83 taxa, we have found only one taxon (Calendula suffruticosa subsp. suffruticosa) conserved ex-situ. With scarce evaluations made to date, the threatened endemic flora of Tunisia is limited to one taxon only (Rumex tunetanus). This study presents comprehensive and evaluated lists of the endemic plant taxa found in the studied countries/regions, indicating that consensus is compromised among the widely used taxonomic/phytogeographical online sources. Additionally, it is suggested that more coordinated efforts are needed to conserve the plant heritage of these countries, through integrated management, species-prioritisation, restoration of populations of threatened taxa, inclusion of threatened species in national lists of protected species, and establishment of seed banks focused on the wild flora.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Map 1
Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Benzyane, M., Aafi, A., Sbay, H., El Antry, S., Yassine, M., Ilmen, R. & Ghaïloule, D. (2010). Les écosystèmes naturels marocains et les changements climatiques. La résilience écologique à l’épreuve. Edition Centre de Recherche Forestière, Collection Maroc Nature, Rabat.

  • Berraho, A., Birouk, A. & Menioui, M. (2006). Biodiversité et équilibres écologiques. http://www.svt.ac-aix-marseille.fr/ancien_site/eedd/coopint/bibliogr/biodiversitequilibresecologiques.pdf. Accessed 26 Oct. 2019.

  • BGCI (Botanic Gardens Conservation International) (2019). http://www.bgci.org/plant_search.php. Accessed 19 Dec. 2018.

  • Cannon, C. H. & Kua, C.-S. (2017). Botanic gardens should lead the way to create a “Garden Earth” in the Anthropocene. Plant Divers. 39: 331 – 337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pld.2017.11.003

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) (2018). https://www.cbd.int/gspc/targets.shtml. Accessed 13 April 2019.

  • Chen, G. & Sun, W. (2018). The role of botanical gardens in scientific research, conservation, and citizen science. Plant Divers. 40: 181 – 188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pld.2018.07.006

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • CRF (Centre de Recherche Forestière) (2010). Les écosystèmes naturels marocains et les changements climatiques, la résilience écologique à l’épreuve. Collection Maroc Nature 20: 27 – 28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuénod, A. (1954). Flore analytique et synoptique de la Tunisie (Cryptogames Vasculaires, Gymnospermes et Monocotylédones). Office de l’expérimentation et de la vulgarisation agricoles de Tunisie, Tunis.

  • Derneği, D. (2010). Hotspot de la biodiversité du bassin Méditerranéen. http://legacy.cepf.net/ Documents/Mediterranean_EP_FINAL_FRENCH.pdf. Accessed 13 April 2019.

  • Dobignard, A. & Chatelain, C. (2010 – 2013). Index synonymique de la Flore d’Afrique du Nord, Vol. 1 – 5. Ed. Conservatoires et Jardins Botanique, Genève.

  • Domina, G. & El Mokni, R. (2019). An inventory of the names of vascular plants endemic to C Mediterranean and described from Tunisia. Phytotaxa 409: 105 – 128. 10.11646/phytotaxa.409.3.1

  • El Hadidi, M. N. & Hosni, H. (2000). Conservation and Threats. In: M. N. El Hadidi (ed.), Flora Aegyptiaca 1: 105 – 150. The Palm Press, Cairo.

  • El Oualidi, J., Khamar, H., Fennane, M., Ibn Tattou, M., Chauvet, S. & Taleb, M. S. (2012). Checklist des endémiques et spécimens types de la flore vasculaire de l'Afrique du Nord. Institut Scientifique N°25, Rabat.

  • Ennabili, A. & Ater, M. (1996). Flore (Pteridophyta et Spermatophyta) des zones humides du Maroc méditerranéen. Inventaire et écologie. Acta Bot Malacit. 21: 221 – 239.

  • Fennane, M. (2004). Propositions de zones importantes pour les plantes au Maroc (ZIP Maroc). https://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/ipas_proposal_morocco.pdf. Accessed 26 Oct. 2019.

  • Fennane, M. (2017a). Eléments pour un livre rouge de la flore vasculaire du Maroc. Fasc. 2. Gymnospermae, Dicotyledonae (Acanthaceae – Aristolochiaceae). Tela-Botanica, Montpellier.

  • Fennane, M. (2017b). Eléments pour un livre rouge de la flore vasculaire du Maroc. Fasc. 3. Asteraceae. Tela-Botanica, Montpellier.

  • Fennane, M. (2017c). Eléments pour un livre rouge de la flore vasculaire du Maroc. Fasc. 4. Basellaceae – Buxaceae. Tela-Botanica, Montpellier.

  • Fennane, M. (2018a). Eléments pour un livre rouge de la flore vasculaire du Maroc. Fasc. 5. Cactaceae – Euphorbiaceae. Tela-Botanica, Montpellier.

  • Fennane, M. (2018b). Eléments pour un livre rouge de la flore vasculaire du Maroc. Fasc. 6. Fabaceae. Tela-Botanica, Montpellier.

  • Fennane, M. (2018c). Eléments pour un livre rouge de la flore vasculaire du Maroc. Fasc. 7. Fagaceae – Lythraceae. Tela-Botanica, Montpellier.

  • Fennane, M. (2018d). Eléments pour un livre rouge de la flore vasculaire du Maroc. Fasc. 8. Malvaceae – Plumbaginaceae. Tela-Botanica, Montpellier.

  • Fennane, M. (2018e). Eléments pour un livre rouge de la flore vasculaire du Maroc. Fasc. 9. Polygalaceae – Zygophyllaceae. Tela-Botanica, Montpellier.

  • Fennane, M. (2018f). Eléments pour un livre rouge de la flore vasculaire du Maroc. Fasc. 10. Monocotyledonae. Tela-Botanica, Montpellier.

  • Fennane, M. & De Montmollin, B. (2015). Réflexions sur les critères de l’UICN pour la liste rouge: cas de la flore marocaine. Bull. Inst. Sci., Rabat, Sect. Sci. Vie 13: 17 – 27.

  • Fennane, M. & Ibn Tatou, M.Ibn Tatou, M. (1998). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires rares, menacées ou endémiques du Maroc. Bocconea 8: 1 – 243.

  • Fennane, M., Ibn Tatou, M., Matherz, J., Ouyahya, A. & Eloualidi, J. (1999). Flore pratique du Maroc, Manuel de détermination des plantes vasculaires, Vol. 1. Editions OKAD, Rabat.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fennane, M., Ibn Tatou, M., Matherz, J., Ouyahya, A. & Eloualidi, J. (2007). Flore pratique du Maroc, Manuel de détermination des plantes vasculaires, Vol. 2. Editions OKAD, Rabat.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fennane, M., Ibn Tatou, M., Matherz, J., Ouyahya, A. & Eloualidi, J. (2014). Flore pratique du Maroc, Manuel de détermination des plantes vasculaires, Vol. 3. Editions OKAD, Rabat.

    Google Scholar 

  • García, N., Cuttelod, A. & Abdul Malak, D. (eds) (2010) The Status and Distribution of Freshwater Biodiversity in Northern Africa. IUCN, Gland. https://books.google.co.ma/books? Accessed 30 March 2019.

  • Ghrabi-Gammar, Z. (2017). Biodiversité floristique de l’Arboretum de l’Institut National agronomique de Tunisie (INAT)-Arbres, Arbustes, arbrisseaux et sous arbrisseaux. Association des ingénieurs agronomes, Tunis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghrabi-Gammar, Z. & Daoud-Bouattour, A. (2018). Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) for plants in Tunisia. In: M. Valderrábano, T. Gil, V. Heywood & B. de Montmollin (eds), Conserving wild plants in the south and east Mediterranean region, pp. 61 – 64. IUCN, Gland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghrabi-Gammar, Z., Daoud-Bouattour, A., Ferchichi, H., Mokhtar Gammar, A., Muller, S. D., Rhazi, L. & Ben Saad-Limam, S. (2009). Flore vasculaire rare, endémique et menacée des zones humides de Tunisie. Rev. Ecol. 64: 19 – 40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghrabi-Gammar, Z., Muller, S. D., Rouissi, M., Ben Haj Jilani, I., Rhazi, L., de Bélair, G., Ben Saad-Limam, S. & Daoud-Bouattour, A. (2017). Rumex tunetanus (Polygonaceae): rediscovery of an endangered Tunisian endemic. Phytotaxa 296: 118 – 130. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.296.2.2

  • Godefroid, S., Rivière, S., Waldren, S., Boretos, N., Eastwood, R. & Vanderborght, T. (2011). To what extent are threatened European plant species conserved in seed banks? Biol. Conserv. 144: 1494 – 1498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2011.01.018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GSPC (Global Strategy for Plant Conservation) (2019). https://www.cbd.int/gspc/objectives.shtml. Accessed 13 April 2019.

  • Guerrant, E. O., Havens, K. & Maunder, M. (2006). Ex situ plant conservation: Supporting species survival in the wild. S. African J. Bot. 72: 306 – 309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2005.12.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HCP (Haut-Commissariat au Plan) (2006). Gestion durable des ressources naturelles et de la biodiversité au Maroc, Prospective «Maroc 2030», Royaume du Maroc. www.hcp.ma/file/111439/. Accessed 13 April 2019.

  • Hird, A. & Kramer, A. T. (2013). Achieving Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation: Lessons Learned from the North American Collections Assessment. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 99: 161 – 166. https://doi.org/10.3417/2011114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) (2019). http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/13146943/0. Accessed 13 April 2019.

  • IUCN-Med (2008). Rapid List evaluation of Tunisian endemic plants. International Union for Conservation of Nature (Workshop Report), Tunis.

  • Khabbach, A., Libiad, M. & Ennabili, A. (2011). Plant resources use in the Province of Taza (North of Morocco). ProEnvironment 4 (8): 347 – 356.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khabbach, A., Libiad, M. & Ennabili, A. (2014). Valeurs et services de la phytodiversité, Cas de la flore vasculaire de la zone pré-Rifaine, Province de Taza (Nord-ouest du Maroc). Editions Universitaires Européennes, Saarbrücken.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krigas, N., Menteli, V. & Vokou, D. (2016). Analysis of the ex situ conservation of the Greek endemic flora at national European and global scales and of its effectiveness in meeting GSPC Target 8. Pl. Biosyst. 150: 573 – 582. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2014.988194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Floc’h, E., Boulos, L. & Véla, E. (2010). Flore de Tunisie, Catalogue synonymique commenté. Banque Nationale de Gènes, Ministère de l'Environnement et du Développement Durable, Tunis.

  • Li, D.-Z. & Pritchard, H. W. (2009). The science and economics of ex situ plant conservation. Trends Pl. Sci. 14: 614 – 621. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2009.09.005

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Libiad, M., Khabbach, A. & Ennabili, A. (2011). Exploitation of plants from upstream of the Sebou-wadi watershed (province of Taounate, North of Morocco). Biol. Divers. Conserv. 4: 81 – 91.

  • Mateos, M. A. & Valdés, B. (2009). Catálogo de la flora vascular del Rif occidental calizo (N de Marruecos). I Selaginellaceae-Rosaceae. Lagascalia 29: 105 – 257.

  • Mateos, M. A. & Valdés, B. (2010a). Catálogo de la flora vascular del Rif occidental calizo (N de Marruecos). II. Caesalpiniaceae-Compositae. Lagascalia 30: 47 – 303.

  • Mateos, M. A. & Valdés, B. (2010b). Catálogo de la flora Vascular del Rif occidental calizo (N de Marruecos). III. Alismataceae-Orchidaceae. Lagascalia 30: 313 – 391.

  • Mattana, E., Fenu, G. & Bacchetta, G. (2012). Regional responsibility for plant conservation: The 2010 GSPC Target 8 in Sardinia. Pl. Biosyst. 146 (3): 649 – 653. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2012.667844

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maunder, M. (2013). Plant conservation. Encyclopaedia of Biodiversity, Vol. 6: 76 – 89. Academic Press Inc.

  • Maxted, N. (2013). In situ, ex situ conservation. Encyclopaedia of Biodiversity, Vol. 4: 313 – 323. Academic Press Inc.

  • Médail, F. & Quézel, P. (1999). Biodiversity hotspots in the Mediterranean Basin: Setting global conservation priorities. Conserv. Biol. 13: 1510 – 1513. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1739.1999.98467.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montserrat, J. M., El Oualidi, J. & Virevaire, M. (2008). Une nouvelle banque de germoplasmes à l’Institut Scientifique (Rabat): contribution à la conservation de la Flore Vasculaire du Maroc. Odissea Semina, Réseau inter-régional de banques de semences de la Méditerranée GENMEDOC, Bulletin of the projet SEMCLIMED, Vol. 4.

  • Murray, B. G. (2017). Plant diversity, conservation and use. Encyclopaedia of Applied Plant Sciences, 2nd edition, Vol. 2: 289 – 308. Academic Press Inc.

  • Neffati, M., Ghrabi-Gammar, Z., Akrimi, N. & Henchi, B. (1999). Les plantes endémiques de la Tunisie. Fl. Medit. 9: 163 – 174.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Donnell, K. & Sharrock, S. (2017). The contribution of botanic gardens to ex situ conservation through seed banking. Pl. Divers. 39: 373 – 378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pld.2017.11.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pottier-Alapetite, G. (1979, 1981). Flore de la Tunisie (Angiospermes-Dicotylédones), Vol. 1 & 2. Publications scientifiques tunisiennes, Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique, Ministère de l’Agriculture, Tunisie, Tunis.

  • Rankou, H., Culham, A., Jury, S. L. & Christenhusz, M. J. M. (2013). The endemic flora of Morocco. Phytotaxa 78: 1 – 69. 10.11646/phytotaxa.78.1.1

  • Rankou, H., Culham, A., Taleb, M. S., Ouhammou, A., Martin, G. & Jury, S. L. (2015). Conservation assessments and red listing of the endemic Moroccan flora (Monocotyledons). Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 177: 504 – 575. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rivière, S. & Müller, J. V. (2018). Contribution of seed banks across Europe towards the 2020 Global Strategy for Plant Conservation targets, assessed through the ENSCONET database. Oryx 52: 464 – 470. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605316001496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rivière, S., Breman, E., Kiehn, M., Carta, A. & Müller, J. V. (2018). How to meet the 2020 GSPC target 8 in Europe: priority-setting for seed banking of native threatened plants. Biodivers. Conserv. 27: 1873 – 1890. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-018-1513-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharrock, S. (2012). Stratégie mondiale pour la conservation des plantes, Guide pratique. Botanic Gardens Conservation International. http://www.plants2020.net/files/Plants2020/popular_guide/frenchguide.pdf. Accessed 13 April 2019.

  • Sharrock, S. & Jones, M. (2009). Conserving Europe’s threatened plants: progress towards Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Richmond.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharrock, S. & Jones, M. (2011). Saving Europe’s threatened flora: Progress towards GSPC Target 8 in Europe. Biodivers. Conserv. 20: 325 – 333. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-010-9912-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taleb, M. S. & Fennane, M. (2011). Morocco. In: E. A. Radford, G. Catullo & B. de Montmollin (eds), Important Plant Areas of the south and east Mediterranean region: priority sites for conservation, pp. 27 – 30. IUCN, Gland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teixido, A. L., Toorop, P. E., Liu, U., Ribeiro, G. V. T, Fuzessy, L. F., Guerra, T. J. & Silveira, F. A. O. (2017). Gaps in seed banking are compromising the GSPC’s Target 8 in a megadiverse country. Biodivers. Conserv. 26: 703 – 716. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-016-1267-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valderrábano, M., Gil, T., Heywood, V. & de Montmollin, B. (2018). Conserving wild plants in the south and east Mediterranean region. IUCN, Gland.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Valdés, B., Rejdali, M., Achha El Kadmiri, A., Jury, S. L. & Montserrat, J. M. (2002). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Nord du Maroc, incluant des clés d’identification (Vol. 1 & 2). Edition CSIC, Madrid.

  • Véla, E. & Benhouhou, S. (2007). Évaluation d’un nouveau point chaud de biodiversité végétale dans le bassin méditerranéen (Afrique du Nord). Compt. Rend. Biol. 330: 589 – 605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crvi.2007.04.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Merion Jones for running the queries in the PlantSearch database of the Botanic Garden Conservation International regarding the endemic taxa of Tunisia and northern Morocco. This work was supported by the ARIMNet2 2017 Transnational Joint Call through the MULTI-VAL-END project ‘Multifaceted Valorisation of single-country Endemic plants of Crete, Greece, Tunisia and Rif, Morocco for sustainable exploitation in the agro-alimentary, horticultural-ornamental and medicinal-cosmetic sectors’ (http://www.arimnet2.net/index.php/researchprojects/projects-call-2017/multi-val-end, accessed 13 Oct. 2019) and was co-funded the Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter of Greece, the State Secretariat for Higher Education and Scientific Research (SEESRS) of Morocco, and the Institution de la Recherche et de l’Enseignement Supèrieur Agricoles (IRESA), Ministère de l’Agriculture, Republic of Tunisia. ARIMNet2 (ERA-NET) has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no. 618127.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de matériaux, substances naturelles, environnement et modélisation (LMSNEM), Faculté Polydisciplinaire de Taza, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University of Fez, B.P. 1223, Taza Gare, 35 000, Taza, Morocco

    Mohamed Libiad, Abdelmajid Khabbach & Mohamed El Haissoufi

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, 93000, BP. 2121, M’Hannech II, Tetouan, Morocco

    Mohamed Libiad

  3. Laboratoire des Plantes Aromatiques et Médicinales, Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj-Cédria, BP 901, 2050, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia

    Soumaya Bourgou & Wided Megdiche-Ksouri

  4. Université de Carthage, Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie, 43 Avenue Charles Nicolle, 1082 Cité Mahrajène, Tunis, Tunisia

    Zeineb Ghrabi-Gammar

  5. Université de la Manouba Laboratoire de Recherche de Biogéographie, Climatologie Appliquée et Dynamique Environnementale (LR BiCADE 18ES13), 43 Avenue Charles Nicolle, 1082 Cité Mahrajène, LR BiCADE 18ES13, Tunis, Tunisia

    Zeineb Ghrabi-Gammar

  6. Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Descanso House, 199 Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3BW, UK

    Suzanne Sharrock

  7. Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Thermi, P.O. Box 60458, 57001, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Nikos Krigas

Authors
  1. Mohamed Libiad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Abdelmajid Khabbach
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mohamed El Haissoufi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Soumaya Bourgou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wided Megdiche-Ksouri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Zeineb Ghrabi-Gammar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Suzanne Sharrock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Nikos Krigas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Mohamed Libiad or Nikos Krigas.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 63 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Libiad, M., Khabbach, A., El Haissoufi, M. et al. Ex-situ conservation of single-country endemic plants of Tunisia and northern Morocco (Mediterranean coast and Rif region) in seed banks and botanic gardens worldwide. Kew Bull 75, 46 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-020-09903-6

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-020-09903-6

Key Words

Search

Navigation